Holly Lisle: Writer

DTD—510 words, and Dija twists my mind

I was completely stunned by the final twist in tonight’s scene. Dija (currently the name for my petite, charming master of evil) has been looking for someone for a very long time. She found out tonight from Derok that a probable ally has returned to New York City, and this ally could be her someone.

I thought I had an idea who she was looking for. Tonight, she told me…and my jaw is still on the floor.

I have to ask myself some questions about how, and who, and when, and why. But not tonight. This scene flew, it ran away with me, it was fun, and though I’m done with the scene, I now know I’m going to have to get inside Dija’s head more, because she’s got layers I never even guessed at.

For folks playing Write A Book With Me on Intermediate, you can wrap your count at 500. (Well, you can wrap it anywhere you please, actually… but…)

7-9-2009—Late comment:

Because I wiped out last night and missed reading all of these, I’m going to go through and specifically answer questions. Please take my cheering for your success as implied.

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97 responses to “DTD—510 words, and Dija twists my mind”

  1. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    Tori,

    I’m so sorry about all that you’ve been through. I’m really glad that at least you still have your job.

    Sometimes things work out in a surprising way. I lost my teaching job here in Korea over the winter because I came down with severe pneumonia and tuberculosis. They promised me I could come back when I felt better, which turned out to be a lie to get me to sign a contract termination form. So I’m unemployed until I return to the US this fall (my husband is still teaching here).

    But as a result, I’ve gotten a good start on a freelance writing career! So things are starting to work out. I’ll send positive thoughts your way that things will work out for you and your husband as well. 🙂

    Michelle

    Reply
  2. Tori Avatar
    Tori

    I love it when characters surprise me. To me, it is one of my favorite parts of writing. Allowing yourself to be surprised is great fun:)

    Holly- I got home fine, but we did face some problems on the road. I am bothered now by the fact that my husband lost his job…and at the worst possible time. Somehow I still have mine.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Hugs. I’m glad you made it home, and glad you still have your job. My best wishes to your husband on replacing his quickly.

      Reply
  3. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    960 words today.

    This is another “meanwhile, back at the ranch” scene, wherein a couple of military types are discussing how best to dispose of MC, now that he’s been sucked into the trap they’ve laid for him. They agree on an elaborate (but still unrevealed) plan that will turn the inevitable ensuing publicity against him, while leaving them high and dry.

    “And even if it doesn’t work,” one says to the other, “they’ll still be just as dead.”

    End of chapter.

    [I knew what I wanted to do here, but I was stuck for the longest time for a setting–until, as a committed Think Sideways student, I went to my Sweet Spot map. Two minutes later, I had my guys out on the golf course. Piece of cake. Many thanks, Holly!]

    Reply
  4. Lisa Avatar
    Lisa

    Holly, I just have to say thanks for your advice yesterday. It is so awesome to actually get feedback from a professional writer on the problems I’m dealing with in my book right now. 🙂 Anyway, your rule to never write a scene you don’t want to write (but rather to figure out why you don’t want to write it) made me realize that the vast majority of scenes I’ve EVER written in any of my novels were ones I didn’t want to write. Ack! I think I need to buy your plotting course. 🙂 But in the meantime, I did some re-plotting for this scene and wrote 301 words on it. It’s still not quite flowing, but it’s getting more interesting. I do like listening to my MC talk. LOL.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Cool. Congrats on rethinking your story. 😀

      Reply
  5. Mike P. Avatar
    Mike P.

    1,012 words as of 10:15pm. This chapter is going to require a lot of revision. That is a problem for another day. Right now pressing on is most important.

    My character needs to tell me what happens next. He did two things I didn’t expect to end the chapter. So, now I’m lost.

    Reply
  6. Nancy Avatar
    Nancy

    2065 for the day. Got through my first big candy bar scene (after the opening scene) and now i’m going to have to figure out how to ‘make things even worse’ for my MC. The next big candy bar scene is about 100 miles down the road (geographically) so I need to get her from here to there, all the while making things worse. I also realize she’s going to need a travelling companion or she’s going to spend a lot of time talking to herself or an imaginary friend (monologues are sooo boring). I have a bit of an idea there, well, several really, none of which I’m crazy about, but that’s for tomorrow.

