Geezer Clubhouse - Silver Edition

I sort of like it. I like what we used to have. In my head I had an image of what it looked like, a comfy bar with lots of booths and little nooks and crannies, not crowded, not filled with barelylegals, very warm and inviting, easy to drop in and out of.

A comfy, adaptable place. Exactly! Booths, nooks and crannies ... I like it. Thanks for coming by so I don't feel so alone. And when I'm trying to get my word count up, I appreciate a place that's easy to drop in and out of. I need to take occasional mini-breaks from the writing to get my bearings or ... find a better name for one of my characters. (I just noticed that three of them start with the letter A. It could get confusing, so Adam became Vincent.)

~ Delane

I like to title chapters, but so far this year I am not. I personally don't like chapters to end in the middle of a scene unless you are at the climax of the book. So my chapters are usually end when the setting changes or definitely if it's a new day. If the characters have been "offline" for any length of time (like sleeping) it's time for a new chapter. (Unless they're going to be attacked in the night or something is going to wake them.)

Your Word issue sounds like you inadvertently hit two keys simultaneously sometimes and change the function of the tab key. I have more trouble with that on my laptop than on a PC keyboard where the keys are closer together and less sensitive so I have to hit harder. Does Word 2007 use "styles" to control formatting in the document? Ideally you would set your indent there and not worry about it at all. It would automatically indent when you hit "enter." However, I know that my mom had problems when she got a new computer that came with Vista and when I told her to use "styles" to fix it, she said "styles" were gone. I don't know what version of Word she had. So maybe my advice is out of date. Still, there ought to some equivalent to "styles" that would fix the formatting the way you want automatically, even if it's called something else.

"I wouldn't go in there well-armed, tired of living, and directly behind Frank Buck."

I've miss the Clubhouse, too. Thanks for starting it up again, Delane........ ^_^ Absolutely NOT overstepping ANYTHING! (I'm gonna ask if this can be stickied--not certain that it can be, but I'll give it a whirl!)

I've been using the Write-It Now software this past year--I have a Windows PC & an Apple laptop, & it is one of the few (only?) programs that can be used on either one. What you describe is similar to what happens ALL the dang time on my laptop, no matter what program I'm in.....

I'm typing along like there's no tomorrow, then realize that my (expletive) cursor has jumped backwards and that the last several minutes of writing was inserted in the middle of a sentence at the top of the page! ▼_▼

I thought it was an Apple thing, or at least a XP thing, but now I'm hearing lots of my regional wrimos complain that their laptops do the same thing--& they have every brand & age of computer imaginable, some with XP & some with Vista arrrggghhh) and some with the Windows 7......I have gone in and set my Preferences to be "mouse only" so that I don't accidentally hit the sensor pad & jack things up, but my computer gremlin still does the leapfrog thing........

I'm not naming chapters, per se, as my story is divided by into sections by year....

~Mer
ML-Modesto Region, CA
Co-moderator: NaNo Rebels thread
"I'm Gonna Wave my nerd Flag High"
"Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuup!!"

I can't really answer any of the technical questions, since I only use a laptop and it is a Mac. I have experienced something similar using Open Office. I think it does it when it is saving. I haven't had the computer long (got it tax free weekend) and I haven't set all the preferences yet, so I'm not sure how often it's saving, but it's annoying.

Titling chapters? I'm impressed. I can never think of the name for anything. The document for my last year's nano, which I am still rewriting, is Nano. I do have a title this year.

Right now, I'm just putting lines of asterisks between sections, but it will be broken into chapters on the first "draft after nano," That's what I consider a first draft. For me, nano just gets the story down, but I don't really pay attention to the writing. In the end, my chapters will run between 5 and 10 pages, depending how much dialog is in them. I find 5-7 pages comfortable. I know some genres lend themselves to shorter chapters.

What type of work are you writing?

Winner 2005: The Tribe of Palmetto Bay
Winner 2006: The Blue Light
Winner 2007: Fido
Winner 2008: Disappearance
Winner 2009: Comp Psi

http://cookingback2reality.blogspot.com/

Pretty clubhouse!

I can't help with any tech issues since I'm still using Word 2003. I haven't titled chapters in any of my previous work, and when I'm NaNoing I don't even worry about chapters. This year I'm not even writing consecutively but jumping around. If a scene occurs to me, I write it and then go back to where the action is. It's a little odd, I must say, but since I didn't have a plot to begin with I had to work it out first. Once I knew the ending, I went back and am now filling in the rest.

