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[Emma]

How have you managed 6,400 words already!?

[Yoink]

I found the dream I was planning on turning into a novel.
Will have to smash some iced coffee and try and quickly work out an outline for the story. I don't know WTF I'm doing.
Trying to think of anything story-related is making me weirdly anxious. I remember I used to enjoy writing, even if I'd get bored of whatever I started to write fairly quickly.

[Darkmere]

How have you managed 6,400 words already!?

fleshed out full character sheets for 5 or 6 characters and updated more for returning ones. 13 chapters outlined, with 33 scenes or so, each with descriptions. Did a couple minor stage setting documents.

[Baffler]

Why is naming characters so hard? I hammered out almost 2000 words, but I wouldn't have finished half that if I hadn't started filling in things like [IMPORTANT DOUCHEBAG] and [MACHINIST].

[Zanzetkuken The Great]

Why is naming characters so hard? I hammered out almost 2000 words, but I wouldn't have finished half that if I hadn't started filling in things like [IMPORTANT DOUCHEBAG] and [MACHINIST].

For side characters, my method is to dive onto the Wikipedia pages containing the common first names and surnames of a country that is either the setting or an approximate of the setting, then select a first name and surname that at least sound decently.  If its a main character, I mess around on a meaning of names site and find something quasi-related to some aspect.  Sometimes dive into google translate and grab a word from another language that means the particular aspect of the character.

[Harry Baldman]

Why is naming characters so hard? I hammered out almost 2000 words, but I wouldn't have finished half that if I hadn't started filling in things like [IMPORTANT DOUCHEBAG] and [MACHINIST].

Go the Fallen London route and call them the Important Douchebag and the Unassuming Machinist or something.

[Digital Hellhound]

Behind the Name is useful for names of real-life or real-life-inspired cultures, but if that's not necessary, I get by with syllable mashing. You just let your fingers wander around the keyboard until you come up with something kinda decent. You might spend the next 50,000 words regretting the name, but if you're anything like me, you'll just let it stay because it's less work than thinking up something perfect.

[Eagleon]

I use placeholders, usually words or names that have vague relations to the personality of the character. Usually they end up feeling right over time, either because they change a little to accommodate or else I get more used to them. If at any point I come up with something better fitting, find and replace exists to make it an instant reality Of course, that spoils the rhythm of the text, but that's just another thing for the rewrite to fix - the more things left over to fix, the more entertaining a rewrite becomes to push through.

[FallacyofUrist]

Wow you guys are productive. How could I expect anything else of Bay 12, however?
I'll be catching up on my writing tomorrow.

[Emma]

Today's writing hasn't been so good  . It appears as though planning might actually have a use and that just making things up as you go doesn't always work out. Oh well, I'll just type words until something works out.

[zombie urist]

I got ~1200 yesterday and ~1400 hundred today. I'm hoping it becomes easier as I go.

[Eagleon]

I ended up writing some terrifyingly subversive stuff that I didn't even know I had in me. Part of me wants to bury this and try to tame it to Oprah Standard, but I also know it's the best it can be for the book's message as a whole. I guess I could always set it up to publish posthumously... in any case, 5385 words, self-censorship later.

[TheBiggerFish]

'subversive'?

[Eagleon]

'subversive'?

Not in the destructive sense. More Catcher in the Rye

[TheBiggerFish]

'subversive'?

Not in the destructive sense. More Catcher in the Rye

Then write.  We need more people willing to say things that aren't quoting Oprah.