    Happy wordage all!

    Reply
  7. Colleen Avatar
    Colleen

    An amazing (to me) 523 words today, bringing the total for Dawning Sun up to 2145. I did NOT want to write today, but a little voice in the back of my head kept saying “Holly posted 510…” — Goal oriented much?

    My heroine is being approached by people offering to sleep with her to get information she doesn’t actually have. It’s fun, but I begin to worry that I’m rambling on a bit. Since I tend to come in WELL under my projected word count, I’m letting myself ramble. It won’t all make the final cut, but they’re words, and they’re good. Not intentional padding or inflated word count – just a lot of me wandering around and describing what I see.

    Reply
  8. unxplaindfires Avatar
    unxplaindfires

    2412 words OVER my goal. 😀 …plus two dead bodies that I had not planned for and the cheeseburger was NOT a cheeseburger (but had nothing to do with the dead bodies).
    I’ve never written a story like this and it is just flowing. My other project is coming along nicely too. Thanks Holly!

    Reply
  9. Dena Avatar
    Dena

    1715 words for me today. I’d like to add my thanks to Holly for doing this. This exercise has made writing fun again. In the past I’ve set myself pretty high words counts to complete every day, which sucked the fun out of writing on those days when the words didn’t flow as well. When I decided to do this, I told myself that I would write the same number of words that Holly writes. For the first couple of days I did just that. Then something funny happened. I found I couldn’t stop after hitting my word count, I had to keep going. I realized today that giving myself permission to write low word counts actually made it easier for me to write higher ones. So thanks again Holly for making writing fun.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      You’re very welcome.

      I’m finding the same thing. This is fun, and there are nights when I want to go higher.

      Some nights, I might give in to the urge.

      (I have the natural limiter of being a total morning person, and to start writing every night at 10:00 PM, my previous time for falling asleep. So don’t look for sudden spurts of massive word counts. But I might from time to time decide to stroll over a thousand.

      Reply
  10. John Avatar
    John

    1070 words this evening! It’s going well, but I think I’m going to stop here. Otherwise I won’t have anything to write tomorrow! 🙂

    The two main characters have just met each other, I’ve thrown them into a tight situation and I’ve just ended the scene with: ‘Sophie smiled. “I think I have an idea.”‘

    Now I have to figure out what that idea is! 🙂

    Reply
  11. Carly Avatar
    Carly

    806 today, I’m in the UK so it’s like gone half nine at night here. I write best in the evening when my daughter is asleep… obvious reasons I know. Also had a little go at Working Math today since I haven’t done it for a while and I am making really good progress, especially lately. Worked out I don’t need to add too many extra scenes but they are popping up naturally every now and then at the moment so all is good!

    Today’s writing put me over 30k which I am extremely pleased with and the best part about writing consistently? My inner critic isn’t getting a chance to butt in because I just keep holding new scene cards in his face and moving forward with my story! What a lovely, liverating feeling it is just to write without all the judgment! Time for that in revision!

    Reply
    1. Carly Avatar
      Carly

      I think I probably meant liberating… early night me thinks!

      Reply
      1. The Pencil Neck Avatar
        The Pencil Neck

        I thought it was just your English accent.

        🙂

        Reply
  12. Jessica Avatar
    Jessica

    About 200 (handwritten so I’m not sure on specifics) more on plotting. Realized my ending wasn’t what I or the characters wanted and in reworking that, realized my main protagonist is not very active in the main conflict. She just keeps brooding over her dead fiance. It doesn’t matter how many flowers she forces to bloom over his grave, he won’t come back!

    I don’t need to scrap what I’ve got so far, just some tweaking on first 2 scenes, but I can do that after 1st draft is done.

    Reply
  13. Dawn Avatar
    Dawn

    I wrote 1,567 words before I got a call that left me shaking. I’m so angry and frustrated I could just cry. Lucky thing I got my words in before that call. It looks like my partner will either have to leave her job or I will have to stop going to physical therapy for my injured ankle. What a rotten choice to have to make. I don’t understand why her boss feels the need to have her in on the only days I can go to therapy.

    I must find a way to put this into my writing, all of this anger and nothing to do but calm down and try to think rationally.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Hugs. That sounds like a miserable situation to have to get through.