Yay!!! Clubhouse is now STICKY-ED!!!!

~Mer
ML-Modesto Region, CA
Co-moderator: NaNo Rebels thread
"I'm Gonna Wave my nerd Flag High"
"Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuup!!"

I number my chapters but don't name them.

Hey, I have a question...I've started seeing some of those nifty widgets at the bottom of people's posts. I want one of those and even though I have gone to the Widget page and read the info I am totally clueless on how to get one to show up at the bottom of mine! Any help is greatly appreciated by this ol' geezer!

Thankee kindly!

Wow! Nice clubhouse, Delane!

Question: why are you naming, or even numbering, chapters? For that matter, why are you even indenting paragraphs? I just double-space between them while I'm writing. As far as I'm concerned, all that comes afterward, in December (or the following summer, if I'm feeling lazy!)

By the way, my cursor moves around when it wants, too. I've noticed, tho, it's usually when I pause and rest the heel of my hands on the front edge of my laptop. I go back to typing, then notice the words are inserting themselves in the paragraph above. Grrrrrrrrr!

I like the cozy lounge feel of the clubhouse, BTW. Your carpenter did a hell of a job! =-) Wth no offense to the Pen, there's a more relaxed feel to it. There are no convoluted mutations of storylines or characters to try to keep up with, and no muses or plot bunnies to avoid. I can direct my creativity toward my story, and God knows, I need that more than anything!

Good to see you again. *waving madly*

~Bruce

YAY for STICKY-ness, Mer! You've got connections, haven't you? =-)

_______________________________________
2006 winner ~ "Drew Copes"
2007 winner ~ "So, These Three Murderers are Drinking in a Bar"
2008 winner ~ "Eater of Sins"
2009 ~ continuation of a WIP (NaNoRebel)

I can't tell you all how happy I am to see familiar, and new, faces in here! Awesome. Just awesome. (Hearty wave back at Bruce ...)

I indent, Bruce, because I'm just that kind of girl. And as a rule, I have never titled chapters before, or even numbered them. I just kind of double spaced a break when the action moved or time passed, as someone else above mentioned. I just wondered if I was in the minority, and missing a chance to up my word count with ridiculously detailed chapter titles. (Example: The Unopened Letter, Where We Learn That Simone and Her Siamese Cat Are Back In Town)

Thanks, Mer, for getting us sticky-ed. Now could someone tell me what that means?

Curious,
~ Delane

Thanks for starting this clubhouse, Delane.
Last year I numbered and titled chapters and each chapter was close to the daily 1667 word count.
This year I am just writing and have 40+ pages with no break.
I probably agree with brucedeuce that why format now.
However if you want a nice paragraph indent, have you tried format-paragraph-special-left indent-0.5"?
That's what I have. You could start it from where you are or select all and apply it to your whole document.
However...since we are geezers...I don't recommend highlighting the whole document.
You might just hit delete!
I will say here what has been said elsewhere....make a backup copy, or several, or a printout, NOW.

Anyway, so glad I found a new geezer group I forgot what I came here to gripe about!

Danielle
aka Miramar

It keeps this thread to the top of the 50's forum (like the Pen) so that we don't have to hunt & search for it! ~_^

~Mer
ML-Modesto Region, CA
Co-moderator: NaNo Rebels thread
"I'm Gonna Wave my nerd Flag High"
"Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuup!!"

Delane - how nice of you to create the Clubhouse again. I love the Smoking Pen, but this is more like meeting in person. I have always thought of the Clubhouse being kind of like one of those old rickety tree house structures, that a group of kids threw together one summer. Of course it's much more comfortable - and no spiders.

I agree also about the widgets - how does one get them? I've read the instructions and I still am stumped. Also, what is being "sticky-ed"?

My novel is going well, although I won't get to 15 K by tomorrow night - I don't think. (See Chris B's video). I certainly won't if I keep lurking around the forums.

See you. Ann

Delane, I really like the Geezer Clubhouse; it's got a homey, friendly feel to it that invites me to visit often. In fact, it's possible that I may drift off in one of these comfortable chairs after I tap away at my novel during the wee hours of 11:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.

Re chapter numbering and naming, I don't do it; however, I do leave extra lines between scenes.

And as for Word 2007, all I can say is grrr. I have it on my new netbook and it's always giving me some kind of grief; plus, the netbook is really, really touchy and all sorts of things pop up when I barely move my fingers.

