I only saw bits and pieces of it anyway. I've doing reading for my classes and getting over some strange 24-hour bug I had yesterday. (I tend to get the 3-day cold, but I took some NyQuil last night and woke up able to breathe through both nostrils--it's the little things we appreciate when they're gone.)
So the final bout of word counts for the end of my winter vacation between semesters:
Day 22, Jan 8: end at 56,211
Day 23, Jan 9: end at 60,046
Day 24, Jan 10: end at 60,304 (slow day, it's how it goes sometimes)
Day 25, Jan 11: end at 63,114
Day 26, Jan 12: 66,007
Day 27, Jan 13: 66,700
No, that isn't a typo. I did about 700 words on the novel that last day before my first day of classes. But on the other hand, I wrote around 6,500 words on a complete short story retelling Rapunzel in that one night (from about 9:30-2). And I stayed up later than I meant to, because the next day, I had to finish the translation I'd put off, rush to school, spend the day there, come home at 10 pm, then run out of the house the next morning for my weekly meeting with my thesis advisor.
I am proud of that short story--it needs work, mostly editing out extraneous details--but no, I have not finished the first draft of the novel. I am close to the end, and may be be able to push through it before classes next week, but I have to be stubborn about it. I think I lost some of my momentum as soon as classes started up. I haven't typed a word yet since the 14th.
I'd like to say that I'll do a few pages tonight, but I really don't want to have to worry about any lingering assignments for tomorrow and I'm already tired. I may only have enough alertness to finish the homework before going to bed, hoping to knock out any last tiny lingering cold monsters.
I'm off.
Happy writing.
Showing posts with label word counts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label word counts. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Updates and What I Dread Naming Writer's Block
Day 18, Jan 4: ended at 48,176 word count for the day--2298
Day 19, Jan 5: end at 51,191, word count for the day--3015 (My goal for this day was to pass 50,000, which I did, and then to reach 51,000, which I also did. It was a good day.)
Day 20, Jan 6: end at 52,677, word count for the day--1486 (Less good, but over 1,000 is generally okay.)
Day 21, Jan 7: end at 52,934, word count for the day--257 (Abysmal, I'm trying to reverse this now, but I'm not doing too well so far.)
Yesterday was a scattered day, and I couldn't concentrate. Changing where I typed didn't seem to help.
Today was a run-around day for the first half. I could go out again in half an hour, but that would just be for the drive, the air, and I might do better to really sit down and focus on the writing.
I have this feeling that being able to talk to someone about the story would help (went to writer's group yesterday and I can say that critique does not help or motivate when I'm knee-deep in writing a first draft)--just throw ideas at them, toss 'em around. But I'm always hesitant to bug people, on AIM and the like. I feel like since I don't know what they're doing, it's an intrusion, and I don't like asking if they're there repeatedly and being rebuffed or ignored (not deliberately, just because the person on the other end is busy or not at their computer). Mnn, anyway, so I'm here, in an almost full house, but feling a little lonely. Go figure.
I'm just wandering the internet trying to find some bit of inspiration that will catch me and propel me into pages of writing. Until then, I work sentence by sentence.
Day 19, Jan 5: end at 51,191, word count for the day--3015 (My goal for this day was to pass 50,000, which I did, and then to reach 51,000, which I also did. It was a good day.)
Day 20, Jan 6: end at 52,677, word count for the day--1486 (Less good, but over 1,000 is generally okay.)
Day 21, Jan 7: end at 52,934, word count for the day--257 (Abysmal, I'm trying to reverse this now, but I'm not doing too well so far.)
Yesterday was a scattered day, and I couldn't concentrate. Changing where I typed didn't seem to help.
Today was a run-around day for the first half. I could go out again in half an hour, but that would just be for the drive, the air, and I might do better to really sit down and focus on the writing.