      Reply
  14. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    Some more deletion today, but I finished the scene I was working on yesterday and my MC is just in the middle of saying her goodbyes. There’s a net loss to the total words of 236, but the story in heading in the right direction now so I think the loss is ok.

    The total words for the scenes for keeping stands at 2,145. Total words for the story = 13026, but I think there’s more deletion ahead, so who knows where I’ll be tomorrow!

    Congrats everyone for your progress and good luck for tomorrow. 🙂

    Reply
  15. ValMarie Avatar
    ValMarie

    No words on the WiP last night but got Sentences for four more scenes, so I was pretty pleased with myself.

    Reply
  16. Dee Avatar
    Dee

    All right, I THINK I have my Sentence. Any- and everybody’s critique of it will be rewarded with whatever my son bakes this weekend. 🙂 So far we’re up to brownies, bread, and thumbprint cookies.

    She was just a normal Human; the Others must have been mistaken when they decided she was important enough to practically go to war to obtain.

    Reply
  17. Belle Avatar
    Belle

    Any one know if I can change the critter that is associated with my name? Its a bit … well … phallic.

    Also, anyone know an easy way to search multiple days at one time for posts by myself or by someone’s name? Or do I just need to search day upon day, “Find on this page” kind of thing?

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      LOL. If you’re inclined to post an image you particularly like, you can go to Gravatar and set up a picture that you like. Then any place where you’ve created an account will show it.

      I’m going to change the little monsters, though. I really don’t like the one that shows up for me.

      Reply
      1. Nancy Avatar
        Nancy

        Wow. Gravatar is very cool. Thanks for the head’s up. Although I kinda liked the little monster goober.

        Reply
      2. megan Avatar
        megan

        Hi, SOrry But I tried that Gravatat, anad tried logging in and was told I dont have sufficient permissions to the page. uh, what does that mean? makes me feel invisible

        Reply
  18. Belle Avatar
    Belle

    Got slammed at work, too much to do. No words yesterday. But, I did do some reading about planning my story, including an article of Holly’s called “How to Start a Novel.” Hope to go to library this weekend and get books on life in Italy, early Renaissance, etc. I need to get two worlds built for the story.

    Reply
  19. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    Only 200 words today, but I’m happy. Almost 10K in, I realized the plot was fine but the story just didn’t have the voice I wanted. So I started over and tread carefully, playing with words until they came out the way I wanted. I think I’m much closer now. Better at 10K than when I finished the whole thing, right?

    Thanks again for this idea, Holly. Your progress, along with everyone commenting, is really inspiring.

    Reply
  20. Scarlett Avatar
    Scarlett

    No words today:( , but have worked out something in the plot that was bothering me and maybe tomorrow will be a better day

    Reply
  21. Lisa R Avatar
    Lisa R

    658 words yesterday. I finished up a short story that I will let sleep for a while before I start revising. I am doing this for two reasons. One, is that I am not really sure where to start with the revision and two, is I really wanted to start my next story. I began the new story with an amazing opening scene. When I thought of the scene, I worried that it wouldn’t work, but it ended up being perfect for the MC.

    Reply
  22. Mike P. Avatar
    Mike P.

    I’m going to spend some time getting to know my characters today. Maybe that will help with the scene I’m working.

    Last night I was doing a little recreational reading. As I read I noticed my book was veering torwards the tone of my recreational read. Now, I’m thinking to change what I’m reading might be a good idea.

    Has anybody else ever had a problem with what they’re reading effecting what they are writing?

    Reply
    1. The Pencil Neck Avatar
      The Pencil Neck

      I don’t read when I’m writing. I spend the time that I would normally spend reading… welll… writing. Many times tha’s not pen-on-paper writing, just thinking and imagining.

      Reply
      1. Anambika Avatar
        Anambika

        Well, I do read and write at the same time. No probs 4 me. My work is unique to me, my characters, plot; actually, I think I don’t have any problems, coz, I take a back seat, let my story and my characters fight it out. In a way, I enjoy every twist and turn. it works though, how long, Alas! I know not 🙂

        Reply
    2. Nancy Avatar
      Nancy

      I find it best to read completely outside the genre I’m writing in when I’m in first draft mode. And I’ll read a lot of non-fiction then too. Otherwise, like you, what I read tends to bleed into what I write, even if it’s just the tone.