I'm sticking with my desktop computer for NaNo as I'm more familiar with the previous version of Word, which never does anything weird, and can type much faster with a full keyboard and 23" monitor. For now, I'm using the netbook only to store copies of all my files.

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.

I had the problem with cursor jumping the way I solved it was to turn off the mouse pad .I usea regular mouse when I am writing and that has completely solved the problem.It is cause beacause even the lightest touch on the mouse pad causes it to jump.
I love this room I will be back.Thanks

HOW TO WIDGET

1) Look up
2) Mouse over "Fun Stuff" (put your cursor over=mouse over, just in case)
3) Scroll down and click on Word Count Widgets
4) Select the one you want
4) a. Change your mind and choose a different one
4) b. Repeat as necessary
5) Copy the text in brackets that beings img and ends .png (include the brackets when you copy)
6) Mouse over My NaNoWriMo
7) Click "Edit User Settings"
8) In the Signature box, paste the text. It automatically knows who you are. (I like to think it's magic.)

I don't title individual chapters. I don't even set up chapters while I'm writing, because I may decide to go back and add more words to a section, which could throw off the page count for the chapter. When I'm completely finished, then I go back and divide the book into chapters, roughly ten pages each. I DO indent. I write for an ebook publisher, and that's their standard.

Oh, it's nice to be here in the Clubhouse, where I can relax and put my feet up!

-- Irena Candy
Confused Writer in Residence

2008 Uncle Daniel's Den -- WINNER
2009 Fangs and Fortune

Thanks, Delane, for the Clubhouse. As Bruce said, the carpenter did a marvelous job. No one else has asked, but - and I hesitate because of what this could mean - is there a sand box out back?

I can't help with the Word issues. I'm another Mac user.

Chapters, though. I can't remember where I learned this, but for a standard novel of about 85K, each chapter would be in the range of 3K to 5K.

I used to just write sections, with a triple space between each. But this year and last I set my NaNo up with chapters. In the planning stages I just call each one "Chapter" and have clauses of the things that I think will happen. I am absolutely horrible about knowing in advance how much will produce that 3-5K, so I don't number them until after they're written. Sometimes what I thought would fit in one chapter turns into 3!

Within each chapter I sometimes have sections, if the point of view changes or there's a gap in time.

I indent the beginning of each paragraph, have two spaces after every period, all that "classic" typing stuff. Can't help it, it's all in auto-pilot.

“It only has to be written. It doesn’t have to be perfect.” - Elizabeth Bear

Kat, I haven't checked outside for the sand box. I was too busy making arrangements for the Clubhouse to be relocated. Elevated, actually, into the sturdy limbs of this tree, complete with a great view from every side. Hold on, everyone ...

Speaking of elevated, we're about done with the new elevator, too, and it seems to be working pretty smoothly. I suppose we could also dangle a rope ladder, for any geezers feeling adventurous.

And thank you for the info on chapter breaks. It will be helpful if I expand my nanonovel beyond its 50K goal. Right now, I'd be happy expanding it to 10K before I go home to bed.

There is an awfully expansive deck off the Clubhouse ... might be a sand box out there. If you check, let me know.

~ Delane

This is my second NANO year. Last year I didn't make any chapters at all, but this year I find they are helpful to have. I use Headers, and I even make a table of contents on the first page, 'cause I find it SO much fun to CNTL/CLICK and go directly to the chapter where I want to write.. Woo-ee, technology doing what I want.

I also added Chapters this year because sometime I go back... NOT to edit (perish the thought!) but sometimes as I'm writing I think, hmm, I ought to have written a foreshadowing to that idea and this year I can easily find where to do it.

Hi, All.

Since I am writing a memoir in a non-linear fashion, I just put the date at the top of each page and start writing on a topic of my choice. After November will be the time for sorting it all out in the ten chapters I have in mind - each one a day between my husband's massive stroke and his eventual death.

I wrote perhaps forty pages for this work over the last four and a half years, and this activity is giving me the impetus to finish it, finally. So each day I choose a topic or three - today's, for instance, were Hubby's dislike for giving identification info at a store, his love for sailing and desire to pilot a plane, and his feelings of revulsion for cats. At the moment I am taking a break from the concept of gift giving in his family and mine, and the confusion that caused, at times. Next week I'll be visiting our old home town and gathering ideas from his friends and family, so I can continue to chronical our life together. So, in the end, the chapters will have a root in the real time of that week and a half, and these pieces will float around, loosely connected to the events of those days.

