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Hey folks! Wade is away this week doing the whole “I am a parent” thing, but Michelle Read is back, along with myself (Xavier), special guest Melissa Lummis, and our now full-time panelist Liam Kingman!
For this week we decided to panel the idea of motivation and positive thinking, and how we as authors have to keep up with each when life seems to derail us from getting anything down on the page.
So join in as we talk REAL life for a little while, and feel free to send in comments and questions to engage the conversation. We’re looking to you folks for your real-world scenarios as to how you deal with the stress of not-writing when those days happen. It’s time to get honest! Hopefully we don’t scare people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=15&v=fHxO0UdpoxM
“Hello friends! Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular?” Heh-heh
Xavier is trying to steal my gig.
JamieDodge YOUR GIG IS IRRELEVANT. ALL OF THIS IS IRRELEVANT. ALL WILL BE CONSUMED BY THE CYBER-RACE.
Mgon I’m very intense. I get B.O. in the shower.
xgranville The God Machine eats the Cyber-Race for breakfast and shits, see, you went and made me curse. Bad Xavier.
xgranville Hah hah. At least you don’t get BOU in the shower. lol
JamieDodge xgranville Oh dear….
Mgon xgranville I only get Decoy BOU in the shower haha
xgranville Oh good one! LOL 😀
Mgon JamieDodge xgranville Fine then…… DALEKS WILL DESTROY! YOU CANNOT DEFEEEEAT THE DAAALEKS!
xgranville Mgon JamieDodge True.
MI-CHEEEEEELLLLLLEEEE!!
yay! I actually got here before the stream started… HELLO ALL!
G’Day 🙂
Hello everyone.
keriannmckenna@aol.com
Keriann_McKenna Welcome!
Hey hey MelissaLummis! 😀
Mgon MelissaLummis Hello!! Long time no chat. 🙂
Soon… sooooooon….
MelissaLummis Heh. Yeah. True. But I Like lots of your stuff on FB practically daily! Good stuff. Good stuff. 😀
xgranville Thanks for the welcome.
We are go!!! 😀
Mgon Thunderbirds are go!
BatmanErica Hah hah!
Thought xgranville was going to say that writing is like masturbating…
Also:
BatmanErica xgranville only because it kinda is… lol
ChrishaunKellerHanna what does that say about people that do collaborative writing… o.O
And:
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna It absolutely is.
MelissaLummis and soccer! LOL
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna circle jerk? cluster *&^% ?
Do not fold clothes. Hang them all up in the wardrobe
BatmanErica Yes!
Mgon we also don’t need to iron because of this :p
BatmanErica I throw them in a pile on the chair in my bedroom.
JamieDodge BatmanErica I thought I was the only one that did that…lol
BatmanErica Thank you! LOL
yes, and most of us are usually sleeping them…
Mgon and the kids are old enough to load and unload the dishwasher and probably even do the washing.
ChrishaunKellerHanna hell yeah!
ChrishaunKellerHanna http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/71941774/working-95-is-bad-for-you-study-shows
Fortunately, my husband does most of the cooking and housework. However, he’s in school and I have a full time day job…and, sadly, even if I have a block of time available for writing, I don’t necessarily have the mental energy no matter how much I wish I did.
Clearly getting enough sleep is key.
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna that’s why I work 10am-7pm….lol
Woohoo. The beautiful Melissa Lummis!!! Miss seeing you every Sunday.
Good evening, everyone. I’d just like to nominate X for a new model for Pikachu.
I’ve found I’m more productive very early in the morning (a strategy my good friend Michelle Read helpfully informed me was “dumb.”
RChazzChute Hey Chazz! and I second that emotion!
RChazzChute older kids don’t tend to get up at 5am though so you have quiet time to write :p
CateMorgan Oh yes. Good sleep is a must! Everything is a disaster without good sleep.
BatmanErica RChazzChute The bourbon keeps them sleepy.
BatmanErica RChazzChute be thankful you didn’t have my kids… they’ve moved out and wake up at 5am… and call me!
Mgon CateMorgan Hi Mgon. Long time no see. How have you been.
