I have an idea, prompted by this blog post by my new friend E. Van Lowe, and it's an idea that requires audience participation--specifically writers-in-my-audience participation.
E. was discussing social media and its negative affects on his word counts. Over at the ABNA forums, besides imploding (or perhaps because of it), people have begun discussing ways to pass the time until we get the first round of results.
Now, I don't know if its just me, but I have been having the hardest time trying to close the world off long enough to get to it already with my next novel. So I started thinking that maybe that's exactly what I need--to get away from it all. But maybe I don't have to get away from it all by myself. Maybe some of you feel the same?
What I'm proposing is this: Sam Elliott's First-Ever Virtual Write-In.
The SEFEVWI would consist of anyone (and everyone) interested in joining equally desperate and dedicated writers to put in a solid day's worth of serious writing. Starting bright and early, say 9 a.m., on an upcoming Saturday or Sunday, we would all "unplug" (except from each other via some instant messaging tool--I'm accepting ideas) for 12 hours (coming and going as necessary of course) and offer each other support, and maybe a little peer pressure, to write as much as possible. We could also share word counts and/or excerpts, bounce ideas off each other, call for prompts, whatever we want and/or need.
Basically, I'm envisioning a writer's workshop and lock-in combined and hosted on the interwebs. If you (and any of your writing partners, critique partners, grandmothers) are interested, leave me a comment/e-mail me to let me know which weekend(s) you'd be available and which IM platforms you use. (I'm thinking that'll be the best way to communicate with each other, but again, I'm open to other ideas! But, please don't say web cams...they freak me out.)
This idea is very rough and came to me today. Please don't be shy about offering up suggestions/insights/etc. I just think it'd be great to get together with other writers (some new faces, and some old) and use our collective voices to call forth the muses and "get 'er done," as Larry the Cable Guy would say.
What do you think?
5 comments:
Sounds good.
Oh, but wait.
I have to go a whole weekend without internet?!
Hm... I've never written with another person present before... This could be interesting, to say the least.
Maybe those of us who have an idea, already, of what we're going to work on can leave a synopsis/summary/ramble about it, so the others will be able to understand where all the crazy questions are coming from? Other than that, I have no clue...
I use Skype, exclusively, myself, but I'm not against getting a universal IM, such as Trillion, or using a chat-room interface. So long as it's not a message board. I can't stand those.
One issue, though: I find waking up before noon on a weekend to be utterly sinful. But, I can stay up all night long -- on a Friday or Saturday, at least. I work on Monday's, so need to be in bed early-ish on Sunday, other wise I'll be joining you in your zombie ranks.
Woot. Keep the updates coming, Sam! ^_^
Sorry it's taken so long to respond. As hard as it has been, I haven't checked in alll day! Very Clever, Sam. I LOVE it. I don't know how to work it, but count me in. Let's keep this discussion going. And create The Great Write-In.
oh my gosh, that sounds like an awesome idea! (sorry for creeping, another follower of Authoress). i would definitely be in for this. if i could live for a whole day without internet. :-)
I welcome everyone here at Wuthering Life, creepers included. And, if you decide that the sacrifice of the VWI is worth the reward, stay tuned and we'll be glad to have you.
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