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Post by Siana Blackwood on Dec 28, 2015 6:37:13 GMT
...and it's time to think about scary things involving goals, challenges and how Steve can help us achieve things. Something like that, anyway. So, a sort of survey-type thing to kick it all off:
What are your main writing-related goals for 2016?
Any non-writing goals you think would be fun to work towards on Steve?
Do you have any ideas for challenges/events for Steve in 2016?
Any other ideas for things you'd like to see more of on Steve?
Other comments?
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srhevans1
Marvin The Paranoid Android
Posts: 82
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Post by srhevans1 on Dec 28, 2015 12:07:46 GMT
Hey
I think maybe some information about how to do research. I would like to write a historical fiction novel. Thanks. Happy new year.
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Post by Jᴀy V. Aꜱᴛᴇʀ 💀🐍 on Dec 28, 2015 19:34:05 GMT
What are your main writing-related goals for 2016?
A) Finish the chaos draft of a short story and at least the second draft by March 1st.
B) Finish the chaos draft of a novel.
C) Finish at least the first draft of the same novel.
D) Write and clean up at least one piece of flash fiction.
E) I guess this should have been first. GET UNSTUCK FROM WRITER'S BLOCK.
F) Learn to tackle my fear of chronic failure and develop a regular writing habit. I guess this should have been second.
Any non-writing goals you think would be fun to work towards on Steve?
A) Reading. For myself, try to read regularly (though I'm getting better at that), read at least three books that aren't SFFS this year, and read at least one nonfiction (ish) book of interest to myself or my writing topics this year. I say ish because I have one in mind, but even though it is used as a historical reference, it has fictional parts.
B) Organization. Improvement of existing system or starting one. Spring Cleaning!
Do you have any ideas for challenges/events for Steve in 2016?
A) Reading. Goodreads lets you set a progress bar, so we could all set a reading goal for the year, and even add the books we've read. We could make it informal and ongoing so no one has to worry about updating all the time.
B) If anyone's stuck, I'm starting a Daily Plot Bunny challenge soon-ish for my SS-SFF-SS story, in flagrant violation of our nonexistent secrecy policy.
C) REASSERT THE DICTATORSHIP OF KING STEVE AND SET A SPRINTING SCHEDULE FOR EVERYONE! *takes up cattle prod* (Not being entirely serious here.)
Any other ideas for things you'd like to see more of on Steve?
A) Who's stuck? Am I the only one who's stuck? It's time to collectively un-stick ourselves. I propose a sticky note challenge. Every time you come up with a little thing to do - say, a new plot bunny, or even smaller, like 'come up with character X's alibi', or even other non writing related things, put up a sticky note somewhere. Can be literal or metaphorical. Every time you do one, take one down. Version 1: Never let more than a certain number of sticky notes accumulate. Version 2: Build up a certain number of tasks, then aim to do one daily/every two days/weekly/whatever. *Can adjust based on size of task.
Other comments?
If only I had the cure for severe Writer's Block...
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Post by eileenk98 on Dec 29, 2015 0:49:33 GMT
Writing goals for 2016:
1)FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, FINISH "BRAINY'S HOMECOMING" ALREADY!
2)Finish and post last three (four?) chapters of Smeg.
3)Finish and begin revising one of my past NaNos for possible publication.
4)Limit myself to three writing months (April, July, and November), but keep working all the time!
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Post by Siana Blackwood on Dec 29, 2015 5:53:05 GMT
What are your main writing-related goals for 2016?
* Write a (probably) short story in January/February and edit, polish etc. it to query/submission standard.
* Complete the current stage of one of the top items on the Scary List. That means finishing the current draft, tidying it up, probably imposing on a group of someones to read it and then possibly another round of tidying up.
* Figure out a unit of 'reasonable effort' and put that amount of work into all the things I'm serious about finishing. This probably involves a messy combination of planning, writing and editing and at this point I have no idea what a unit of reasonable effort might be, so probably some organisational stuff as well.
* Finish 'The Goats'
Any non-writing goals you think would be fun to work towards on Steve?
