It is that time of the week. It matters not whether you reply on Monday that I post this, or on Monday just before I post the next one. The idea is to report once a week, whatever day it is, as to what is going on in your life, and also important, whether you wrote or not.
While word count is a great way to measure the work you are doing, it has flaws. If you are editing, you can zap entire sections and replace them and come up with a quite meager word count. While editing, one can actually have negative word counts, and even do it on purpose. When writing really tough sections, sometimes just coming up with the right word makes a difference so the word count could well be one word.
What is writing is fully up in the air. We all know that new writing is writing. Also editing is writing, even if it is the work of others. Critiquing is a form of editing so counts as writing. Poetry, blogging, article writing, writing assignments, technical writing, world and character creation are also writing. E-mails can also be writing if they are very wordy and pertain to story or writing. In essence, if you have to ask if it is writing, the answer is yes.
As for me, My writing time was quite interrupted by non-writing activities. I just added a few pages. I even removed half a page to change the path of the plot to be a bit more exciting. This is so much a better version. Something is actually happening.
On the story idea front, I have 43 story ideas in my compost pile. I generally grab the very top ideas from the stack so I don't get into the older ideas unless the ideas are not coming fast enough. there is always a disappointment when I am digging into older notes.
posted
Washout. Mostly busy playing with my new Nook Color. A lengthy e-mail correspondence took up considerable time Saturday morning, but I could'a found time to write something else if I wanted.
I'm between projects now...I finished the latest draft of the last thing in my chain of works-to-revise...I had two good ideas but haven't worked on either...and I haven't yet begun any nitpickety revisions on the abovementioned latest draft.
posted
Was a challenge. Had a 3 day trip to New York for sales meeting, then 1 day home, then 3 day trip to Las Vegas for Zappos.com meeting(they are an AWESOME bunch).
But end result, I rewrote a story while held over for 6 hours in Minnesota, and edited it Sunday night. So yeah, I did, now I need to see if I can get Meredith that query letter ideas finished. Geez, I hate being this slow.
posted
I am doing great right now on my chapter book. I'm getting that rare feeling that I'm watching a movie and I have had to pause it. In the back of my mind it's still going on only I don't know what's coming.
I've written maybe fifty pages in the last two weeks or so. (somewhere in these pages I noted when I restarted this one.) for me that's a blistering pace. I am being reminded of why I love writing. Because every once in a while it just clicks and the feeling is awesome.
posted
Posted this week's chapter for my fan fiction story.
I'm embarrassed to say that I've gotten into the habit of watching commentaries of replays for a real-time strategy game I don't even play >.<. I loved the first version of the game that came out about 15 years ago, and the sequel is fantastic. But anyway I was watching the replays while writing a similar type of story to get inspiration on battles and strategy, but while I've shelved the story I'm still watching the replays :/.
posted
I'm convinced I didn't do much at all this past week, but my progress chart says I did, so...
My workload was in the form of new words and editing the first two stories in my young adult series. And, unless I checked the wrong box, my chart tells me I actually revisited one of my science fiction short stories. Cool. I was thinking it's about time I get back to that sort of thing.
posted
Not as much progress as I'd hoped, partly due to spending all weekend decorating, and partly because I moved some stuff out of the novel to a sequel, but the overall word-count did still increase. So, yeah, I wrote.
Posts: 1469 | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Fourth revision of Issue 1 of Those Who Die Young, lots of FAQs on my site, and even a blog post. I'm calling it a win for the week.
Posts: 500 | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Absolutely. I wrote a little out of sequence. The scene I completed comes somewhat later than where I actually am in the book, but once I get a conversation in my head, I've usually got to write it to get it out.
posted
FINALLY! I feel like I'm making progress with my Toka/Julie story. Should have the current draft done no later than next week when I'll be looking for readers .
Posts: 1320 | Registered: May 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Yep. 1,800 words just since last night. It's amazing how much I can write when I ignore domestic chores.
Posts: 968 | Registered: Sep 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Thanks, Kathleen. When the laundry and dishes start to pile up, it doesn't feel like as much of a victory. But I'm now at 2,300 words and counting!
Posts: 968 | Registered: Sep 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
Domestic chores can also be a way to engage the muse. I've heard it recommended more than once that when you are struggling with a problem (as in banging your head against a wall over it), it often helps to do something mindless (like washing the dishes or sorting the laundry). Such "mindless" activities allow the subconscious to relax and "play" with the problem, and often, a solution (or at least a lead) can more easily bubble to the conscious part of the brain.
So you can always say, when someone asks you why the chores aren't done, that you're saving them for when you need to do something "mindless."
posted
I discovered one day, a few years ago, that mowing the lawn sets my mind to an entirely different frequency, one that allows me to see uncooperative points of my story from an entirely different (and revealing) angle.
But, it was more than just my mind benefiting from me performing a mindless task.
It was a ruggedly hot and humid day, and I was definitely feeling the effects. Except...instead of fading out, my mind began showing me words and concepts I'd never contemplated before, images I'd never seen before. It was disorienting at first ("So this is what a heat stroke is like?!"), but I ultimately realized these images and thoughts were from my own stories!...and they were telling me how to deal with those uncooperative story points.
Once I got back to my studio, I applied what I 'experienced,' and ended up with a much better version of that story excerpt.
After that, I embraced the heat-induced state I was going through. And I had a great looking yard when I was finished.
Unfortunately, I've recently lost touch with this practice because my 14 year old son mows the grass while I'm at work. I wasn't sure why he chose to take this job, until I remembered him expressing interest in writing...
quote:I discovered one day, a few years ago, that mowing the lawn sets my mind to an entirely different frequency, one that allows me to see uncooperative points of my story from an entirely different (and revealing) angle.
I couldnt agree more with you. Ever since spring came and I am spending time cutting the lawn, which takes about 2 hours, throw in the weed whacking another hour. I find myself thinking stories through, and able to write them completely. Until this last two weeks of travel for business, I managed a story a week for 4 weeks, pretty excited about that. And today is lawn mowing day. Funny what you once hated as a kid can now be the time you look forward to.