I have this feeling that being able to talk to someone about the story would help (went to writer's group yesterday and I can say that critique does not help or motivate when I'm knee-deep in writing a first draft)--just throw ideas at them, toss 'em around. But I'm always hesitant to bug people, on AIM and the like. I feel like since I don't know what they're doing, it's an intrusion, and I don't like asking if they're there repeatedly and being rebuffed or ignored (not deliberately, just because the person on the other end is busy or not at their computer). Mnn, anyway, so I'm here, in an almost full house, but feling a little lonely. Go figure.
I'm just wandering the internet trying to find some bit of inspiration that will catch me and propel me into pages of writing. Until then, I work sentence by sentence.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Word Count Updates and a thought on how I organize my novels
First post of the new year.
Maybe it's a good sign that it's about making progress on the current novel.
Day 13, December 30, 2008: end of day--42,699, total word count for the day--2,567.
Day 14, December 31 and Day 15, January 1: 0 words both days. My second chunk of allowed lack of writing. It was a good rest.
Day 16, January 2, 2009: (I'll have to get used to writing 2009 now) ended the day at 45,878, for a total word count for the day of 3,1979.
Day 17, January 3, 2009: o words. Saturdays are my bane.
Today is Day 18. I'm working on it now, though I am finding that it's hard to start in the morning. as in, I get little to no writing done until after noon. I do, however, make pretty good progress in the evening and night, sometimes getting 2,000 words or more done between 9/10 pm and midnight/1 am.
The past few days I've hit a bit of a rut, good word counts aside. I tend to have a very (very) general idea of where a story needs to go. Herein lies the problem with that style of organization--reaching the point of specific scenes that don't fall exactly along the line of that main arc. This one has developed a number of twists and subplots. I just introduced a new character, Detective Sam Emerson. Briefly: my protagonist was arrested for something he didn't do, but he can't really explain what really happened without looking like a loon. He's being framed by two people with otherworldly powers and thus are influencing some of the cops. Samuel Emerson already has a bit of a compulsive personality--he might not even need magic to make him obsess over a case.
The question is whether to develop his character and the police case, or keep it vague. It isn't the main conflict of the story, but it throws a wrench in the protag's plans. He's tried very hard to completely stay out of the cops' radar. Sam's interesting and already creating a voice in my head, which I'd like to explore, but then it becomes a trick of when to us a scene which furthers this arc or another.
More generally, when do I bring in one of these twist characters. Not enough and the few scenes they show up in and one wonders why they're there. Too much and there's no tension, the reader might get bored, or here isn't enough time to focus on someone else. Im a bit worried I have too much going on. Now that i think about it, though, I felt that way with another novel, too. So maybe it's just 'part of the process,' well, my process at least. I just need to keep writing and see where it goes. Afterwards, I can look at it as a whole and see if anything is off-balance.
Just keep writing. Okay, I'm off.
Maybe it's a good sign that it's about making progress on the current novel.
Day 13, December 30, 2008: end of day--42,699, total word count for the day--2,567.
Day 14, December 31 and Day 15, January 1: 0 words both days. My second chunk of allowed lack of writing. It was a good rest.
Day 16, January 2, 2009: (I'll have to get used to writing 2009 now) ended the day at 45,878, for a total word count for the day of 3,1979.
Day 17, January 3, 2009: o words. Saturdays are my bane.
Today is Day 18. I'm working on it now, though I am finding that it's hard to start in the morning. as in, I get little to no writing done until after noon. I do, however, make pretty good progress in the evening and night, sometimes getting 2,000 words or more done between 9/10 pm and midnight/1 am.
The past few days I've hit a bit of a rut, good word counts aside. I tend to have a very (very) general idea of where a story needs to go. Herein lies the problem with that style of organization--reaching the point of specific scenes that don't fall exactly along the line of that main arc. This one has developed a number of twists and subplots. I just introduced a new character, Detective Sam Emerson. Briefly: my protagonist was arrested for something he didn't do, but he can't really explain what really happened without looking like a loon. He's being framed by two people with otherworldly powers and thus are influencing some of the cops. Samuel Emerson already has a bit of a compulsive personality--he might not even need magic to make him obsess over a case.
