I would say, if you’re having a tricky day *raises hand* but you like your keyboard in the state it is, that you NOT read this post of Holly’s that’s linked below, and have a beverage simultaneously.
Here are my words for Sunday. 1556 words and I’m over the 40K hump. Yay for me!!! I’m firmly entrenched the later part the middle now and things are heating up. Good night and see you all tomorrow.
Roo
13 years ago
Hey to Holly and all you other beautiful people. Holly gave out so much good advice the other day I’ve been going over the word count all week times about 5. But now I have a different problem. I like about 75% of what’s there so far, but 25% (and it’s a *big* chunk, like a quarter of a short, and of course it’s the pivotal fraught part) is just lying there on the page like the limpest of limp limp linguine. So *now* what?
If so, do a One-Pass Revision. If not, finish first, understanding that all stories go through this, and that when it’s done you’ll whip that 25% into shape.
Debora
13 years ago
Okay, 517 words for today. I really felt like taking the day off altogether, but knowing that this thread exists helped me to set a goal of at least 250 words, which I knew I could easily do if only I put my mind to it.
884 words still doing action scenes things should calm down after Monday. It’s a little early but I wanted to get in a little visiting today, the weather looks like rain (Again). Rainiest summer in many a moon, my tomatoes aren’t doing well under so much overcast.
No words for Saturday…I was at a wedding with a friend all day. I’m in a good position to write a good bit on Sunday, though.
Mike P.
13 years ago
I haven’t written anything since wednesday or thursday.My character has taken me completely off of the script. Plus none (not a single one) of my characters are turning out to be who I thought. Their personalities are very different. It has been like meeting someone and finding out your initial impression was dead wrong.
I think I’m about to find another person dead and I don’t want too. I have no idea why he would be dead. It feels like it has to happen, but it complicates things. Besides I have no idea which character did it or why they would do it. Killing a cop would only make matters worse. Yet the MC says it was definitely the next thing that happened.
938 words today, hooray! I took the week off…well, from this particular WIP. I got a full request from an agent for my first novel and spent two days going over the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb! But now it’s back to the new stuff.
ONE-TWO-SIX-TWO words, today, and I got my flow back. Some of the dialogues that I wrote today have come out so beautifully. I’m I’m I’m enjoying. 🙂 next comes my cup of tea – ACTION, go-that-way-come-this-way-turn-right-whip-left-duck-dive-in-jump-out action. Luckily, I am taking the day off tomorrow, (wait, wait) I’m in India, and Tomorrow is Monday. 🙂
Congrats. Very happy you’re getting words. AND having fun.
Suzanne
13 years ago
Not a whole ton today, but close to 1000, so I can’t complain. Sort of in an awkward chapter right now, so I’ll probably be lucky to get the 500 tomorrow.
Laura
13 years ago
2051 words and half a chapter to go. I’ll be done this evening.
The Pencil Neck
13 years ago
1114 words tonight.
We had guests over.
The scene I was working on started really slow and then ended really fast. I think this scene is going to need some serious revising. I felt unfocused and Benjamin Franklin-y at first but eventually found the groove.
Well, at least the thing I cut actually has a very good seed for a conflict and powerful stuff in there, so it’s as if I’d been working on a new story (in the same world, but not necessarily a sequel). So it’s all right.
My plans for getting 2K done this weekend got thrown out the window when I slept in and then had a night full of socializing. I got a meagre 20 words writen down but the MCs were having quite the interesting conversation in my head on the ride home. So tomorrow I plan on bringing my notebook on the boat so I can write while my husband fishes. I just hope it doesn’t rain!
Blair
13 years ago
Between family functions and an angst-ridden pet or two I managed to chalk up another 278 words today, which is still far short of my goal for the weekend but quality work nonetheless.
If you’re getting quality, what more can you ask for. 😀
Congrats on the progress.
Kevin Jackson
13 years ago
I just found this challenge tonight, and since I just started on a new project a couple of days ago, the timing couldn’t be better. I’m currently working on plot/outline/synopsis/whatever. I’ve got about 1500 words of that, 750 from today. I haven’t done this sort of advance plotting before, but I’m happy with it so far. Huge plot changes are much easier with 1500 words than with 50 000.
