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McAnally's (The Community Pub) => Author Craft => Topic started by: RMatthewWare on June 20, 2007, 03:53:16 AM
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So, all you authors out there. Have you written lately?
My answer, yes. I have written 10,000 on the novel I started last week. And so far, I don't think it sucks.
But then, any author would hope not.
Matt
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I write 2000 words a day, rain or shine, sick or well.
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Yup
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I write one evening every week except in exceptional circumstances, like being too sick to write or in a different continent, and if I know exceptional circumstances are coming I make up for them in advance. So yep, Wednesday of last week I wrote, and will again tonight; normally I do Fridays but I will have a visitor this weekend. The target is somewhere between three and five thousand words per session.
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I was writing about a 1000 words a day, realized it was crap. Did 2500 on Monday and have focused more on my grammar and understanding of sentence and paragraph structure.
Sad huh?
It is important to me, so I am doing an online class (That is free) and it is helping me a bit.
I want to get to the part about tenses really badly, but I am trying to take it a step at a time.
So doing something about writing daily anyhow.
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Not only have I not written, I've seriously sucked at logging into Cogni, the writer's board I'm supposed to be running.
Sorry, guys.
Flip side...I've been brainstorming like crazy.
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Not ina few days. I started a new piece, got about 5k words into it and then realized that, looking back over my outline, I didn't know enough about one of my main plot points and need to research some things further. I haven't had a chance to make it to the university library yet to pick up the necessary psych books.
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Unfortunately, no... been doing too much researching for my thesis ... and blogging... what writing I've been doing *doesn't count* :(
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yes!! I'm putting the finishing touches on my first book now. Had to add a fight scene with a demon. Its pretty good, I was listening to speed metal when I wrote it, so it has very visceral imagery.
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Short answer, yes.
Taking an internet class to get feedback as I work a novella into novel. The instructor has asked for 30 pages/week, which I figure is about 9000/wk. I'm struggling to meet that goal AND I started with 30,000 in the hopper and maybe 15 to 20,000 in additional chapter ideas. Reading and critiquing others work takes a lot of time away from writing, but it has proven to be beneficial. Always willing to find a "reading/critique" partner, if any interested.
I also started a college course on grammar---wow! Back when I was learning the traditional response was "Memorize it, that's just the way it is." Now linguists actually have measurable, understandable reasons for sentence structure.
Between the two, I'm really improving my craft!
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Oh, geez. This is me looking uncomfortable.
Um, yeah! I write every day...like, 500k words a day. Sometimes 600k if I'm feeling especially diligent...
Ok, no, the truth is, I've sucked at writing lately. I've been so stressed about my real life that the make-believe one holds little appeal. And this sucks, of course, because I have deadlines, and when I don't meet deadlines, I don't get checks. And checks are nice because they buy cute clothes and, you know, groceries.
Sigh. Yeah. My writing's sucking lately. My second YA novel's edits are due Monday, and it's like pulling teeth. I'm trying to get a few day's extension from my editor, but it's still going to hurt. I totally applaud all of you who are so good about getting in a certain amount every day. I'm totally a slave to my muse, and she's a slave to my moods.
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I only write when something hits me right. I'm trying my YA Urban fantasy, but some parts are sounding too Dresden Files or Harry Potter.
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((hugs & chocolate to richelle))
to answer the question - yep! i've been writing. collaborative effort with the cowriter is about six main characters - three are mine, three are hers. we've got the c.e. on hold at the moment while we each work on 'prequels.' she's got over 40 chapters and, so far, i have...four. did i mention i'm editing the c.e. as well? does that count as writing? <hopeful grin>
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I've been having a bit of a hard time finding the time to write lately. The wife wants me to help out with a lot of yard projects. Between that work and some reading time, I haven't been writing as much as I know I should.
By the way... Its been pretty quiet over there at the Congi site. (cough cough) I hope some people start droping in to post and comment and such.
The Deposed King
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Oh, geez. This is me looking uncomfortable.
Um, yeah! I write every day...like, 500k words a day. Sometimes 600k if I'm feeling especially diligent...
Ok, no, the truth is, I've sucked at writing lately. I've been so stressed about my real life that the make-believe one holds little appeal. And this sucks, of course, because I have deadlines, and when I don't meet deadlines, I don't get checks. And checks are nice because they buy cute clothes and, you know, groceries.
Sigh. Yeah. My writing's sucking lately. My second YA novel's edits are due Monday, and it's like pulling teeth. I'm trying to get a few day's extension from my editor, but it's still going to hurt. I totally applaud all of you who are so good about getting in a certain amount every day. I'm totally a slave to my muse, and she's a slave to my moods.
I have a feeling that writing without a deadline is much easier than writing with one. Right now, if I don't write, the only person I disappoint is me. With a deadline, I think it adds an element of pressure and distraction.