The question is whether to develop his character and the police case, or keep it vague. It isn't the main conflict of the story, but it throws a wrench in the protag's plans. He's tried very hard to completely stay out of the cops' radar. Sam's interesting and already creating a voice in my head, which I'd like to explore, but then it becomes a trick of when to us a scene which furthers this arc or another.
More generally, when do I bring in one of these twist characters. Not enough and the few scenes they show up in and one wonders why they're there. Too much and there's no tension, the reader might get bored, or here isn't enough time to focus on someone else. Im a bit worried I have too much going on. Now that i think about it, though, I felt that way with another novel, too. So maybe it's just 'part of the process,' well, my process at least. I just need to keep writing and see where it goes. Afterwards, I can look at it as a whole and see if anything is off-balance.
Just keep writing. Okay, I'm off.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Reflection about Villains
I find myself playing with the idea of villains a lot in my stories.
In the books I read I love finding an antagonist that has a reason for being the villain. That they aren't just acting as a foil for the hero for the sake of the hero having someone to fight against. The better the reason, and the more complex the background (even if it's only hinted at in the story), the more I tend to enjoy that character. Simple example: Severus Snape as an antagonist. He isn't a villain, ultimately, but there are numerous times throughout the series where he's in opposition to Harry Potter. What I find compelling is that he basically loathes Harry throughout the series, but they're both "good" guys. The question of whether he's an ally or not is turned on its head quite a few times, and especialy at the end of the sixth book (being in fact, a huge part of the promotion for the seventh book).
Anyway, I was thinking about my own writing (-not- I assure in comparison to HP, just generally thinking about the two novels I've been working on), and I find it’s never enough to just have a person to label the bad guy, even if they have perfectly reasonable reasons to be the villain.
Instead, I have one novel where the “villain” is essentially a child that wants a mother, along with the servant who guards and cares for him. In the novel I’m currently working on (and providing the daily word counts), there are multiple villains, and some surprises thrown in. The two main characters are chasing one ‘bad guy,’ but it’s pretty clear that two other characters aren’t so nice, and can be considered villains although some of their goals overlap with the heroes’. Then there is Guy 1’s friends, neither of whom are what they seem and one of whom's motivation is in direct opposition to the heroes, but isn't a villain. And Guy 2’s friends, who seem friendly at first, and again, have the same goals at the heroes, but one has darker motives, i.e. villainous, than the other, though they work together.
Perhaps this tendency of mine has risen to the surface because of this latter bok--I have the added challenge at taking that complex interweaving of action, relationship and motivation (explained in a rather mangled "concise but vague" manner above) and making it seem natural. That the revelations of the two main characters occur at times that make sense and that the people who seemed to be allies but aren't have their motivations well explained--trying to avoid the sense of "what, why is he really a bad guy, I thought they were friends" or worse "that explanation makes no damn sense, what is this writer thinking?"
I like a complex antagonist. Can you tell? More than complex, I love throwing in that uncertainty. Is the villain as villainous as they seem, or are those friends really acting in the protagonist’s best intentions?
Thus were my thoughts earlier today and last night.
I took a break from the writing for the holidays, so here's the word counts:
To refresh your memories Day 5 was Monday, the 22nd of December and I finished that day at 31,342.
Day 6, Tuesday Dec 23: end of day--32, 232 words, so 890 words, least amount so far for a day when I did write.
Day 7, Wednesday Dec 24: 0 words, but allowed for the holliday
day 8, Thursday Dec 25: 0 words, but also allowed for the holiday, and I was in the kitchen for most of teh day helping with the dinner.
Day 9, Friday Dec 26: end of day--32,896, so 664 words for the day, new low (I didn't realize it was only that much, but it's better than nothing, this whole period was off because of the holiday)
Day 10, Saturday Dec 27: 0 words, it was a run-around day that wore me out.
Day 11, Sunday Dec 28: end of day--37,062, so 4,166 words for the day. Getting back in the groove.