ChrishaunKellerHanna BatmanErica RChazzChute Heh, heh. They did that to me once. Once!
ChrishaunKellerHanna turn your phone off 😛
David Anson Melissa and I are demanding a reunion!
I can’t wait for this one. I’ve been really focusing on staying positive. For the past couple of days, when I wake up I immediately put myself into a positive mind set. I’m tired of letting the devil steal my joy making me doubt myself. No more! I’ve had enough. Positive mantra is my moto from her on out.
RChazzChute Do I really have that much… Pika Power?
My mum has my kindle. She might have broken it though…
Dang! I thought I’d never get in.
David Anson Hey dude! 😀 Ohhh a very interesting year with… um, experiences teaching me new things. Hah 😀
I’ve watched so much Crunchyroll. Anyone want a free 48 hour premium passcode?
Netflix is the time suck devil
Oh, xgranville. You’re so Wibbley Wobbley.
The Black List side tracks me everytime and social media.
David Anson Netflix saves me and destroys me. LOL
Speaking of netflix, they have 10 episodes of Longmire season 4 dropped today!
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna I’m one of last folks to have a land line… (blame the husband!)
BatmanErica GAH! THAT HAS STARBUCK IN IT!
I love Netflix
xgranville BatmanErica and it is soooo good!
ChrishaunKellerHanna is it a plugin one? unplug it. Otherwise leave the handset off the hook 😛
ReneeKelley Yes. No negativity. Don’t let it even get a foothold. Ugh. I work very hard to keep that darkness OUT.
David Anson I had to cancel Netflix to make sure I have time to write….
Social media keeps me from writing! Damn you social media!
ReneeKelley Social media sucks it! lol
ChrishaunKellerHanna I only just remembered today as well. I have such good timing. I just watched 25 episodes of a vampire anime the past two days. So many story ideas resulted from that. So MANY! >.<
ChrishaunKellerHanna David Anson Cancel….Netflix….this is a thing?!
ReneeKelley turn off the internet 🙂
3 hours isn’t binge watching. 72 hours is binge watching.
ChrishaunKellerHanna David Anson I would but the withdrawls might kill me.
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna it’s one of them that you have to unplug from the wall and the phone line… I learned …!
ChrishaunKellerHanna just turn off the internet for a bit 😛
TV is definitely a siren (With you on Dr Who Xavier)… but on the other hand, if you want to make this a business… Arse in Chair.
JamieDodge Doctor Who isn’t binge watching. CLASSIC Doctor Who is binge watching.
xgranville ChrishaunKellerHanna David Anson yes…!
Do you guys write with music on? If so, what kind?
David Anson ChrishaunKellerHanna I’m still crying about it…
xgranville JamieDodge Saturday and Sunday are going to be a no writing is done days.
JamieDodge xgranville So many rewatchings to be had.
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna Can’t it’s hard wired into my head, but good idea.
CateMorgan I do. I might start out with no-lyric music to get into the zone, but once I’m in it I can listen to anything in the background 🙂
CateMorgan Depends on the character I am writing.
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna I tried that… then I discover Korean Dramas…
CateMorgan Heck xgranville actually WRITES music!
David Anson you have those old-style metal fillings, doncha? 😛
Mgon CateMorgan xgranville *jealous*
ChrishaunKellerHanna LOL. I watch a few J / K dramas, but more into the anime.
CateMorgan I always write with music on. The type is anything but country.
SaffronB But it’s DOCTOR WHO Saffron!!
CateMorgan I do. The beat keeps me moving faster. The type of music varies with the book and character/situation.
CateMorgan video game music…
JamieDodge SaffronB lol… write your 3000 words, edit your ten pages, then you can spend 40mins watching the latest D Who 🙂
BatmanErica ReneeKelley Are those even words?!?!?
CateMorgan Usually a channel on Pandora of Amazon prime.
CateMorgan I use the Brainwave app to encourage focus and block out hovering barristas.
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna We have the Anime Channel here… ooohhh boy!
CateMorgan I like the Oxygène’s by Jean Michel Jarre
SaffronB JamieDodge Yes ma’am. <hangs head>
It’s a werewolf!