      Reply
      1. Mike P. Avatar
        Mike P.

        Thanks for the advice.

        Pencil Neck I wish I could do that, but I’m addicted to books. I recently started clearing out books. I had so many I was running out of shelf space. I filled a 100+ quart plastic tote with books. If I don’t read everyday I actually feel a little off. I was going to take the books to a used book store and try to sell them. My wife won’t let me She is afraid I’ll fill it back up.

        Two pieces of advice are really helping me today. I believe the first came from Holly. Find inner silence so that you can better hear. The second comes from “The Tao of Pooh.” It is the Taoist principle of Wei Wu Wei. Do without doing, allow things to happen as they will.

        So far I’ve got three hours and over 800 words in today. I’m hoping for 1000 words today.

        Reply
        1. Dee Avatar
          Dee

          Books! What kinds of books? My personal library is just under 5,000 at the moment — I’ve got some that haven’t been sent to me from my last move. I completely understand about taking them to a used book store and replacing them with new — I worked in a used book store and wound up getting paid in books. Didn’t help with the bills, though. I don’t see why books can’t be legal tender …

          Reply
        2. The Pencil Neck Avatar
          The Pencil Neck

          I think most of us are (or have) read alot. We won’t move anywhere that doesn’t have room for our books. I don’t know how many. I wouldn’t want to count them. But I thought about it.

          In one house, I had special bookcases built that could pull out, and behind them were more bookcases. In this house, I have a secret room. It looks like a normal bookcase, but when you push one side, it opens into a room.

          Which is currently filled with my comic book collection and a bunch of boxes that we haven’t bothered to empty since we moved here. And lots of CD’s.

          Reply
          1. The Pencil Neck Avatar
            The Pencil Neck

            I should have proofread this first. The first paragraph is confuzzled.

            “I think most of us are (or have) read alot.

            We (MY WIFE AND I) won’t move anywhere that doesn’t have room for our books. I don’t know how many. I wouldn’t want to count them. But I thought about it….”

            Reply
    3. Jessica Avatar
      Jessica

      I have the same problem, I’m very easily influenced by what I read (subconsciously). Of course, my reading and writing genre preferences are about the same unless I’m researching something. So I try to keep the two separate.

      On the other hand, sometimes my muse needs a kickstart for ideas and I’ll pick up a book for inspiration.

      Reply
    4. Sari Avatar
      Sari

      I’m with The Pencil Neck on this one. When I’m writing I don’t tend to read. There are two reasons for that. First is the influencial problem, and the second is that I’m worried that I’ll find a book I just can’t put down and then not get any writing in. And I really want to write!

      Reply
    5. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      That’s pretty common. When I’m deep in story, I only read nonfiction.
      .
      .
      .
      Or knit, which distracts my conscious mind, so my subconscious mind can come up with cool plot twists.

      Reply
  23. Anambika Avatar
    Anambika

    No words so far, But I am back to form. I am going to write tonight. And, I am going to enjoy it , Fly with the wings of imagination. I don’t know why but Keats haunts me today 🙂

    Reply
  24. Danielle Meitiv Avatar
    Danielle Meitiv

    Holly —

    I love the way you describe your process – how your villain finally ‘told’ you some crucial details, how the scene flew, ran away with you. Until I started writing (January of this year) things like that made ABSOLUTELY no sense to me. Authors would say that their characters ‘demanded’ this or that they didn’t know how the story would end until they wrote it and I thought – what the heck are they talking about? THEY are the authors, how can they NOT know???

    Now, I get it! When things are rolling, I start writing and these people who are just clamoring to get out of my head find their freedom on the page and go crazy! They do just what they want, how and when they want and it’s all I can do to follow along, my fingers tripping over one another just to keep up! Don’t tell anyone (non-writers), they’ll think I’m listening to voices (again 😉 and have someone take me away!

    Of course, there are those days when all my characters and the muse take off for parts unknown and I’m left starting at the screen, wondering why I’ve been left out of all the fun 🙁 but having a daily word count helps me pass the time in the doldrums until the winds lifts my sails again and we’re off! Thanks!!!

