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ARGH! I was going to put in an hour at work before everyone else got in, but looks like a very busy day for me today. Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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I got 500 words done at midnight last night before I collapsed.
Interestingly, despite my very strong desire to write in first person, I'm suddenly writing in third person. Perhaps I'll switch back and forth and then decide when it's over which I like best.
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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I'm having the same issue! I had intended to write my story in first person but when I sat down and sstarted typing, inadvertently found myself writing in third. Strange, strange world.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I had decided to go with first person, then changed my mind once I sat down to do it. I think I liked the first person idea better when I was reading Octavia Butler. *giggle* So, Third person limited it is!
Anybody know how to get one of those word count meter thingies? The NaNo site is crawling and I'm all hyped because I managed 2500 words after a slowish start (and despite not stopping for lunch, which was a bad idea).
And now i have to run get my big boyto his play. I keep forgetting his performance is today!
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Go to the NaNo site and mouse over the menus; under one, at the bottom, is "Word Count Widgets", or something involving the word 'widgets'. You need to know your user number, which is the numbers that appear at the end of the URL when you are viewing your own profile.
If you want to use that one, just copy the above and change the numbers at the end to your own user numbers (beware: the images are as slow as the NaNo site).
You have to change it to the img src= html code to put it on a website, obviously, but it seems to work reasonably well.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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So here's a question: How does everyone clock their writing speed, i.e. what is the typical number of words that can be written in an hour? Is it pretty standard or does it vary widely across the board?
I'm trying to figure out how many hours of writing I should schedule for myself over the next 30 days.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I think I'm doing about 500 words a half hour right now. I expect to slow done a little once I reach parts of the novel I don't have planned out.
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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When I'm in a complete flow, I can do about, um, 3000+ words an hour. When I'm in a decent flow, I clock in at about 1500-2000 words an hour. When I'm really pushing it, then my hourly word count is really sad and pathetic. But this is with a bit of practice challenging myself to write quickly combined with copious amounts of planning & plotting in advance, which works for me. YMMV.
If you can touch type with a reasonable typing speed, then that, at least, won't slow you down. If it does, at some point in time, learn touch typing or work on improving the skill. Or get a headset and decent voice recognition software and start dictating. If you don't know whether you're a plotter or a pantser, find out.
Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Thanks, Kasie. The site has been crawling for me, which is why I haven't been able to get one of those. I'll try again every so often.
Concerning speed, I'd say I average about 1000 words an hour (more when it's coming fast, less when I'm starting cold with little idea about how to get the next part going).
I'd say it's different for everybody. I'm sure my typing skills slow me down a bit.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Oh goody, I'm going to start. I forgot about it! (*shame*)
I've decided to put the outline I made on hold and start from scratch. A bad move? Probably. But if I have any hope for being motivated to work on it this year, it has to be a light piece.
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
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I got a really slow start last night, probably taking 3 hours for the first 1000 words, even though I outlined before hand and had a good idea of my opening scene and character. But something clicked about when Chris came to bed and I sat there in the dark with my laptop and cranked out a pretty good chunk before turning in myself.
(Oh, and I have a character named Olivia. She's not based on anyone I know, but I've loved the name ever since meeting Olivet at Hatrack, so I'm using it. )
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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LOL! I've been struggling with names of secondary characters-- they all seem to want to start with a D. Heh. I also wasn't sure if I wanted a younger sibling of a main character to be a boy or a girl. I'll have to name somebody nice "Karl Ed", but I haven't really introduced anybody nice yet. Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I've got 1121 words so far. I started it not knowing what I was writing and I really have no idea where I'm going with it either. Nobody has a name yet, but I like it. If anyone wants to read, let me know!
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
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Damn! Now I'm gonna have to make "Olivia" nice.
(j/k. My Olivia is almost perfectly nice. And so far she's the only character that really knows what's going on.)
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Hmm, that word-count thing isn't quite what I was thinking of. Does anyone remember the chart thing we had last year? I think it was excel-based, and it came up with all sorts of cool charts and graphs...?
[edit: I found it actually, it's called the NaNoWriMo report card.]
quote:Originally posted by Olivet: LOL! I've been struggling with names of secondary characters-- they all seem to want to start with a D. Heh.
All of my pirate's names want to start with a G. All other names want to start with an M. It's very frustrating.
