I got pure dialogue tonight, as Aleksa turned down the marriage proposal of the man who loves her. And while they were talking, I planted the seeds that are going to explode into disaster a few chapters down the road (stuff I’ve already written for the second part of the novel).
I like what I got here.
Still sick. Today was the worst day so far, but going by Matt, I should be at the halfway mark on this, or maybe more. Expecting to start feeling better soon.
So.
How did your words go?
I’ve been caught up in revisions, but I’m having to create 2-4 new scenes in the process, so I’m counting those for now.
Gotta love this business, though. I mean, today I got all excited about finding a PDF of a police memorandum from a Det. Lt., LAPD, circa 1923. My family give me those “Uh-huh, that’s real nice” smiles and step away.
All this with Mercury in retrograde! Or, so I hear. Cheers, all
Ok, so I forgot to log my words from yesterday (573), and did another 483 today. That brings Salvation up to 6111 words. Right now, I’m just proud of myself for writing every day — heck, I even wrote today after the appointment with my tattooist (usually, I just sit around a whimper for a few hours).
Now, If I can keep it up for more than a week, that will be a real milestone for me. Usually, without a scheduled deadline, I haven’t been great about being consistent — and I do need to be.
Things have taken an exciting turn no word count becouse i had to some cutting and pasting. Another Alien base had just been discoveerd this one in Montana. Cutting things off early not feeling well just need to eat.
Happy writing everyone
455 words today.
No words last night. I took the evening off to prepare school for the week, blog, answer email and spend time with my husband. Back to work tonight.
Still plotting out new scenes. Re-reading my first draft made me worry I’d left too many open plot-holes, or that I wrote things that aren’t logical. And then I worry about being too perfectionist and seeing problems where there aren’t any.
I hear you and feel your pain.
0 words for the novel. My family distracted me; plus, I had to prep for the week after guard drill. I did get 414 words for a new short story idea I have. I really enjoyed writing the general outline of the story. I think it will be my next short project.
1100+ words, scooping up the mess I made when I decided “winging it” is the way to go. Well, there is some pretty amazing and funny stuff in there, but still.
More rounding up today, I think.
Today was my best writing day ever! Sort of.
As part of the How To Think Sideways I had to come up with a muse inspired short story idea. Only I couldn’t stop, it all came and 2022 words later I have my tale of two old ladies, best friends for over fifty years, after both loving the same man. 1 has dementia and the other a short time to live. Dottie decides they should not go out this way and decideds to put poison in their tea this day. When Elsie finds out they cry, they share memories, secrets and declare their love. Only Dottie is the one with Dementia and she forgot to put the poison in. Will they have another cuppa?
That sounds great!
Sunday was my writing day off. Yard work instead.
Sorry to hear you are still sick, Holly. It must be miserable to be out of commission for so long. I am glad to see it does not stop your writing.
I’ve caught the bug going around it seems. I managed to write 400 words or so, and this scene isn’t quite going where I had intended it to. Since Isotte wasn’t paying attention, a group of men sneaked up on her and backed her up around the ford she was getting ready to cross.
On the plus side, I passed 70k words. On the downside, I am still struggling. I’m just not sure what to do at the moment…
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
I’ve caught the bug going around it seems. I managed to write 400 words or so, and this scene isn’t quite going where I had intended it to. Since Isotte wasn’t paying attention, a group of men sneaked up on her and backed her up around the ford she was getting ready to cross.
On the plus side, I passed 70k words. On the downside, I am still struggling. I’m just not sure what to do at the moment…
Congratulations for passing the 70k mark!
Why are you struggling and over what?
Just talk about it, if you don’t mind. Sometimes this helps in itself, or perhaps someone actually can offer you some useful advise.
I don’t really know why I am struggling. Which is part of my problem. I thought my male MC and I were having issues, but we came to terms and moved on. Now, I just don’t know. I really don’t think it has anything to do with the story at all. I sat down to write a little “Angry Bob is angry” spoof and I seemed to have the same problem.
So, I think it’s just me feeling a little blah. Think I’m going to write a few hundred words a day, then stop trying and read a book or something. But thank you for the well wishes!
Another 250 to leave the villain thread hanging with hints. Before I go back to starting the next scene however, I’m taking some time to check back with my road map. I’ve let the dead fiance’s ashes slide out of the story and they need to be more central and with a critical scene coming up, it’s time to remind FMC what is at stake and why it’s going to be a VERY hard decision to move on.
I took the weekend off, but feel ready to try writing again today. My family is in a state of limbo right now, which is not a good place for a writer to be. It’s hard to access your muse when there’s an elephant in the room.
Sorry to be so cryptic. About writing, I have been gradually working my way through the events of a particular night before the battle of Gettysburg. The night of the Emmitsburg fire, June 15-16, 1863, which was a very big fire. Twenty-eight houses and nine businesses were destroyed. The flames lit up the sky to the south of Gettysburg and caused its townfolk to go into panic mode. “The Rebels are coming and burning as they go,” Sarah Broadhead wrote in her diary.
I’ve introduced a lot of characters and planted a lot of muse bombs, now it’s time to pull back. The narrator is remembering what happened twenty-five years after the fact, so the chronology matters less than what she chooses to remember. Or can’t stop herself from remembering.
