Wordcount!

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Do any of you have a regular system/schedule for your writing? What is it? Do you sit down and type ... say... 2000 words a day? Or do you block out a few hours of time and just go for it until your time is up? I'm *trying* to finish a 50,000 word non-fiction book and I'm having such a hard time even getting started every day. What do you all do to get yourselves back at it day after day?

[King of De Nile]

Every day, I write a scene. Some are very short, such as a few days ago where it was around 700, while others strecth out. Tonight, I'm writing the first face-to-face between my protagonist and antagonist, so I expect a relatively long one. Now, if they would just settle down and decide which is which, I would be truly happy...

[black roses]

Currently at 20,000 on pg. 46 and growing. 

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Do any of you have a regular system/schedule for your writing? What is it? Do you sit down and type ... say... 2000 words a day? Or do you block out a few hours of time and just go for it until your time is up? I'm *trying* to finish a 50,000 word non-fiction book and I'm having such a hard time even getting started every day. What do you all do to get yourselves back at it day after day?

I don't work every day.  I work almost every Friday, from the time I get home from work, and have eaten, say 6.30ish, usually until 1 or 2 in the morning.  This normally gets me three thousand words a week or so.  If you have a day job, writing every day can be hard and I do not believe there is any point trying to make yourself write when you are too tired to do so, as I often am mid-week.

Of this year's two new projects, one is about 30,000 words, the other about 4,000. 

[Cyclone Jack]

2k per day, rain or shine. On good days all 2k is usable. On bad days it's mush.

But it gets clickity-clacked into existence, regardless.

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Thanks, Cyclone and King. Your answers are very helpful. I was worried about the whole 2k a day being mush thing, but I suppose mush on the table beats War and Peace in the brain anyday.

King - Do you write your scenes in order? Or do you write what you're inspired to write that day and sew them together later? 

Thanks again!

[King of De Nile]

It depends on the story. Right now, the story I'm working on I've written the scenes in order, but that's because for once in my life I knew where a story started, and where it ended. The characters have started to shift as far as which is the sympathetic character, but the events are the same. Plus, it's a mystery-type story, so writing in order lets me keep the reveals in order. So, tonight I'll write the scene right after what I wrote last night.

But there are times when a scene screams to be written, and I do it without having the preceding scenes written. In fact, I have two scenes written right now that are not attached to any story rolling through my head. I woke up, saw this scene that I had to get on paper, and did, and now I keep my eye out for a story they would fit into. Even the names are generic, so that I can easily edit the scenes when I know where they go.

[BobSkull]

My main novel I'm working at is now at 31,119.

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Neurovore - I agree with you. Working a full time job puts a premium on your writing time. Unfortunately, I have exactly the opposite problem. I have enough time at my disposal that I tend to say, "I'll do it later," and then it doesn't get done.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<Discipline problems...

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

But there are times when a scene screams to be written, and I do it without having the preceding scenes written.

I do that quite a bit myself, only since I'm working on a non-fiction book, the story is already pretty much laid out. It's just a matter of delivering it in an interesting and readable way. Somedays it feels more like I'm putting together a jigsaw puzzle than writing a book. I tend to worry (perhaps too much) about whether my tone and voice stay consistent enough doing it like this, and whether I'll be able to weave it all together in a way that leaves the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Any suggestions?

[King of De Nile]

One way I thread them together, if they're disjointed, is to rewrite them in order as the last step in my rough draft. That way, there's a constant flow from beginning to end because you'll notice the places where there's a harsh jump in voice. So get all you pieces printed out, sort them, and then rewrite them one after the other, filling in gaps and changing any wording as needed. It's time-consuming, but it's the way I do it.

As an aside, most of my solutions to problems involve rewriting. Stuck on a particular part? Rewrite and try to get up a head of steam to burst through the block. Voice off? Rewrite it. no longer recognize the character? You guessed it, rewrite. Probably a holdover from writing on a typewriter.

[RMatthewWare]

My fantasy novel is about 110,000 words.  I'm on the third draft now, so I don't expect it to go down any.  I've cut the crap out, and made it a little richer.  I think I'll do one draft after this then start the subby process.

From what I've read, 80,000 words is typical for a normal novel, but sci-fi and fantasy gets more slack because you're creating a world.  120,000 seems to be the cap for an introductory spec fic piece, though there are always exceptions.

Matt

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

King -

Thanks again. Your insights are more helpful than you realize! I recognize now that I seem to be doing more worrying about getting the first draft complete than accepting the reality that my strong suit is editing anyway! Rewriting is my friend, not an insult to my ego.

<<<<< going to start calling King "Harley" for kickstarting my engine again. :^)

[Drew]

From what I've read, 80,000 words is typical for a normal novel, but sci-fi and fantasy gets more slack because you're creating a world.  120,000 seems to be the cap for an introductory spec fic piece, though there are always exceptions.

Matt

It's also too expensive for the publisher to print.  That's why Dragon Moon Press didn't publishe mine, they didn't want to cut it.  Archbooks cut into three and if they sell well, they'll pub the whole thing as I first wrote it.

[King of De Nile]

King -

Thanks again. Your insights are more helpful than you realize! I recognize now that I seem to be doing more worrying about getting the first draft complete than accepting the reality that my strong suit is editing anyway! Rewriting is my friend, not an insult to my ego.

<<<<< going to start calling King "Harley" for kickstarting my engine again. :^)

*snort* It took me a second read to get the Harley joke. Must be more tired than I thought.

Any time, and I'm glad you got something out of me. I'm much better at helping other people than finishing my own stories. I over-revise, probably because I'm scared of actually sending the stories off, and eventually I just get frustrated and move to the next story. I know why I do it. Stopping is a little harder...