It’s Zombie Dog!
David Anson That makes sense. I play piano and violin, so sitting down to write is little different from sitting down with my instruments. Same mindset, same “tricking” my brain into practicing my craft.
It’s BIGFOOT!!!!
ChrishaunKellerHanna we don’t have that here. We’ve given up on the tv though. No paid–or even free–anything
ChrishaunKellerHanna I’ve been getting into female vocal dubstep mixes on YouTube–so pretty, and it really gets me into the zone.
CateMorgan David Anson Now I am jealous! Heh-heh 😉
JamieDodge SaffronB lol… good Jamie
CateMorgan David Anson My productivity is almost twice with music than without.
JamieDodge surprisingly yes. My hubby has the wifi set to turn off on week days between midnight and 4pm. He also locks the remotes, the ipads, the kindles, 2 decks of cards and the lock picks away in the lockable tool box.
RChazzChute You make them sound like waiting vampire bats in D&D. ROLL FOR INITIATIVE.
Any questions, folks?
Mgon MelissaLummis I thought it was melissa’s stomach.
Mgon there’s a romance novel in that 😉
JamieDodge there’s an erotic short fiction in that :p
CateMorgan I write with only instrumental music. I can’t deal with lyrics when writing.
Where do they get their ideas and how do they go from ideas to first draft?
BatmanErica JamieDodge Hah hah!
If you are a writer you write. It doesn’t matter if you get paid or not.
BatmanErica JamieDodge NO!!!!
CateMorgan RChazzChute THIS THREAD.
JamieDodge True but getting paid or the thought of getting paid (as is my case) is a great motivator.
SaffronB JamieDodge You kids play safe.
What are the fears – the mind killers- that you have to fight to keep writing?
What do you do to defeat them?
xgranville try this https://youtu.be/CNcphTkKUms
CateMorgan RChazzChute 12… that’s not good.
xgranville Usually neither can I, but the dub step mega mixes I’ve found on YouTube are different, for some reason. Helps with my artwork, too. I got three new covers done last weekend.
If I’m having trouble with a scene I tend to go with white noise with an applicable atmosphere.
xgranville SaffronB JamieDodge lol you know what they say X – “Go Hard or Go Home” 🙂
David Anson JamieDodge No doubt. I have my Hugh Howey, take a trip around the world thoughts.
xgranville and this one https://youtu.be/b6wFvwQmIUs
ChrishaunKellerHanna My fear is that writing is pointless and no one will read it. Then I just pay attention to what’s in front of me and get absorbed in the story.
ChrishaunKellerHanna RChazzChute This. THIS is why I always play a scruffy-loo-
Er, a rogue. I play a rogue.
Lol, X you’re crazy
OMGosh. This thread. LOL
CateMorgan ChrishaunKellerHanna RChazzChute I play a artificer…
I’ve written 24 hours straight. I do not recommend it.
Maintaining balance is my hardest part. So what do YOU all do to keep balanced? Or is there any such thing for creative types?
Mgon Yup. It happens.
JamieDodge Sweet! My ass goes flat after a couple of hours. How were the words? Did they get worse the longer you wrote?
Mgon lots of massages and weight lifting works for me…
David Anson It was actually pretty good. I couldn’t move for two days after.
JamieDodge David Anson LOL. I bet. I would be brain dead for days.
ChrishaunKellerHanna Oh yes. Working out does help me the most… though I think I use it too much to help, and so I end up focusing on working out and NEEDING to workout too much.
Mgon ChrishaunKellerHanna that’s when you go get a massage.
Are Dorito’s good writing food?
SaffronB xgranville JamieDodge Yeah I think Beethoven said that.
JamieDodge ::eating Doritos:: yep!
JamieDodge OH NO YOU DIDN’T!
ChrishaunKellerHanna LOL. I have not actually tried that ever. I should give it a try.
xgranville JamieDodge ::crunch crunch crunch::
JamieDodge Doritos aren’t good for anything
JamieDodge hummus!
xgranville I am not able to work out like others on here can. Dorito’s solve the problem.