    Reply
    1. Dee Avatar
      Dee

      Wait, does this mean we’re supposed to ignore the voices? How about when they threaten us with serious insanity if we don’t do what they want? I have characters (not in the story I’m working on now, thankfully) that actually frighten me at times with their intensity about getting what they want.

      Reply
    2. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      This is the point where writing becomes sheer joy. And it comes from having your subconscious and conscious minds (your Muse and your You) working together toward the same end.

      I’m glad you get to experience this—it’s some of the best fun writing has to offer.

      Reply
  25. Kait Nolan Avatar
    Kait Nolan

    511 on Hunted In Shadow today. I’m revising a scene, which I’ve mostly not been doing on this first draft as I go (since it slows me down), but I need to do these so that I know how to proceed with the following scenes since the action here affects what happens there.

    Reply
  26. Lila S. Avatar
    Lila S.

    297 Monday night, 312 last night. Found the conflict for my story and introduced another character. I still need to figure out the antagonist’s motivations before I can write more. Also wrote some stuff about some of the races in the world.

    Reply
  27. Lacey Savage Avatar
    Lacey Savage

    I got 1,138 words last night — 738 of them curled up on the couch with my laptop while my husband watched TV. I’m discovering I’m getting pretty good at tuning out distractions, and I love being able to be productive and still hang out with him.

    Unfortunately, the words didn’t flow as well as I would have liked. I don’t think I have enough happening in the scene. I’m writing a romance novel, and although this scene has heaps of sexual tension and interpersonal conflict, it feels a little slow. I’m going to press on and try not to worry about it. I can fix it in edits.

    Reply
  28. Ann Avatar
    Ann

    Arrggg…not a thing for Tuesday. It’s usually my busiest work day, so I don’t feel too awful, but missed just stting down and losing myself for a bit. Hopefully today there won’t be quite so much of racing across city streets with stretchers in the pouring rain. Not good for my hair or the writing… 😉

    Reply
  29. Sari Avatar
    Sari

    667 today, 29,490 total (yay I will get to 30k tomorrow!!)

    Still aftermath of murder going on here. Digging graves, robbing the dead etc. Found food! Which is good because she hasn’t eaten for a while. She is disgusted at her actions but can’t bring herself to regret them because she is a survivor.

    Sleep now. Catch you all tomorrow, hopefully post 30k mark.

    Reply
  30. Minze Avatar
    Minze

    496 words in ten minutes.

    Writing to a vague outline is much more fun than writing to one that’s too detailed. The scene felt real again too.

    Reply
    1. Lisa R Avatar
      Lisa R

      In my very short time of writing, I love vague outlines. This lets the characters actually take life and do what they need to do instead of me forcing them into situations that are artificial to them.

      Reply
  31. Gerhi Janse van Vuuren Avatar
    Gerhi Janse van Vuuren

    415 words

    More than what I wanted to write but the mc made a speech.

    Reply
  32. Andrea B. Avatar
    Andrea B.

    800 Words. I thought I stopped at 500, but it’s 800 when I look at it now.

    But I don’t know if the characters are right. I think, there may be something wrong with reasons and motivations.

    Reply
  33. Silke Avatar
    Silke

    1607 words for me on the “New One” 🙂

    Reply
  34. Kathryn Avatar
    Kathryn

    Gak – only one sentence today. 🙁

    I’ve got to write/report a battle scene, and I don’t know how. The actual battle is less important than the outcome, but one important building is destroyed.

    Reply
    1. Anambika Avatar
      Anambika

      Kathy, (If I can call you that)

      Try this, Place yourself (i.e.) your narrator or your reader somewhere in the vicinity of that important building, even inside it. Now think, how would you perceive the ongoing battle? Sounds, smells, sightings, etc. then start describing the actual events that begin and end the destruction of the building. And, abruptly cut the action, jump time, you may describe the aftermath of the battle, the damages to the building through an inspection tour.

      Wait, wait! This is how, Anambika may write, but Kathryn is not Anambika, so do it in your own way. Whatever you do,

      1. Do not forget that your readers have the sense of time, space and place even in their willing suspension of disbelief. But they would definitely give you allowance, but don’t stretch it.
      2. Your battle might be grand and large, but your words need not be. Keep it simple, for a start, for the time being. You need not necessarily give all the details. Remember, ‘heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter. Allow your readers to imagine the rest.
      Holly!!! Plz moderate. Delete if what I had put here is not right.