I meant big bug, of course
2.357 words on my translation and I discovered a big buck in the file I’m translating from. Somehow I forgot to swap the last third for the revised version of the last third. I only noticed after I had translated several pages. Now, I have to go back and change things (at least I don’t need to throw many words because they will mainly be moved around).
May I ask, are you translating a finished novel you wrote or are you in the process of writing one in two languages at once? What languages are you working in?
Started the new writing week with about 280 words on sunday morning.
Later, when I still felt unable to continue properly I just baught the “How to break writer’s block” course. Well, I can say that I now know how my muse looks like, and it’s quite a strange being. During the timed writing it told me the beginnings of a nice backflash scene that I had contemplated for a while.
I didn’t exactly feel a burst of writing-energy, after the course, but it seems easier to hear my muse’s voice now. This and the question-game gave me a few funny ideas, too.
So, during sunday night I managed another 280 words.
Gesem and Cathrine currently have a little talk, but they both are more occupied what’s going on inside their respective heads.
618 words.
First day of football season… YAY! My team got creamed… boo. Been waiting for months for today and pfffft.
Using words, the Sheriff tried to show the Mage that if he was killing people to feed his magic, then there’s got to be something wrong. The Mage revealed some of why he’s doing what he’s doing. And he made the point that, even if he’s offing a few people here and there to get this spell going, it’s going to eradicate vampires. And over a hundred years, that’s saving literally thousands of lives. Wouldn’t you sacrifice a few to save many, many more? And the Sheriff basically says, “Hey, sign me up. What can I do to help you?”
The Mage doesn’t trust him but leaves him alive and tied up while he goes out to do some preparation for the last sacrifice.
don’t feel bad, my team got creamed as well. It’s frustrating to wait all year for a horrible performance (if my Bucs don’t win next week, i’m seeing another winless season in the NFL).
I’m a Texan’s fan. I haven’t even had a winning season, yet. I was hoping this was the year but we looked terrible against the Jets. Our offense, the only part of the team that’s been looking good, didn’t even show up. At least your guys lost to a team that’s supposed to be really good, we lost to a rookie quarterback and a rookie head coach.
And, yeah, I’m seeing 0-16 dance before my eyes at this point.
Jesus.
2156 words today, and I’m about to collapse. I kept writing about 500 words after I wanted to quit, and the last few pages are probably pretty bad. But theyre there.
And I finished Chapter 6! Part 1 is done!
I’m off to take a week-long break. Maybe write a short story or something.
*but they’re there*
Yes, I know what you mean. If I stop too long assessing words, I would always be reaching for that delete button.
Keep up the good work.
Yep. Sometimes being finished is more important than being good. For first drafts at least…
Thanks!
184 words. I wanted to touch base with my story, but couldn’t seem to get more than that. Two days of horse show have wiped me out. I just have to tell myself that things will get easier in a month or two when we’ve finished with finals and tough it out until then. Slow and steady wins the race, right? Jeez, I hope so, anyway.
Hang in there, when life is throwing stuff at you any words are good words. Just as long as they’re written down. Good luck!
Nothing today- day off. Did get some revising done, though. Nothing yesterday, either, another day off, I guess. I need to get back in the swing of it, but I am quickly losing my impetus to write this novel…
800 words today, and the wait is finally over! Escape is happening soon, very soon, and both I and my two main characters can hardly wait! They are hoping for everything to go well, but of course things never go well when you really want them too…
Hi! What school are you at? I recently made a serious commitment to writing and I am writing my first novel as well! How is it going? I am still in the prewriting stage but starting soon on the actual novel. I just recently started posting here and it helps so much because you’re reading about other writers and their progress and that motivates you!
not been feeling it lately, although i’ve not gotten uninterrupted writing time for most of the past week. got some solid editing done while waiting for my sons football games today, and i need to start moving that from the printed copy into a digital file. i’ll probably stick with the drafting editing strategy i’m going with now until i get through the whole printout, unless something changes.
700 new words, and a scene that i’d not planned just kinda popped in, but i like the addition and think it will help later in the novel when Tzal, the MC gets out of the frying pan and into the fire.
I finally had/made time to start the Motivation course while I have been on vacation this week. The worksheets helped me figure some things out. Maybe I should say they are pointing me in the direction. I am learning how it works for ME to write. What chokes me up and what seems to set the words free.
Thank you very much Holly for all the work that you have put into the courses. The Language, Plot, World-building, Page Turning Scenes, Writer’s Block and I’m sure that I am forgetting something that you created that I snatched up cackling with glee.
The Motivation course has definately ‘busted something free’.
9/8/09 4,094 words total
9/9/09 7,221 words total
9/10/09 8,530 words total
9/11/09 10,300 words total
9/12/09 12,301 words total
9/13/09 13,663 words total
Motivation is the start to answering the questions of: “I WANT to write. I need to write. What is WRONG with me? Why isn’t this working? It worked for him/her; why can’t I do it?”
It is one of the best presents I’ve ever given myself. Thanks again. 🙂
1200 words today, not including some revision. Feels good!