Day 12, Monday Dec 29: I'm still writing and am currently at 38,483, which is 1,421 for the day. I am still working on it, though. It's been a slow day because I let myself get distracted by the TV and the internet. Hence my doing this now. I'm so close to 40,000 I'd love to get there before I go to bed, but if I keep the internet window open I won't reach that goal, so this is my update and I'll edit it tomorrow with today's final word count.
Until then, happy continued holidays and happy writing to all.
EDIT: Last word for yesterday, Day 12--40,132 words, for a total word count of 3,070. Not too shabby. Today is starting off a bit slower.
In the books I read I love finding an antagonist that has a reason for being the villain. That they aren't just acting as a foil for the hero for the sake of the hero having someone to fight against. The better the reason, and the more complex the background (even if it's only hinted at in the story), the more I tend to enjoy that character. Simple example: Severus Snape as an antagonist. He isn't a villain, ultimately, but there are numerous times throughout the series where he's in opposition to Harry Potter. What I find compelling is that he basically loathes Harry throughout the series, but they're both "good" guys. The question of whether he's an ally or not is turned on its head quite a few times, and especialy at the end of the sixth book (being in fact, a huge part of the promotion for the seventh book).
Anyway, I was thinking about my own writing (-not- I assure in comparison to HP, just generally thinking about the two novels I've been working on), and I find it’s never enough to just have a person to label the bad guy, even if they have perfectly reasonable reasons to be the villain.
Instead, I have one novel where the “villain” is essentially a child that wants a mother, along with the servant who guards and cares for him. In the novel I’m currently working on (and providing the daily word counts), there are multiple villains, and some surprises thrown in. The two main characters are chasing one ‘bad guy,’ but it’s pretty clear that two other characters aren’t so nice, and can be considered villains although some of their goals overlap with the heroes’. Then there is Guy 1’s friends, neither of whom are what they seem and one of whom's motivation is in direct opposition to the heroes, but isn't a villain. And Guy 2’s friends, who seem friendly at first, and again, have the same goals at the heroes, but one has darker motives, i.e. villainous, than the other, though they work together.
Perhaps this tendency of mine has risen to the surface because of this latter bok--I have the added challenge at taking that complex interweaving of action, relationship and motivation (explained in a rather mangled "concise but vague" manner above) and making it seem natural. That the revelations of the two main characters occur at times that make sense and that the people who seemed to be allies but aren't have their motivations well explained--trying to avoid the sense of "what, why is he really a bad guy, I thought they were friends" or worse "that explanation makes no damn sense, what is this writer thinking?"
I like a complex antagonist. Can you tell? More than complex, I love throwing in that uncertainty. Is the villain as villainous as they seem, or are those friends really acting in the protagonist’s best intentions?
Thus were my thoughts earlier today and last night.
I took a break from the writing for the holidays, so here's the word counts:
To refresh your memories Day 5 was Monday, the 22nd of December and I finished that day at 31,342.
Day 6, Tuesday Dec 23: end of day--32, 232 words, so 890 words, least amount so far for a day when I did write.
Day 7, Wednesday Dec 24: 0 words, but allowed for the holliday
day 8, Thursday Dec 25: 0 words, but also allowed for the holiday, and I was in the kitchen for most of teh day helping with the dinner.
Day 9, Friday Dec 26: end of day--32,896, so 664 words for the day, new low (I didn't realize it was only that much, but it's better than nothing, this whole period was off because of the holiday)
Day 10, Saturday Dec 27: 0 words, it was a run-around day that wore me out.
Day 11, Sunday Dec 28: end of day--37,062, so 4,166 words for the day. Getting back in the groove.
Day 12, Monday Dec 29: I'm still writing and am currently at 38,483, which is 1,421 for the day. I am still working on it, though. It's been a slow day because I let myself get distracted by the TV and the internet. Hence my doing this now. I'm so close to 40,000 I'd love to get there before I go to bed, but if I keep the internet window open I won't reach that goal, so this is my update and I'll edit it tomorrow with today's final word count.
Until then, happy continued holidays and happy writing to all.