      Reply
      1. Kathryn Avatar
        Kathryn

        Thank you, Anambika! This has really helped me get started. I’ll have something written by the end of today, for certain.

        Reply
      2. Holly Avatar
        Holly

        Nope. You’re good. This is, in fact, one of the techniques I teach—making the scene real for your reader by starting at one very specific point, emphasizing in your scene, choosing specific small details to make the place real, and then expanding outward.

        Reply
  35. Sal Avatar
    Sal

    Took a few very busy days off and thought about what I’m doing instead.

    Back with 292 words and a change of POV to give other main character a voice.

    Scene setting techniques seem to order my mind.

    Reply
  36. Ieva Avatar
    Ieva

    800+ words. It’s interesting, at the beginning of this week I cut down my weekly word goal, figuring that 4000 words a week is too strenuous for me, and now when I have a 3500 goal, it’s doing much better. I’m not complaining though.

    I made a firm promise to do some worldbuilding at this point instead of writing. After all, one-fourth into the novel sounds a good place to figure out how, in fact, the magic is working 😛

    Reply
    1. Ieva Avatar
      Ieva

      P.S. oh, and muchos thanks for “insert backstory where it moves story forward”. I did just that in my 800 words and it didn’t sound like a backstory at all, and, in fact, for the first time ever I see that in a book, the past choices of the main character feel uncomfy. Usually, it’s sorta OK whatever they’re done, it’s backstory, it’s passed, and I’m even irritated for writer to dwell on in, here, I can hear the reader growling about her deciding to kill her master and I am, in fact, content with that.

      Reply
  37. Michael Avatar
    Michael

    395 words without editing in some stuff previously written that I plan to reuse/actually use here.

    Now I have to figure out how a galactic-scale “underground railroad” might would work…

    Reply
  38. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    447 today, so didn’t quite make the goal. But that’s okay. Considering all of the crazy busy nonsense at the day job and then all of the interruptions tonight, I am glad I got something written.

    Reply
  39. The Pencil Neck Avatar
    The Pencil Neck

    745 words.

    Working through the conflict list for one of my secondary (possibly main) characters. I need to find out if this old man can carry the story and I’m still not sure he’s up to it. He would have an easy story goal and some nasty twists. I mean, which grandchild would you pick if you had to choose? And he already knows he doesn’t want to live forever. And he’s not a pushover.

    Reply
    1. Anambika Avatar
      Anambika

      Lots of twists and turns, you said, right? How is this for a twist? a new character appears, not so young, beautiful, all virtuous, long-forgotten-country-visit-one-night-stand-bore-fruit daughter into the fray, – appears at the door step of Mr. Youroldman. Then he need not be a push-over; he will be pushed over. 🙂 all kidding. I am in a jolly mood to write tonight 🙂

      Reply
  40. Sarah Collins Avatar
    Sarah Collins

    I made it to 308 words today. My goal is 500 but I went out this evening (Happy Birthday to me!) so I’m allowing it, guilt-free! Actually, I worked through the big hurdle in my mind so I’m thrilled with my progress, even if it’s not visible in the word count. Up to 32,347!

    Reply
    1. The Pencil Neck Avatar
      The Pencil Neck

      Happy Birthday!!!

      Reply
    2. Michael Avatar
      Michael

      Happy Birthday!! Seems a great time for them – our oldest’s was the 4th and the middle girl’s was the 6th.

      Reply
      1. Ann Avatar
        Ann

        Happy Birthday!!

        Reply
    3. Anambika Avatar
      Anambika

      Souvbaaggiyavathi Bhava (Oh you the lady who possesses all the blessings in the world, be)

      Dheerghgaaayushman Bhava (Oh you the possessor of long life, be)

      Sarah, Happy Happy Birthday to you 🙂

      The above is sanskrit, The divine language of India.

      Reply
    4. Nancy Avatar
      Nancy

      Happy Birthday, Sarah!

      Reply
    5. Mike P. Avatar
      Mike P.