JamieDodge Doritos are the Devil’s food. lol
SaffronB HEATHEN!!!!
that’s because happiness is in the middle of the wine bottle…
Mgon ChrishaunKellerHanna YOU SHOULD!
ChrishaunKellerHanna Or in the middle of the second bottle!!
BatmanErica I love hummus, especially with Dorito’s.
Oh good question! MelissaLummis
BatmanErica JamieDodge YES! with basil pesto!
ChrishaunKellerHanna I like it plain. I buy it fresh from the kebab shop 🙂
And Dr. Who is on Netflix
If you can’t write, research.
My dad has posted pics of him walking his cat (on a lead) in some public gardens 🙂
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna I know that has to be fantastic!
MelissaLummis It’s very hard to reach out to others, yet it is so very helpful if you happen to actually end up doing it, no matter what form it ends up taking. Unburdening yourself is so healing. I’ve had more help with that since making so many writing friends online.
ChrishaunKellerHanna it is! 😀
Mgon MelissaLummis I need to talk through those times and only other writers get it.
It’s Schrodinger’s Police Box! O.O
JamieDodge Or go people watch and make up stories about their life. My ex and I use to do this and it was hilarious fun.
CateMorgan It’s there AND it isn’t!
David Anson I’ve done that. It can be fun and wakes up the brain.
David Anson JamieDodge Mute the TV and try to fill in the dialogue.
MelissaLummis Yes. I totally understand that. I cannot get help from somebody who is not going through what I’m going through. Like trying to talk about depression with someone who has not dealt with depression? Hah. No effing way.
xgranville And it’s so totally bigger on the inside! And who knows what the Doctor’s going to look like when he comes out. SCIENCE, BITCH.
xgranville David Anson JamieDodge When I was a kid I use to turn of the volume and watch the Muppet while listening to Black Sabbath
David Anson xgranville OZZY!!!
David Anson xgranville JamieDodge Oh man that sounds amazing.
Yes. I too have flirted with manic depression.
RChazzChute Classic.
My writer friends tell me to STFU and write. I think I need new writer friends.
JamieDodge LOL
JamieDodge STFU and write, Jamie.
Anyone do writing sprints with others?
xgranville JamieDodge What he said! 😛
BatmanErica I get out of breath sprinting.
BatmanErica There’s a meetup I go to called “Shut up, Sit Down and Write” and it is so good for my soul…
xgranville I would, but I am old and it is getting late.
I know some people use this https://www.mywriteclub.com/beta/word-sprints#/
ChrishaunKellerHanna It is if you remember to stop at the middle.
BatmanErica Yeah. I’ve done that where a few of us set up a google hangout and ignore each other. I got more writing done because I didn’t want to leave before my friends did. Should do that more often.
BatmanErica I’m not familiar with that.
MelissaLummis ChrishaunKellerHanna ohhhhhhhh…….
MelissaLummis Your writing doesn’t suck. I’ve read you. You definitely don’t suck, you rock!
RChazzChute Hah hah.
BatmanErica I do. When I need to get back on track I start one.
Gardens are the Devil’s playground.
JamieDodge The Devil is… therapeutic?
David Anson MelissaLummis Thank you! 😀
Okay, enough with the garden, xgranville, you’re making me hungry. Heh-heh.
David Anson MelissaLummis There’s an answer for that…
Mgon xgranville Dorito’s grow on bushes in my back yard.
Mgon JamieDodge …and makes yummy veggies?
JamieDodge Mgon xgranville NUH-UH!
Anyone a romance author? Bedtime Reads is back! http://bedtimereads.com/
ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon I live in Florida. It is too dang hot to spend time in “therapy” I do love fresh veggies though.
spiral notebooks, journals, and printer paper are the joys of back to school sales for me…
Mgon xgranville I’ve harvested my one kale plant….7 times this summer. It is a demon, I swear.
JamieDodge ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon I’m in FL, too, and I don’t get that nature healing here like I’m used to where I lived. Finding my “HAPPY” here in Florida is my greatest challenge since moving here. I ain’t there yet… but I keep working at it :o)
xgranville Wow. That’s cool. I love kale! 😀
Mgon JamieDodge ChrishaunKellerHanna When I lived in Jacksonville (Mayberry on the Water), the beach was my happy place…
ChrishaunKellerHanna I love stationery 😀
RChazzChute BatmanErica How Canadian of you haha
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna and fountain pens!