EDIT: Last word for yesterday, Day 12--40,132 words, for a total word count of 3,070. Not too shabby. Today is starting off a bit slower.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Returned from my first bout of MIA/AWOL
I have to be honest, I tend to be AWOL over the weekend. If not because I actually get out of the house over the weekend (running errands, window shopping, resisting the urge to buy another manga I'll just read in half an hour anyway), then because I like to take a break from the computer.
Sometimes, I get that stuck feeling and I start to unconsciously associate it with sitting at my computer. I don't like to type elsewhere (I have a desktop--I suppose if I had a laptop, I'd be the sort who would go to a cafe or park bench and while away the hours typing), so this is the image I have of writing/typing: sitting at my small wooden desk, not originally made for computers, tucked into my room between my bed and bureau. The CPU is directly in front of my keyboard, so I can reach the floppy disk and cd drives in front as well as the usb port in the back for my flash drive. The monitor is to to my right so I have to turn my head to read what I've written. I have light green post-its on the side of my CPU, reminders, research in a word or two, passwords for things like my library account (so I won't forget when I have books due), names for characters or possible agents, even a few quotes. Okay one quote at the moment (and looking at a blank spot, I hope one of the post-its didn't fall off).
"A novel is about life, with all the dull parts taken out." said by Alfred Hitchcock, I think (I put a question mark, so I guess I wasn't sure even when I wrote it down).
Point being, the view doesn't change much, so when I get stuck with the writing, sometimes I get sick of the view. Taking two days off from that area seems good for me. I spent a lot of Sunday thinking about my newest story, Book C, so I think the writing will be kind of all right today. Almost 200 words already in the span of say 45 minutes, while typing this--sometimes that's the only progress I make all day.
And Friday, I didn't post because, well, I actually did stuff. I turned in my grad school application and all the other paperwork, then hung out with my friend. That's not the norm (I really do lead a dull existence right now), but just so you're informed about where I am on the weekends when I'm not thinking about writing and blogging.
Also, I think I remember what else I was going to post about on Thursday. The habits of writers is an interesting thing. I suspect I'll return to it in various forms. Today, though, we'll stick to the idea of writing schdeules.
I was thinking about it the other day. I have a friend who makes time before work and during a break, and sometimes after work to write. With somewhat flexible hours and a weird sleep schedule, it works for him. I wouldn't presume to know if it ties in to how he works out a story in his head, but I know that closes relates to how my sister writes. She can't really sit and write for hours at a time, 'like I do.' (I laugh when people say that. Especially lately, as I sit at my computer for hours but I would hardly claim to write the entire time.) But she plans out in a very detailed manner the story plot of her stories before she begins writing them. Then she thinks about exactly how she wants the next few paragraphs to go and will work that out in her head, so the actual time it takes to type is quite short. She opens the file types up the next few pages and she's done.
I however, like to start with a general idea of the overall arc of the story. Or in the case of Book C, which I intend to be the first book of a trilogy, I also want the vaguest idea of what may happen in the second and third books. That connecting plot that ties it all together. I play around with the next few scenes in my head, getting a visual sense of what will happen, so when I sit down I can write it out with a bit more ease. But I am just as inclined to start writing without a single idea of how to start, what to say, who this character is that just showed up. It sort of works for me, but at the same time, seeing it written out like that, it also sounds like I'm still finding what works for me as a writer.
In college, I had roommates who stayed up late, so I got in the habit of doing so as well. Maybe not to the same extent, or even more than they, but I liked writing at night. It was classes in the morning and atfternoon, dinner at the cafeteria with friends, and then I had a block of time from 7-10 that I watched tv. So I would do homework, articles for the college paper, and work on my stories from 9 or 10 until midnight or 1 a.m. I was never an all-nighter type of person though. Then my last few semesters I wouldn't have class until noon, so I would do homework and articles before class (and articles between classes), but I still did the fun writing at night.
Now, though, I live with my family and they go to work early in the morning, so I don't like to stay up late and wake them with my loud typing (nails tack-clacking away on an old keyboard--I have an affection for that sound). That means I type while they're gone, which is the morning until mid-afternoon. I had one professor who woke up at 4 a.m. to write. That boggles my mind, but I suppose the gist is, to each his own. That's all for today, I think. At least for now. I've rambled on long enough.