      Happy Birthday

      Reply
    6. Anambika Avatar
      Anambika

      Oh Sarah, I was the first to wish you, HBD, but see, now I am pushed to the last. This is not fair holly 🙂

      Reply
      1. Anambika Avatar
        Anambika

        Sorry, I am going nuts I suppose 😉 I didn’t notice the time&date of the other replies.

        Reply
    7. Julie Avatar
      Julie

      Happy Birthday! I hope you had a fab day! 🙂

      Reply
    8. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Happy birthday, belatedly! And cheers on the words!

      Reply
  41. CLNorman Avatar
    CLNorman

    First time joining you here. I have been trying to write daily approx. 500 words on my own. Doing this with others may be helpful.

    I wrote 450 words tonight and the male character I introduced several days ago is still a mystery to me. Have no idea yet if he is a good guy or a bad guy. Weird. I just know that he lives in this story.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Welcome. Congrats on the words. And I’m glad you’re here.

      Reply
  42. Eve Avatar
    Eve

    That would be ‘received a rejection today…’ My gosh, I’ve turned into a pumpkin!

    Reply
  43. Red_dot Avatar
    Red_dot

    Didn’t write today, I did go over what I have done so far. Good thing I have a day job. Thanks for the comments left for me. Thanks Miss Lisle. I will try again tomorrow.

    Reply
  44. Eve Avatar
    Eve

    Almost didn’t make it to the writing today. I a rejection today and ended up messing around trying to find other markets for it.

    In the end after making myself cross about it all, I went for a walk, came back and wrote a short new scene. 527 words.

    Reply
  45. Ed Avatar
    Ed

    I know you’ve been doing Write a Book With Me for a while now, but I figured better late than never. I needed *anything* that could kick me into writing something- anything- regularly this summer. Turns out having tons of free time is not exactly conducive to sticking to a discipline after all 😉

    Anyway, I brainstormed some tonight, and I got almost 700 words in conversation with my Muse while she gave me some inside scoop on The Curious Village of St. Chapel.

    I like this “talking to myself” (except it’s not really me… hehe) format, and I can’t wait to see what she spills about this fascinating town tomorrow.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      Welcome. And… Late? Not even.

      My pace… 250-500 words 5 days a week with an eventual goal of 300,000 words in final draft.

      I have 23,000 done.

      I have 277,000 words to go. Estimating 375 words a day (basic average word count), I have 738-ish remaining work days until I finish the first draft. At roughly 261 working days per year, I’m looking at being here working on this particular project for 2.83 years.

      Just to wrap the first draft.

      Then I’ll do one revision.

      So… you have a little elbow room to get in there. 😀

      Reply
  46. Julia GD Avatar
    Julia GD

    Barely over a 1000. I am trying to come up with a good character description for my class that would also fit into my novel. I already described three secondary characters quite decently. However, as soon as I move on either of my two protagonists, I am starting to sound like some ditsy schoolgirl describing her first crush. Urgh!
    The worst part is, I do know what I need to write, it is just finding the right words somehow eluding me.

    Reply
    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      It’s entirely okay to write the wrong words in first draft. Doing that gives you something to fix.

      Reply
  47. KQ Avatar
    KQ

    1615, still humming along. I knew there was some conflict between two of my characters, I just didn’t know how much! My calm, level-headed character turned positively sulky at the mention of another!

    Reply
  48. Clare K. R. Miller Avatar
    Clare K. R. Miller

    Hmm… I guess today was my weekend! Okay, there’s still eleven minutes left in the day but I am too tired to do any writing–I’d just end up staring at the screen. I went shopping and watched a new show on TV instead of writing. But I have new shoes now, and it was a good show!

    Reply
    1. Brent B. Avatar
      Brent B.

      Ditto for me. Except for the shoes.

      Reply
  49. Staci Myers Avatar
    Staci Myers

    263 on Bloodsworn today. 10 hour workdays are a major PITA…have to wedge writing into my breaks, but hopefully will be able to do more with Friday off.

    Reply
  50. BeccaBoo G Avatar
    BeccaBoo G

    1700 plus. I’ve been working on an off between chores.

    These damned annoying characters won’t have SEX!! They HAVE to! I even tried to throw two secondary characters together and now they’re putting it off!!

    ARGH! Do I need to stomp my feet and make demands? Jeez…

    Maybe I can make some cookies… Lure them into bed together and just see what happens.

    Reply
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