Word Count (Tuesday am): 66880
Word Count (Wednesday pm): 68865
Last week did not go to plan. It wasn't too bad, still got the requisite 8500 words in. But we had visitors over the weekend and I struggle to write if it's not completely on my own terms. At present my boyfriend is ill, and as such hanging around watching TV. This makes it tricky to concentrate as we have one big open plan house so I can't really shut myself away from interaction.
I've realised through the course of writing that I need to work on continuity. It's funny, with my writing I seem to go through peaks and troughs of confidence. One minute what I've written is the best thing in the world and everyone sucks but me, the next I suck and I should just give up now. At the moment, I'm in a trough.
I'll try to do a writing prompt next week, though grinding out my words is my current focus. It's 1 month until my 30th, and I need a first draft by then.
Wednesday 19 October 2016
Tuesday 11 October 2016
11
Starting word count: 58223
Finishing word count: 59750
I did it! 8500 words last week. I've now been challenged that if I manage to write 10,000 words next week, I'll get paid £5. 1500 words a day, seems...doable. Good to start ramping up my word count.
I've finished the one section of my book, so I'm going back and filling in the other sections. Seems much much easier, possibly because I've been working on them in my head while I've been writing the other sections. Either that or writing in general is getting easier. The style in this section's quite different as well though, much more stream of consciousness, bloggy almost.
I'll have to get back to working on some descriptive writing on here soon. I've decided to try my hand at some short story and flash fiction competitions once I finish the novel, just to see how I do. Also to work on my creativity, having one story in my head for the past couple of years means I haven't had many flashes of ideas. Might finish work on my 90s pop song short stories, I really enjoyed the idea of those.
I'm more excited by writing than I have been about anything else in my life. I wish I hadn't stopped when I was younger. I wish I hadn't taken it for granted when I was a teenager. I'm so glad I've come back to it. Writing this novel, whatever happens with it, will be one of the best things I've ever done. I know it's cheesy, but I'm really proud of myself that I've come back and stuck with this. I don't think I've really been properly proud of anything else I've ever done.
Finishing word count: 59750
I did it! 8500 words last week. I've now been challenged that if I manage to write 10,000 words next week, I'll get paid £5. 1500 words a day, seems...doable. Good to start ramping up my word count.
I've finished the one section of my book, so I'm going back and filling in the other sections. Seems much much easier, possibly because I've been working on them in my head while I've been writing the other sections. Either that or writing in general is getting easier. The style in this section's quite different as well though, much more stream of consciousness, bloggy almost.
I'll have to get back to working on some descriptive writing on here soon. I've decided to try my hand at some short story and flash fiction competitions once I finish the novel, just to see how I do. Also to work on my creativity, having one story in my head for the past couple of years means I haven't had many flashes of ideas. Might finish work on my 90s pop song short stories, I really enjoyed the idea of those.
I'm more excited by writing than I have been about anything else in my life. I wish I hadn't stopped when I was younger. I wish I hadn't taken it for granted when I was a teenager. I'm so glad I've come back to it. Writing this novel, whatever happens with it, will be one of the best things I've ever done. I know it's cheesy, but I'm really proud of myself that I've come back and stuck with this. I don't think I've really been properly proud of anything else I've ever done.
Tuesday 4 October 2016
10
Word count at start of day: 49707
Word count at end of day: 51425
Getting momentum back is hard. I should really learn how to write when there's noise and distraction, but to be honest I sometimes find it hard when I've got the house to myself and silence. At least I can impose punishment on myself in those cases; the nature of my house means if there's anyone in the house, they're in the same room as me. Open plan is over-rated, my next house has doors.
And preferably a study. God what I'd give for a study. Just a place where, once I close the door, this is the place to work. As it is I've got the end of the kitchen table, and my "work activation ritual" involves moving chairs and getting a cup of tea. It's sort of working. As long as no-one's in.
I've set myself a new challenge. Firstly, I want to have finished my first draft by my 30th birthday. On my 29th I said I would have written a novel by the time I was 30. This has looked variously unlikely over the last 11 months, but right now, if I buckle down, I could do it. It would be really cool to do it.
I can actually do it without upping my daily word count too much. Working on the basis of a 100,000 word novel (the way it's looking right now, probably), I need to write 1700 or so words a day, 5 days a week, for the next 6 weeks. I can normally manage 1000 words in about half an hour, so it shouldn't be too hard. Assuming I don't get distracted. And god am I easily distracted. However, to motivate myself, I'm going to pay my boyfriend £5 every time I fail to meet my weekly 8500 words.
Half a novel written in 6 weeks, when the previous half has taken a year. Here's to determination...
Word count at end of day: 51425
Getting momentum back is hard. I should really learn how to write when there's noise and distraction, but to be honest I sometimes find it hard when I've got the house to myself and silence. At least I can impose punishment on myself in those cases; the nature of my house means if there's anyone in the house, they're in the same room as me. Open plan is over-rated, my next house has doors.
And preferably a study. God what I'd give for a study. Just a place where, once I close the door, this is the place to work. As it is I've got the end of the kitchen table, and my "work activation ritual" involves moving chairs and getting a cup of tea. It's sort of working. As long as no-one's in.
I've set myself a new challenge. Firstly, I want to have finished my first draft by my 30th birthday. On my 29th I said I would have written a novel by the time I was 30. This has looked variously unlikely over the last 11 months, but right now, if I buckle down, I could do it. It would be really cool to do it.
I can actually do it without upping my daily word count too much. Working on the basis of a 100,000 word novel (the way it's looking right now, probably), I need to write 1700 or so words a day, 5 days a week, for the next 6 weeks. I can normally manage 1000 words in about half an hour, so it shouldn't be too hard. Assuming I don't get distracted. And god am I easily distracted. However, to motivate myself, I'm going to pay my boyfriend £5 every time I fail to meet my weekly 8500 words.
Half a novel written in 6 weeks, when the previous half has taken a year. Here's to determination...
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