Sometimes, I get that stuck feeling and I start to unconsciously associate it with sitting at my computer. I don't like to type elsewhere (I have a desktop--I suppose if I had a laptop, I'd be the sort who would go to a cafe or park bench and while away the hours typing), so this is the image I have of writing/typing: sitting at my small wooden desk, not originally made for computers, tucked into my room between my bed and bureau. The CPU is directly in front of my keyboard, so I can reach the floppy disk and cd drives in front as well as the usb port in the back for my flash drive. The monitor is to to my right so I have to turn my head to read what I've written. I have light green post-its on the side of my CPU, reminders, research in a word or two, passwords for things like my library account (so I won't forget when I have books due), names for characters or possible agents, even a few quotes. Okay one quote at the moment (and looking at a blank spot, I hope one of the post-its didn't fall off).
"A novel is about life, with all the dull parts taken out." said by Alfred Hitchcock, I think (I put a question mark, so I guess I wasn't sure even when I wrote it down).
Point being, the view doesn't change much, so when I get stuck with the writing, sometimes I get sick of the view. Taking two days off from that area seems good for me. I spent a lot of Sunday thinking about my newest story, Book C, so I think the writing will be kind of all right today. Almost 200 words already in the span of say 45 minutes, while typing this--sometimes that's the only progress I make all day.
And Friday, I didn't post because, well, I actually did stuff. I turned in my grad school application and all the other paperwork, then hung out with my friend. That's not the norm (I really do lead a dull existence right now), but just so you're informed about where I am on the weekends when I'm not thinking about writing and blogging.
Also, I think I remember what else I was going to post about on Thursday. The habits of writers is an interesting thing. I suspect I'll return to it in various forms. Today, though, we'll stick to the idea of writing schdeules.
I was thinking about it the other day. I have a friend who makes time before work and during a break, and sometimes after work to write. With somewhat flexible hours and a weird sleep schedule, it works for him. I wouldn't presume to know if it ties in to how he works out a story in his head, but I know that closes relates to how my sister writes. She can't really sit and write for hours at a time, 'like I do.' (I laugh when people say that. Especially lately, as I sit at my computer for hours but I would hardly claim to write the entire time.) But she plans out in a very detailed manner the story plot of her stories before she begins writing them. Then she thinks about exactly how she wants the next few paragraphs to go and will work that out in her head, so the actual time it takes to type is quite short. She opens the file types up the next few pages and she's done.
I however, like to start with a general idea of the overall arc of the story. Or in the case of Book C, which I intend to be the first book of a trilogy, I also want the vaguest idea of what may happen in the second and third books. That connecting plot that ties it all together. I play around with the next few scenes in my head, getting a visual sense of what will happen, so when I sit down I can write it out with a bit more ease. But I am just as inclined to start writing without a single idea of how to start, what to say, who this character is that just showed up. It sort of works for me, but at the same time, seeing it written out like that, it also sounds like I'm still finding what works for me as a writer.
In college, I had roommates who stayed up late, so I got in the habit of doing so as well. Maybe not to the same extent, or even more than they, but I liked writing at night. It was classes in the morning and atfternoon, dinner at the cafeteria with friends, and then I had a block of time from 7-10 that I watched tv. So I would do homework, articles for the college paper, and work on my stories from 9 or 10 until midnight or 1 a.m. I was never an all-nighter type of person though. Then my last few semesters I wouldn't have class until noon, so I would do homework and articles before class (and articles between classes), but I still did the fun writing at night.
Now, though, I live with my family and they go to work early in the morning, so I don't like to stay up late and wake them with my loud typing (nails tack-clacking away on an old keyboard--I have an affection for that sound). That means I type while they're gone, which is the morning until mid-afternoon. I had one professor who woke up at 4 a.m. to write. That boggles my mind, but I suppose the gist is, to each his own. That's all for today, I think. At least for now. I've rambled on long enough.