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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I wrote in a Karl Edwards. He'll probably die tomorrow, but he's nice. It'll be good though. His death will lead to some nice tension and stuff later. He's like Priest Vallon in The Gangs of New York, there for ten minutes and talked about ever afterward.
I'm up to 5,000 words, 30% ahead of schedule. I'm gonna nead the breathing room when the kids are off school for a week.
Also, I have a cold and feel like crap. I keep thinking the story is going to end up like some fever dream, with flying, multi-colored octopuses or something.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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KarlEd, I totally killed you today. Sorry 'bout that. Over 10,000 words total, though I doubt I can keep up this pace much longer.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I'm out before I even got started. I've got so much going on right now, I know that makes me a wimp...but I just got my final paper assignment and I want to get it written before my father and stepmother get here in two weeks so I can spend time with them. I majorly wimped out. I will be cheering you guys on!
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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All my characters know exactly what's going on. I mean they live there and know each other and all. Sometimes they let me in on stuff . . . sometimes no. I subscribe to the Robin McKinley school of thought on writing - I don't get to pick it, it just shows up in my head and gets dictated to me. I don't create plots, they're revealed. It's kind of creepy if I think about it too hard.
Posts: 471 | Registered: Jul 2005
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My story is going the same way Samarkand. They all know what's going on, myself and everyone who's read it are like ahhhh!
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
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Well, I've finally finished with debate for this week. So it's November 5th, I have 800 words, let's see if I can catch up!
Posts: 1831 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Belle, boy, do I feel like a pratt for bragging about my word count. I was just excited, is all.
In truth, I'm amazed that I'm doing this. I could not be more amazed if my dog talked to me. I worked on a novel for three years, on and off, and I still only have maybe 150 pages of it.
I am not supposed to be able to do this. I have 13,000 words as of this moment. I am a talking dog!
So I'm excited. I sit down, and it's just there. Like Samarkand said, it's kind of creepy. O_O
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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There will be time in my life for writing, now is just not that time. My goodness I have four kids - two of whom are in activities and a third is a competitive athlete, a husband I don't see enough because he works a terrible schedule, a full time college schedule as an English major with lots of papers to write, I'm teaching choir at church....there's just no room right now for writing. I refuse to feel bad about it, I'm just going to accept it and maybe I'll be able to write when I'm done school. Maybe not, because then I'll be working. Maybe writing will wait until I retire. Who knows?
If I never publish anything again I won't consider it a failure though - I HAVE been published, I know I could do this, I just have other priorities in my life right now. That does not keep me from being delighted for my friends who are finding success with their writing, however. I hope you continue to tear it up and I see your name in print, soon.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Thanks Adrian. I won't feel bad. It is funny how priorities change as circumstances do. I'm lucky to have a hubby working from home and plenty of time to write while the kids are in school, even when I'm volunteering.
But I think... something has changed for me, fundamentally. This feels exactly right, like what I need to be doing. Maybe even like what I'm meant to do. Not that means I know why it's right for me to do this now, just that it is. I haven't been in print since college, and if it stays that way, I'm still happy. This is just where I am now. *shrug*
Also, if I'm not nearly to 50000 words by the 20th, I won't make the goal. So I'm kind of flogging myself in the short term. Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I was doing so well for the first few days, I was way ahead in my word count. But the past three days have been totally useless, so now I'm only at ~7000 when I should be at ~9000 if I want to be keeping up with my schedule.
I did post an excerpt, though, so at least I have some material that I like enough to share publicly (I'm kase1266 on NaNo if anyone's interested. Feedback is always fun).
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I'm totally gonna use this as my signature at sakeriver.
And I can't kill Olivia in my story. She's immortal.
In other news, I'm a little over 1100 words now and still have strong ideas of where the plot is headed. Like Olivet, I'm pretty amazed at how this is going. The words are flowing much more easily than I ever imagined they could. I've got a minor fan-club at work begging for the next chapter, too, so I know it's not trash.
I just added my final major character this weekend (as far as I know). His slot was tough to fill, but now he seems like an obvious choice. If anyone is interested I have 5 chapters I'm pretty confident about. (email me.)