Hi, Kevin. Welcome. I’ll look forward to seeing how you’re coming on the story.
Larkk
13 years ago
Big writing night tonight for me, 2509 words, but keep in mind that as I am a beginner many of them will end up on the cutting room floor! At least I hope they do, because a lot of them are not very good. Sometimes I wish I had plotted more carefully before I started writing, but then it wouldn’t have done much good, because the novel took off in a totally different (and better, I think, direction) after about 30K words. Besides, it keeps me on the edge of my seat wondering what will happen next…
It’s incredibly awesome to read about what everyone else is doing.
I’m with you! I zip over and peruse the latest thread before I get going in the evening or when my brain hits a wall. It’s so inspiring to be a part of this!
My novel, too, had a mind of its own. It’s fun to see where it’s leading me, even as my main conflict matures into something a bit more than I expected. This is my first novel – the first pages are about three months old now – and it’s amazing and unsettling to see how much my writing has improved over the last 35k words!
Sarah, I know EXACTLY what you mean. The more I write, the more I notice that my writing gets better. HTTS and the other lessons here have definitely helped a lot with that for me :]
After spending most of the week planning my new project, I was ready to write today. So I got 309 words done and I’m delighted with the start of my opening scene.
Spent 6 hours plotting today. Got stuck when I realized I’d made the forces working against the good guys so damn powerful that its become unstoppable. Time to give that thing an Achilles heel.
I added 1175 words today, passed the previous total (before the big delete), and I’m seriously ahead of my 500 words a day goal. If I’d stuck to my pace, I’d have written 9,500 words since I joined the challenge. My actual grand total is 14,257 and by the end of tomorrow I’ll have less than 20k words until the end! I’m having fun with this chapter and the next, but I’m already feeling guilty about what happens after that. I’m going to tear this little world I created apart, and my heart is breaking for my MC.
I didn’t take the day off as I’d initially planned but I didn’t add words either. Instead, I tried vainly to get a 7500 word short story down to 6000 so I could send it to a specific market. I managed to cut 450 words. Not enough by a long shot. Wonder where the heck I’m going to send that baby to now.
Well, I was going to say it went very well, but then I read the other two comments and their hundreds of words made me feel inadequate!
No, I’m just kidding 😉 Go Elise and Khena! I wrote 885 words today, which I am very pleased with. The MC has finally realized that the folklore isn’t just folklore and there is magic in the world. Also, that people want to kill her. She’s going to start moving faster now.
1158 words today. I passed the 20k mark, which makes me very happy. I struggled a lot getting my words out today. Skipping chapters throws me off badly, but I think I made it to a point where I can move smoothly again. At least, I really hope so.
Elise
13 years ago
After doing no words for three days, I got 1198 done today. I have to do research to write the next scene convincingly. A lot of research. I’m wondering whether to keep plugging on the draft and just put a big note about RESEARCHED STUFF GOES HERE and concentrate on the emotional reaction to what happens or pause and slog through a big non-fiction book now. Stay tuned.
TC stands for “To come,” meaning “I have no idea what goes here, but something must.”
During revision, I do a first search for all [TC]s, write down page numbers and situations in my revision notebook, and then let my muse stew about them as I’m working my way from the beginning.
I would say, if you’re having a tricky day *raises hand* but you like your keyboard in the state it is, that you NOT read this post of Holly’s that’s linked below, and have a beverage simultaneously.
Not a good idea. 😀
https://hollylisle.com/fm/Workshops/suckitudinous.html
Here are my words for Sunday. 1556 words and I’m over the 40K hump. Yay for me!!! I’m firmly entrenched the later part the middle now and things are heating up. Good night and see you all tomorrow.
Hey to Holly and all you other beautiful people. Holly gave out so much good advice the other day I’ve been going over the word count all week times about 5. But now I have a different problem. I like about 75% of what’s there so far, but 25% (and it’s a *big* chunk, like a quarter of a short, and of course it’s the pivotal fraught part) is just lying there on the page like the limpest of limp limp linguine. So *now* what?
Is the story finished?