* Reading: probably not a formal 'read x books in the year' - just sort of a general aim of never being in a position where I couldn't pick something up and start reading.
* Blogging: maybe try for at least one post per week? I have a whole lot of stuff I put on Steve and in my personal journal that I sort of feel like I could turn into blog posts and I never do, so I'd like to do better with that.
* Drawing/art: I'm severely lacking in both confidence and ability with a pencil and I'd really like to improve.
Do you have any ideas for challenges/events for Steve in 2016?
Because I'm a guilty/insecure sharer and insecurity loves company, I'd like to have a group alpha/beta reading session of some kind, which I guess means getting everyone to have a finished work at more or less the same time. Maybe a second attempt at IHAPA, only starting earlier? Doesn't have to be novels - could just as easily be shorts.
I'd also like some planning and worldbuilding events. BUT... also in a way that encourages group participation not only in doing the activities but also on the teaching side of things. What I'm thinking is something where we all take turns to post a small challenge/event/activity for everyone to do. That way we can all play to our own strengths when we're 'teacher' and we'll be pushed to think about things we might not normally consider when we're 'participants'.
Something to do with short stories, because at least two of us are participating in a short story-related event in the first couple of months of the year.
I really want to say 'editing challenge', but that's one of those things that relies on everyone reaching the same stage at the same time, or at least being ready to commence the same stage at the same time. Group support always seems to be a positive thing, but we all work to our own individual schedules.
Any other ideas for things you'd like to see more of on Steve?
Discussion about things that aren't necessarily our own work - movies, tv shows, books, music and so forth.
Also, science. We totally should be talking about weird bits and pieces of science all the time. Maybe history as well. No shortage of weird bits and pieces there.
Pictures? Random fandom enthusiasm?
Other comments?
Not right now.
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Post by LillianAltair on Jan 2, 2016 4:03:24 GMT
Writing related goals:
- Revamp my magic system so I can start writing magical people again - Create some more magical people to populate the Novel of Novels - Try not to fall into the hole of writing Bucky Barnes Fanfiction (again) after seeing Captain America Civil War in May - At least attempt to write something outside of November
Non-writing related goals:
- Make everyone jealous of my cooking skills by occasionally posting pictures of my culinary masterpieces - Reread Harry Potter, possibly rant about the differences between the movies and the books
Ideas:
- I have very little in the way of ideas of my own, but I like Agent's ^_^ (especially C ^_~) - ...Dungeons and Dragons?
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Post by Siana Blackwood on Jan 2, 2016 13:52:20 GMT
Do you mean Dungeons and Dragons on Steve? Is that even possible?
- signed, someone whose knowledge of the game is limited to 'it has some kind of weird dice and I think you usually play it sitting around a table'.
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Post by Jᴀy V. Aꜱᴛᴇʀ 💀🐍 on Jan 2, 2016 14:59:22 GMT
I second Dungeons and Dragons.
-Someone who has no idea how to play it online because it involves dice and sitting around a table and a map and figurines
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Post by laloca on Jan 3, 2016 3:24:20 GMT
What are your main writing-related goals for 2016?1. Write or edit every day. No word count or time goal, just sit down and write. 2. Complete first draft of DOVH and Mordred 3. Edit first draft of ZF 4. Complete at least one writing challenge (but not NaNoWriMo, it just doesn't work for me) 5. Stick with my current blogging schedule Any non-writing goals you think would be fun to work towards on Steve?Reading! I want to read at least 32 books, that's about 3 a month. I want to actually read books that are on my TBR list and finally complete some series I have been reading. Do you have any ideas for challenges/events for Steve in 2016?Worldbuilding and editing are two things I will be working on and learning about this year. It would be fun to work with others to learn more. Any other ideas for things you'd like to see more of on Steve?Not right now Other comments?
Nope.