Posts: 6394 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Hey guys, I know we have a thread over at the NaNo site, but this one is easier for me to get to right now. Fahim and I are leaving for Dubai this evening, gone for three days, (you should know if you check the other threads on the front page, but anyway...) so, yeah, I'm severely behind in my writing, but I'll get caught up when I get back, which is Saturday morning. Um, no, I don't mean I'm going to do all my catching up Saturday morning. I mean I'll start my catching up Saturday morning. Or shortly thereafter. And yeah, you can nag me then. Please.
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Have a great trip, quid! I've been on vacation for the first few days, and sicker than a dog for the rest! Still, I've managed to get about 1000 words done so far, and I have a complete outline. I need to work more on it tonight.
Posts: 1006 | Registered: Jun 2006
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WooHoo! 10,000 words. It's a milestone. I've never written this much about one thing before.
Well, I guess unless you count school papers. But even then, it's close. How's everyone else doing.
kojabu, That's great! What genre are you writing in?
Also...has everyone put up excerpts on the NaNo site, or no? I'm dying to read more of them, it's my favorite procrastination tool.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I'm up to around 17,800 today. I do have an excerpt up, but it isn't the best bit I've written. It's the opening, which is kind of weak. I'm sure it will need exhaustive revisions. Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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How are other folks doing? I'm at about 7400, and I just sent my child away with his dad so I could keep writing, since I'm finally on a roll again.
Trying to decide if I should kill off the husband or let the wife have an affair, since the husband is drinking and gambling the money away, anyhow . . .
decisions decisions . . . and here I thought a romance would be easy to write . . .
HAH!
They were correct in the kick-off get together though -- I have written a beautiful resume as I avoided the inevitable. *grin*
*Heads back to the rolling stone*
Posts: 5609 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Good on yer, Shan! How's it going with everybody?
I've managed to keep a pace of about 2500 words a day, but these last two days have been painful and unpleasant. It bogged down a bit after I hit 25,000 words. Friday was the day I hit the halfway mark, and it was a fast writing day. Yesterday, not so much. Today, frankly, I'd rather just not. *sigh* But I will. I can do this. Just another ten days or so at this pace and I'm done.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I didn't think I would be able to do this AT ALL what with the whole college thing, but surprisingly, I'm only a little bit behind, and that's only because I was away for the weekend.
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I broke 30,000 words yesterday. I think maybe forcing myself to average 2500 words a day has damaged me psychologically. My characters spent yesterday hiding in a hole in the ground. I turned one of them into a bear.
O_O
On the other hand, it would be really pathetic to give up when I'm that far ahead of schedule.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I just broke 6,000 words. November is a really bad month because everything is due in school, so I'm not really trying to make 50,000. I'm mostly just trying to work as hard as I can for a month on something.
With that in mind, I'm pretty proud of my 6,000.
Posts: 4655 | Registered: Jan 2002
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blackwolve, I totally promise you that the overall quality of anything written this fast will be spotty. Also, you are probably your own worst critic. I enjoy reading almost anything more than stuff I've written. Just the nature of the beast.
Also, I tend to start strong and end with a whimper, while some people just take a bit of time to warm up.
Me, I got about 1500 words today, though I'm about to try for a few more. Wee boy had his Thanksgiving presentation today, and I brought him home after to get a headstart on his homework and take a fun trip to the library. It was fun.
Posts: 9293 | Registered: Aug 2000
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I'm at about 17,000. I got about 2000 words today...I'm trailing behind, but I've got a roundtrip international flight coming up so I'm hoping to make up my differences then. Unfortunately for my novel (but fortunately for me), I'm spending a week in Rome, so we'll see how much gets done then...
blacwolve,
I agree with Olivet. Everyone else's story seems soo far superior to mine (i.e. Olivet's... ), I'm sure what you're writing is fabulous.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:kojabu, That's great! What genre are you writing in?
Just saw this now. I'm not really sure what genre it is, I'd just go with weird. There's a short excerpt up on NaNo, but I can probably put the whole thing I've written up, it's only 5412 words so far. I fell behind due to tests, trips to Boston, and schoolwork. I'm hoping I'll get a lot more written this weekend and over Thanksgiving.
Posts: 2867 | Registered: May 2005
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I've been struggling with names of secondary characters-- they all seem to want to start with a D. Heh. I also wasn't sure if I wanted a younger sibling of a main character to be a boy or a girl. I'll have to name somebody nice "Karl Ed", but I haven't really introduced anybody nice yet. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
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