If so, do a One-Pass Revision. If not, finish first, understanding that all stories go through this, and that when it’s done you’ll whip that 25% into shape.
Okay, 517 words for today. I really felt like taking the day off altogether, but knowing that this thread exists helped me to set a goal of at least 250 words, which I knew I could easily do if only I put my mind to it.
Mission accomplished!
Congrats!
884 words still doing action scenes things should calm down after Monday. It’s a little early but I wanted to get in a little visiting today, the weather looks like rain (Again). Rainiest summer in many a moon, my tomatoes aren’t doing well under so much overcast.
No words for Saturday…I was at a wedding with a friend all day. I’m in a good position to write a good bit on Sunday, though.
I haven’t written anything since wednesday or thursday.My character has taken me completely off of the script. Plus none (not a single one) of my characters are turning out to be who I thought. Their personalities are very different. It has been like meeting someone and finding out your initial impression was dead wrong.
I think I’m about to find another person dead and I don’t want too. I have no idea why he would be dead. It feels like it has to happen, but it complicates things. Besides I have no idea which character did it or why they would do it. Killing a cop would only make matters worse. Yet the MC says it was definitely the next thing that happened.
If that’s the way you want the story to go, follow it.
If it isn’t, then kick your MC upside the head, and tell him how YOU want the story to go.
Never write a story you don’t want to write.
I’m back!
938 words today, hooray! I took the week off…well, from this particular WIP. I got a full request from an agent for my first novel and spent two days going over the manuscript with a fine-tooth comb! But now it’s back to the new stuff.
Sounds like everyone’s doing great!
That’s great news!! Congrats!
Hey congrats Michelle!
That’s super-dooper-awesomely cool news!
I hope oneday I’ll be in that position 🙂
FANTASTIC! Good luck with the agent. Let us know how it goes.
Thanks so much, everyone! Fingers crossed! 🙂
ONE-TWO-SIX-TWO words, today, and I got my flow back. Some of the dialogues that I wrote today have come out so beautifully. I’m I’m I’m enjoying. 🙂 next comes my cup of tea – ACTION, go-that-way-come-this-way-turn-right-whip-left-duck-dive-in-jump-out action. Luckily, I am taking the day off tomorrow, (wait, wait) I’m in India, and Tomorrow is Monday. 🙂
let’s
wait
and
see
what
happens . . .
Congrats on finding your flow! Makes every word worthwhile, doesn’t it? Thanks for cheering me on!
Congrats. Very happy you’re getting words. AND having fun.
Not a whole ton today, but close to 1000, so I can’t complain. Sort of in an awkward chapter right now, so I’ll probably be lucky to get the 500 tomorrow.
2051 words and half a chapter to go. I’ll be done this evening.
1114 words tonight.
We had guests over.
The scene I was working on started really slow and then ended really fast. I think this scene is going to need some serious revising. I felt unfocused and Benjamin Franklin-y at first but eventually found the groove.
All my friends have crossed the 1k mark today, and I’m so so so happy. coz me too, have — crossed — the grand four digit mark 🙂
700+ words. Well, technically, it’s minus 1500 words since I cut a couple of scenes in the morning.
That’s OK, I didn’t like them anyway. *sniff*
Yeah, that’s no fun. Still, sometimes you have to pitch the bad stuff just to have it gone. Congrats on the 700+, though. Very nice.
Well, at least the thing I cut actually has a very good seed for a conflict and powerful stuff in there, so it’s as if I’d been working on a new story (in the same world, but not necessarily a sequel). So it’s all right.
My plans for getting 2K done this weekend got thrown out the window when I slept in and then had a night full of socializing. I got a meagre 20 words writen down but the MCs were having quite the interesting conversation in my head on the ride home. So tomorrow I plan on bringing my notebook on the boat so I can write while my husband fishes. I just hope it doesn’t rain!
Between family functions and an angst-ridden pet or two I managed to chalk up another 278 words today, which is still far short of my goal for the weekend but quality work nonetheless.
If you’re getting quality, what more can you ask for. 😀
Congrats on the progress.