Monday, January 1, 2007
Despite the absolutely horrid stomachache...
I want to get some writing done on the first day of the year. Seems like a good way to start things off, even if January 1st is four hours from being over). A couple of days ago, my computer shut down for no apparent reason (though I suspect it was because of how little space there is on my hard drive, or a memory issue). And, I've been in a bit of a writing slump lately, never able to write very much in the course of a day. But I've tried resorting to longhand, paper and pen, and ended up with about five sheets full of text. In the midst of transcribing that onto the Word document, my computer shuts down and restarts. I lost all that I had typed.
Upside, I still had the written version, so I could retype it. Downside, I didn't feel like retyping what I'd just typed, and ended up not writing for the rest of that day and the next.
I want to type up all that stuff now to start the year off with writing, like I said, and to hopefully pull myself out of this funk.
Over the summer, from the end of June until nearly the end of July, I didn't turn on a single computer. Didn't type one word, didn't check my email or my journal. Not even a game of solitaire on my desktop. I actually had at least one friend concerned because of my absence (as email, instant messaging and our online journals were the only way we really connected). I never want to do that again. I felt so unproductive that month, but I just couldn't bring myself to turn on the computer. So now if the mood hits me, I'll shut off the computer early, maybe even take a few days off, but I keep a pen and some folder paper near at hand and I'm never gone for longer than a week.
I guess I'm just hoping the act of turning on the computer is a step forward. Even if I only type a few hundred words that day (pretty bad for me, I can average 2,000 on a good day), it's better than nothing.
I never like reading those articles or receiving the advice to set up a daily word count or page count or time frame (write an hour a day or some such). I know it works for some people, but beyond a sense of 'I'd -like- to reach at least this many words' I try not to set a goal like that. Maybe it's from college--that desire to write a good enough essay on the first draft that it only needs minor revisions, so I take more time with writing it out--that I would rather have 200 words that equal a pretty good paragraph, than 2,000 that I'll just delete the next day anyway. That's ignoring the fact that with my novel-writing, I know there'll be a couple rounds of heavy editing anyway beyond the first draft.
Ah well. My stomachache is not well (possibly the rich dinner we had tonight, or the accumulation of rich dinners during all the recent holidays), but if I can just get through a few pages of retyping, I'll feel good (mentally at least).
Upside, I still had the written version, so I could retype it. Downside, I didn't feel like retyping what I'd just typed, and ended up not writing for the rest of that day and the next.
I want to type up all that stuff now to start the year off with writing, like I said, and to hopefully pull myself out of this funk.
Over the summer, from the end of June until nearly the end of July, I didn't turn on a single computer. Didn't type one word, didn't check my email or my journal. Not even a game of solitaire on my desktop. I actually had at least one friend concerned because of my absence (as email, instant messaging and our online journals were the only way we really connected). I never want to do that again. I felt so unproductive that month, but I just couldn't bring myself to turn on the computer. So now if the mood hits me, I'll shut off the computer early, maybe even take a few days off, but I keep a pen and some folder paper near at hand and I'm never gone for longer than a week.
I guess I'm just hoping the act of turning on the computer is a step forward. Even if I only type a few hundred words that day (pretty bad for me, I can average 2,000 on a good day), it's better than nothing.
I never like reading those articles or receiving the advice to set up a daily word count or page count or time frame (write an hour a day or some such). I know it works for some people, but beyond a sense of 'I'd -like- to reach at least this many words' I try not to set a goal like that. Maybe it's from college--that desire to write a good enough essay on the first draft that it only needs minor revisions, so I take more time with writing it out--that I would rather have 200 words that equal a pretty good paragraph, than 2,000 that I'll just delete the next day anyway. That's ignoring the fact that with my novel-writing, I know there'll be a couple rounds of heavy editing anyway beyond the first draft.
Ah well. My stomachache is not well (possibly the rich dinner we had tonight, or the accumulation of rich dinners during all the recent holidays), but if I can just get through a few pages of retyping, I'll feel good (mentally at least).
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