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Post by LillianAltair on Jan 3, 2016 9:07:25 GMT
(*whispers that the D&D podcast I listen to because I am a NERD AMONG NERDSinvolves a website that acts as a virtual tabletop game and people who haven't met each other in real life* - someone whose experience of the game amounts to listening to said podcast, watching a couple youtube videos, writing a couple k's of her characters playing it, and have someone who played D&D like twice say it all sounded right to her XD)
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Post by Siana Blackwood on Jan 4, 2016 11:47:20 GMT
Having done extensive research on Dungeons and Dragons... well, at least asked my brother about it and discovered that while he could tell me anything I want to know about Magic: The Gathering he's never actually played D&D... I think we could probably do it. The things I'm concerned about are: 1. Getting enough participants, then arranging for everyone to be in front of their computer at the same time for game day/game night. I have the impression from my brother's description that it's going to be much more practical played 'live' than 'post something whenever you're online'. 2. Some brave person is going to have to volunteer to be in charge and play Game Master/Dungeon Master/whatever you call it. 3. The 'basic rules' that you can download off the official site ( link) is 114 pages for players and another 64 for Dungeon Masters. I don't know how much of that we'd need to read or if that's enough information to actually start a game, but either way getting through it would probably have to be our first 'Steve Reading Challenge' of the year.
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Post by Jᴀy V. Aꜱᴛᴇʀ 💀🐍 on Jan 4, 2016 16:09:03 GMT
I've only played twice, but I wholeheartedly love the idea of playing D&D here. It does indeed work better in person, but failing that, we can certainly try playing online. I have no idea how we're going to get everyone online at the same time, but I'm willing to try.
So for the rules, each person will need two 20-sided dice (or online D&D random number generator), a character sheet, and knowledge of the rules. Every player except the DM must build a character before the game. Players only need to read the handbook, but the Dungeon Master will need to read the DM handbook as well, and they'll need to prep the quest. The Player's Companion is optional.
I would recommend that we use the v5 handbook & character sheets, because it's much more intuitively explained for newbies. V3.5 is a freaking nightmare.
As far as how much of the book you read, mostly the beginning is the rules. Much of the book is descriptions of the different types of characters you can be, skills, how to calculate your skill levels, how i level up for each type, types of spells, etc. Each combination of race, class, etc. will work slightly differently. You kind of end up reading a lot of the handbook anyway while building your character.
If this takes off, I recommend laying hands on a physical copy of the handbook if possible. You have to flip back and forth a lot and that's a PAIN on a pdf.
There are online character generators that will do it for you, but you don't really learn as much that way and it's not as customizable or as fun.
I do have a writer friend who has played a lot more than I have, whom I can ask for advice on any tricky points.
Yes, reading the handbook counts as 1 book read.
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Post by Siana Blackwood on Jan 5, 2016 6:51:11 GMT
My knowledge of D&D now includes the price of a brand-new player's handbook, so if there are significant differences between versions and between the basic rules and the player's handbook then I'll have to add another thing to my list of concerns about getting a game set up.
I don't know how much we want to talk about relative financial situations and all that, but I'll have to admit to not being able to spend any money on this idea right now and feeling distinctly uncomfortable about the idea of expecting it of anyone else.
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Post by LillianAltair on Jan 5, 2016 7:19:25 GMT
psssst...The price of D&D books makes me mad beyond reason >_> I was lucky enough to get the Player's Handbook and the DM Guide as Christmas gifts last year, and...I just torrented the Monster Manual and printed out the pages I needed >_> If the link doesn't work, if you happen to live near a good enough library they might have a copy. Even on the teeny island I live on they had the 4th edition of the Player's Handbook, surprisingly enough.
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Post by Jᴀy V. Aꜱᴛᴇʀ 💀🐍 on Jan 5, 2016 14:14:16 GMT
Oh dear, I didn't mean to imply that anyone should be forced to spend money! It's convenient to have the physical book, but not necessary. I meant borrow one, not buy, because they ARE expensive. Ehh, probably should have mentioned I meant the library for one game. I wouldn't recommend buying it before we even know if we'll continue playing! We really shouldn't need to shell out cash, I don't think. Everything can be found somewhere online. I never had to pay anything when I played. Can probably find a pdf of the book online. Don't really need much else I don't think. If I find a v5 pdf and character sheet I will share here. 3.5 DEFINITELY exists.
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