I just found this challenge tonight, and since I just started on a new project a couple of days ago, the timing couldn’t be better. I’m currently working on plot/outline/synopsis/whatever. I’ve got about 1500 words of that, 750 from today. I haven’t done this sort of advance plotting before, but I’m happy with it so far. Huge plot changes are much easier with 1500 words than with 50 000.
Hi, Kevin. Welcome. I’ll look forward to seeing how you’re coming on the story.
Big writing night tonight for me, 2509 words, but keep in mind that as I am a beginner many of them will end up on the cutting room floor! At least I hope they do, because a lot of them are not very good. Sometimes I wish I had plotted more carefully before I started writing, but then it wouldn’t have done much good, because the novel took off in a totally different (and better, I think, direction) after about 30K words. Besides, it keeps me on the edge of my seat wondering what will happen next…
It’s incredibly awesome to read about what everyone else is doing.
I’m with you! I zip over and peruse the latest thread before I get going in the evening or when my brain hits a wall. It’s so inspiring to be a part of this!
My novel, too, had a mind of its own. It’s fun to see where it’s leading me, even as my main conflict matures into something a bit more than I expected. This is my first novel – the first pages are about three months old now – and it’s amazing and unsettling to see how much my writing has improved over the last 35k words!
Congrats on the wordage!
Sarah, I know EXACTLY what you mean. The more I write, the more I notice that my writing gets better. HTTS and the other lessons here have definitely helped a lot with that for me :]
After spending most of the week planning my new project, I was ready to write today. So I got 309 words done and I’m delighted with the start of my opening scene.
Cheering! It’s good to see you writing.
Spent 6 hours plotting today. Got stuck when I realized I’d made the forces working against the good guys so damn powerful that its become unstoppable. Time to give that thing an Achilles heel.
Oh boy. That’s the fun part. Good luck!
I cut my goal in half for the week and still didn’t make it. I was aiming for 3,500 words and only hit 2,274 words.
On the upside I got two lessons of 2YN done.
I added 1175 words today, passed the previous total (before the big delete), and I’m seriously ahead of my 500 words a day goal. If I’d stuck to my pace, I’d have written 9,500 words since I joined the challenge. My actual grand total is 14,257 and by the end of tomorrow I’ll have less than 20k words until the end! I’m having fun with this chapter and the next, but I’m already feeling guilty about what happens after that. I’m going to tear this little world I created apart, and my heart is breaking for my MC.
Oh Sarah! great going hnah? cheer o cheer!
I wrote 1735 today which brings me close to the 40K mark, which is my goal for the end of the weekend. I should pass that tomorrow.
Great 🙂
I didn’t take the day off as I’d initially planned but I didn’t add words either. Instead, I tried vainly to get a 7500 word short story down to 6000 so I could send it to a specific market. I managed to cut 450 words. Not enough by a long shot. Wonder where the heck I’m going to send that baby to now.
Well, I was going to say it went very well, but then I read the other two comments and their hundreds of words made me feel inadequate!
No, I’m just kidding 😉 Go Elise and Khena! I wrote 885 words today, which I am very pleased with. The MC has finally realized that the folklore isn’t just folklore and there is magic in the world. Also, that people want to kill her. She’s going to start moving faster now.
Nice. Your MC has some interesting conflict going on.
267 words on the opening to my new novel, the one I’m writing for HtTS. 🙂 And it almost didn’t happen.
Congrats on getting there. 😀
1158 words today. I passed the 20k mark, which makes me very happy. I struggled a lot getting my words out today. Skipping chapters throws me off badly, but I think I made it to a point where I can move smoothly again. At least, I really hope so.
After doing no words for three days, I got 1198 done today. I have to do research to write the next scene convincingly. A lot of research. I’m wondering whether to keep plugging on the draft and just put a big note about RESEARCHED STUFF GOES HERE and concentrate on the emotional reaction to what happens or pause and slog through a big non-fiction book now. Stay tuned.
I do that. I insert a slug that says [TC].
TC stands for “To come,” meaning “I have no idea what goes here, but something must.”
During revision, I do a first search for all [TC]s, write down page numbers and situations in my revision notebook, and then let my muse stew about them as I’m working my way from the beginning.