Though, having a book deal might be worth the pressure :)
Matt
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Oh, geez. This is me looking uncomfortable.
Um, yeah! I write every day...like, 500k words a day. Sometimes 600k if I'm feeling especially diligent...
500,000 words! In ONE DAY?!? :o 600,000 when you're feeling diligent! :o I'm in awe!
Me, I try to write every day. But my personal target is 500 words. If the story is really flowing, I sometimes get 1,000+ and on one or two notable times, I actually managed 2,000 words. But mostly, I keep to 500 and sometimes have to be satisfied with less.
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Um... Kathleen... please tell me you didn't actually buy that, did you?
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fwiw, I once wrote 10,500 words in a day. It was not good for my hands, though.
If I could keep that up I could have written my entire PhD thesis in two days and a morning, instead of eight months.
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500,000 words! In ONE DAY?!? :o 600,000 when you're feeling diligent! :o I'm in awe!
Me, I try to write every day. But my personal target is 500 words. If the story is really flowing, I sometimes get 1,000+ and on one or two notable times, I actually managed 2,000 words. But mostly, I keep to 500 and sometimes have to be satisfied with less.
File under 'G' for gullible.
Though, I admit, she had me for a moment too.
I just try to write. I don't have goals for words. I just have the goal that what I write won't suck. I work three 12-hour shifts on the weekend, which makes it near impossible to write then. During the week I usually get a couple thousand words a day. But then, I'm motivated; I hate my job.
Matt
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Maybe if I would think of that I would get some writing done more often also. :o
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Maybe if I would think of that I would get some writing done more often also. :o
Hey, I wrote 2400 words today....
I'm feeling pretty good about myself!
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That is wonderful!
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I haven't written in about two weeks. *sigh* I just can't seem to get my mind to settle down and focus on anything. Darn work stress.
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I try to keep writing 1000 pages a day, but right now I'm sort of in a readjustment period from starting my first job on an overnight shift.
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Overnight shifts are great. Means you have more time in the day to do things.
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The pig of trying to get anything done here this time of year is how often there are storms in the evening much of the time between coming home from work and going to sleep, and I live in a building with late 1920s wiring which I do not trust not to fry my computer if we get hit by lightning.
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The pig of trying to get anything done here this time of year is how often there are storms in the evening much of the time between coming home from work and going to sleep, and I live in a building with late 1920s wiring which I do not trust not to fry my computer if we get hit by lightning.
This is the last time I buy a house this old (built in 1911). Every time I find one thing and start to fix it, I find several other things. I've decided to just patch it up the best I can and sell it.
Our power went out this week. I think it was the whole neighborhood, though, so I don't feel as bad.
You could be like JK Rowling and write everything long hand. Or you could try the laptop (though my battery only has a one hour lifespan).
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I went back to writing a screenplay I'm writing for a producer, Camp Of The Killer Ninja Zombies. Next summer, lets get campy.
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For the past few months, I've been writing a story, in form of blog posts, on another website that I am a member of.
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I write as much as I can per day. Problem is I change about as much as I write on a different part of my novels. New ideas change old ones for the better.
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For the past few months, I've been writing a story, in form of blog posts, on another website that I am a member of.
My co-writer and I are doing the same thing. We actually created our site because we didn't want to play by someone else's rules...censorship. Are we allowed to exchange addresses here? I'm curious how other folks are doing it.
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I write 2000 words a day, rain or shine, sick or well.
How do you get the motivation/time to do this every single day? I have a very sensitive Muse. Anything can send her away pouting. I know it's better to show up every day at about the same time, so the Muse knows where to find you instead of just clunking around and waiting for her to track you down...but damn it's tough.
I like writing late night, like 10pm and after. But I can't do that during the week because I work at 8am. And after work my brain is kind of fried and I just want to chill out.
For a while I had a good routine of writing immediately after work...not even going home to give myself the chance to fall asleep on the couch. At 5pm I'd just head straight to Borders or Perkins (usually Borders) and write until the store closed. I was getting a chapter a day in like that. And two chapters a day on weekends, because I'd get to Borders when the store opened, and stay there all day long.
I'm having a problem getting back into that. It got thrown off because of shifting hours at work. Now my cycle is all out of whack.
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I finally kicked a four-week writing drought today and wrote an entire chapter for my urban fantasy project. Huzzah!
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How do you get the motivation/time to do this every single day? I have a very sensitive Muse. Anything can send her away pouting. I know it's better to show up every day at about the same time, so the Muse knows where to find you instead of just clunking around and waiting for her to track you down...but
The first thing you have to accept is that not everything you write is going to be good. Some of it isn't even going to be worth keeping. That's not the point of a daily quota: the point is the discipline, the habit, and creating a dedicated daily space just for writing.