As I pointed out in another thread, this month is for the rough draft, in whatever form we need it to be. After, there will be time to make sense of it all.

a haven for the creative
a community of learners
www.a-larger-world.com

I have that trouble with my laptop. If I even graze the touchpad w/my sleeve, it jumps all over the place. Pain in the butt.

I number my chapters. Hey, it ups the word count.

2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance

Thank you for our geezers place, I had missed a lot of my old friends and I don't have time to read all the forums and I starte to feel a little lonely.
Glad you are all still around.
Keep the fingers flashing.

www.knittedlacedesigns.net
http://Valerie41.etsy.com

I'm glad that the elevator is working now - no way could I have hoisted myself up on that rope.

Ooh, nice view from up here! I think I'll just plunk myself down in this chair in front of the window and take a break from slaving over a hot keyboard.

I've got a sinus headache and aching face and gums to go along with it, so I'm feeling a tad grumpy. Tomorrow morning I have my six-month visit with my dental hygienist, and my sore gums aren't going to be happy about that.

Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.

Right now I am titling my chapters, as I am writing (attempting) an epic, and titles help me keep track of where I am at. They would probably similarly help any one dumb enough to read this non-fiction writer's attempt at fiction.

I've gone into Preferences to check that the Sensor pad is OFF & Mouse only is still checked about a bazillion times but my laptop still does this to me! Arrrrrgh.

Now, on top of everything else, it won't pick up wifi at the coffee house (Panera Bread) where I hold my region's write-ins & NaNo events--which pretty much shuts down my ability to be part of the virtual write-in site. Up until two weeks ago, my 2006 Mac Powerbook ALWAYS picked up wifi there--now, suddenly, it will NOT. (Picks it up in other wifi hotspot locations, just not where I REALLY need it to!)

***head desk head desk head desk***

~Mer
ML-Modesto Region, CA
Co-moderator: NaNo Rebels thread
"I'm Gonna Wave my nerd Flag High"
"Put 'em up! Put 'em uuuup!!"

Perhaps it's Panera's wifi that's at fault -- if it picks it up other places.

My wireless router isn't working at my house, so I can't get online with my laptop. I woke up one morning to find that the cats had unplugged the phone jack, and I have no clue where they unplugged it from. I bypassed the router, so I can get online, and my phone still works, but I have to call the router people and have them help me redo everything.

I couldn't sleep again last night, so I'm here in front of the computer this morning typing away. Last night I wrote an outline for the next several scenes, so that should help. But the weather's turned colder, so I have to trade off between writing in front of the desktop and sitting in front of the heater in the other room. The last time I tried a heater in my office, it blew the circuits.

2005 In Back of the North Wind WINNER!
2006 Leopard's Paw WINNER!
2007 The Old Straight Track (finished) WINNER!
2008 The Other Side of the Wall (finished) WINNER!
2009 Dark Inheritance

Thanks Meg. I discovered what I was doing wrong - I wasn't including the brackets! Once I put those back in the widget magically appeared! Yay! Hmm. I do notice that the widget count isn't accurate though. It's missing 500 words. That's weird. :-/

Hi Delane and fellow geezers,

I number (with Roman numerals) and title my chapters. Anything that might possibly get thrown into the total word count! Of course, sometimes I give a chapter a title, and by the time I get to the end, it's about something completely different than I thought it was going to be.
I'm too computer challenged to give any advice about widgets....still struggling with my keyboard's tendency to ggive me too many g's and t's (see what I mean?) Maybe I should give one of my characters a stutter.

Hi All,

This seems like a clubhouse that suits me all right. Thanks for creating it.

Just wanted to answer your first post Delane. I number my chapters, like Bruce (?) said it adds to the word count. But actually I am writing each chapter in Wordpad, taking the advice to keep things as simple as possible when writing. I then save the chapters as individual documents but I copy them into an accumulative document in Open Office. I back up both Wordpad and Open Office documents after each writing session to an external hard drive.

I also find that a chapter is about a session's word count - I am getting 1000 to 1500 words in an hour and almost always finish my scene in that time. Which I find a bit weird actually.

Oh and I have that jumping cursor thing too, pretty sure it is caused by the mouse pad on my laptop. I find it annoying but I haven't done anything about it so far.

Well that is a factual first post, I will try and be more entertaining and sing for my supper next visit.

Good luck all,
Dawn