Mgon ChrishaunKellerHanna I either go to the beach or one of the historic sites. Luckily I am close to both.
ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon JamieDodge I can see that working very well. I’m not close enough to the beach, but I sure would love to be.
ChrishaunKellerHanna I bought a cheap day planner and 4 ink stamps to reward myself with.
ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon How long ago did you live in Jax? I’ve been here 17 years.
ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon JamieDodge I miss the ocean. Living in the mountains is great but that ocean smell. Nothing like it.
ChrishaunKellerHanna I just bought a purple composition book today. PURPLE!!
What can I say, I’m a sucker for office/school supplies. 🙂
David Anson I miss hills and mountains! LOL
David Anson ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon love the mountains.
JamieDodge ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon I lived there for 2 years 2013-15
CateMorgan ChrishaunKellerHanna Me too! I love office supplies. Post it notes, spiral notebooks, colored pens. *squee*
David Anson ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon JamieDodge I miss the ocean too… Austin is the first time I haven’t lived near them…
Mgon David Anson When I lived in Alaska I had the best of both, if you don’t count the cold ass winters.
MelissaLummis I stole a lot of stationery when I was employed… >.> <.<
Mgon xgranville Mine is bitter as fuck cuz it comes Russia… WITH LOVE!
ChrishaunKellerHanna David Anson Mgon JamieDodge Yes but you get to live by Sean Platt
David Anson Ugggggghhhhh. No snow. Please! LOL
ChrishaunKellerHanna Mgon You missed some good “healing” places.
CateMorgan ChrishaunKellerHanna what’s wrong with purple?
BatmanErica MelissaLummis Ohhh deeeaaar. *issues you 1 demerit* lol
ChrishaunKellerHanna Absolutely nothing–I just squeed like a total nerd in public and bought it, even though I didn’t need it. Altho, clearly, I did…
CateMorgan ChrishaunKellerHanna you are a writer… you ALWAYS need a notebook.
ChrishaunKellerHanna BatmanErica I collect fountain pens! My favorite is a Rotring
BatmanErica ChrishaunKellerHanna Same here. Big time!
ChrishaunKellerHanna I can’t physically write for more than five minutes now. I put evernote on my phone and computer. It isn’t the same thing, but it has helped me a lot.
MelissaLummis ChrishaunKellerHanna BatmanErica If my penmanship was better I would too.
Afterparty?
Sounds like an awesome concept Xavier
BatmanErica Yes, please.
BatmanErica So what happens at these after parties? I have never attended one.
MelissaLummis ChrishaunKellerHanna BatmanErica I do too! The Lamys I have are my favs!
I am not silly. I take offense to that.
David Anson MelissaLummis ChrishaunKellerHanna BatmanErica it gets better by writing!!
David Anson xgranville jumps out of a cake!
SaffronB I use the Celtic Parthenon in an apocalyptic setting for my flagship series.
BatmanErica David Anson xgranville Hah hah!
CateMorgan SaffronB brilliant mash up 🙂 awesome idea
Liam Kingman We hereby dub you a SPRT. *WHACK*
It was good and fun seeing you all! Have a great productive HAPPY rest of your week :o)
SaffronB I describe it as “Highlander” meets “Constantine” starring female action heroes.
xgranville MelissaLummis Remember to bug Buddy about a reunion of the Sunday night fiction club
https://plus.google.com/hangouts/_/hoaevent/AP36tYey-i9EyU3GqLkl98qqdujLD47gDPX37KCrKofrKKr-Ys6OtA
Mgon Have a great week!
David Anson You, too, bud!
CateMorgan SaffronB Brilliant 🙂 I too use female action heroes
xgranville So I need a web cam for these things? Damn
CateMorgan Liam Kingman Ouch! Thanks!
David Anson xgranville I don’t think so. Just a microphone.
David Anson you can either come in on a mic or chat.
David Anson xgranville MelissaLummis I totally will. Like totally. 😀