Apparently I promised to give updates on my Camp progress?! *bangs head on desk*
Day 1: Saturday is 'cleaning day'. Did not get started writing until 11am or so. Total: 600.
Day 2: Took advantage of my family's Sunday afternoon 'nap time' tradition to pump out a decent (for me) amount. Total: 1000.
Day 3: There were a heap of jobs to be done around the house. And cooking tea took most of the time I usually spend writing. Or something. I'm sure I have an excuse. Total: 100.
Day 4: I was working out in the paddock. All day. Total: 600.
Day 5: Had to drive someone into town; spent all day at the library. Total: 100.
Day 6: At library all day (including a preparation session for the local comic-con). Total: 500.
Day 7: At library all day (more preparation). Total: 200.
Day 8: Volunteered all day at the library's comic-con. (At the door, with a 'clicker', counting people walking in...) Total: ahhh... so far? None.
Grand total? 3100 (+today's)
What I should be on? 4000.
I DIDN'T WANT TO TELL YOU.
*hides*
How's your word count going? (Not you, Evo. I know you're past half-way. What are your secrets?? Apart from sitting down and actually writing which I should probably try???) Have you ever been to a comic-con? (like a proper one... with actual famous people and stuff... we didn't have famous people) Do you have any tips about writing routines or tricks to boost word count? (basically I want to know how to do the 'butt in chair pen on page' thing...) (the NaNo dares forum can be good? But my new favourite is the 'NaNo ate my soul' category where people talk about arguing with their characters - proper on-the-page arguments; and forgetting to get rid of a dead body in a car, or a sleeping-over friend, for chapters; and 'at-this-rate-you-will-finish-on' dates.)
I'm at 25K, which is great and I'm exhausted but whatever. This has been the easiest NaNo I've done so far. But.... Yeah. Sit down and write. That's about all you can do.
ReplyDeletethefloridsword.blogspot.com
25k?? That's AWESOME, Faith! I'm so glad this NaNo is going well for you. What's your total goal?
Delete(and yeah... in theory, I know I just need to sit and write. In practice, I find it a little harder xD)
My secret? Basically I'm a speed typist. I spend about an hour a day (hour and a half max) on my story and just type as fast as I can. Same time, right before bed, every day. And I've been doing this for the seven years.
ReplyDeleteI do a brief outline and some character building, so I know what I'm working with, but not too much so that I'm held down by it all.
That is my secret: find out what works best for you and make a habit out of it.
~Evo
O.O ...wow. A dedicated routine. And you spend just an hour writing?? *takes notes* *lots of notes*
DeleteSo you're a bit of a... plantser?
Thanks for stopping by, Evo! (I mentioned you in this post, so... xD)
Yeah, about an hour every day, sometimes more, sometimes less. It's all about using the little bits of time you have. Ten minutes here, twenty there, five later on. Get some music going (love the background noise site you linked to on your blog!!!), have a drink nearby, and just be lost to the world...in your world!
DeleteAnd just a warning, I plan on stopping by regularly. :)
But NEVER give up!! Even a hundred words every day will eventually add up to a complete story. Just use what time you have, and don't get depressed. Be happy with small steps. Some days I can barely get in a few hundred words, and other days I can get 5000+ so just take what comes and roll with it.
~Evo
That sounds like a good system! I often find I need ten minutes to get 'into the groove'... but if I practised sitting down and writing whenever I have some spare time - instead of wasting it! - I probably should get better.
DeleteYou're welcome to drop by anytime, Evo, and pleased to have you! :D
Sorry, I'm afraid I haven't any advice to give on writing routines or boosting word counts (because quite frankly I'm horrible at all of that ;P), but don't give up. Everyone has a different way of writing and one day I'm sure you'll figure out a way that really works for you. (And if you do happen to discover an amazingly workable secret to this problem, do let me know, okay? Heehee. ;))
ReplyDeleteAw, I'm sorry you're behind on your word count (that's not a fun feeling). Don't get discouraged. 3100 words really isn't that bad. I mean how long have you been working on this? A week? And with all the other things going on in your life, I'd say you've done quite well. Better than I would have done in your place, at any rate. (Though perhaps that's not very encouraging considering that I only got less than 7,000 words written in a whole month. ;P) Anyway, all that to say, don't feel bad about not being quite on target. Just keep writing. And remember that every word written is a success...even if you don't quite make your goal. :)
[I've replied twice to this, but Blogger has sent my replies off, I know not where. So that's why it's late. ;) ]
DeleteMiss March, if I discover an amazingly workable secret to overcoming low word counts and not-being-able-to-sit-and-just-WRITE-already, I will write a whole post on it. And a book, which I will get a lot of money from. xD
The 'life things' that keep getting in the way should be calming down, so I won't have any excuses soon. ;) Thank you for the encouragement! Yes, every word is a success... I just can't help wondering if my word count would be a bit better if I was a little less... lazy? (I mean, I read an entire series - 7 books - in the last week.) *guilty blush* *pretends I didn't admit to that*
GO YOU!!!! At least you've been writing <3 I am sending you motivation RIGHT NOW. Good luck!
ReplyDelete- Andrea at A Surge of Thunder
I haaave been writing *receives motivation with gratitude* *and a slight amount of guilt* *and goes to write immediately*
DeleteThanks, Andrea! ;)
I just found this blog, I LOVE the little owl on the blog title!!
ReplyDeleteMy word goal is 50k, but I'm already at 40k so I'm considering raising it...
Great post! Don't worry about your word count, girl! You CAN do it!!!
-Gray Marie
graymariewrites.blogspot.com
Aw, thanks, Gray! The owl's my own artwork. (And may or may not be here simply because it was the only piece of art I would let out of the bottom drawer. I will not confirm this, however.) I love the cat on your profile!
Delete40k?? o.O Wow, you've got NaNo handled!!
If I worry about my word count too much I get too stressed to actually do it! So I'll just try to focus on my story, I guess? Thanks for the encouragement! :)
My biggest tip is word sprints. Those are super helpful for me. Write for short bursts, then go do something else. For Camp, and for NaNo proper, I like to do one in the morning and one right after lunch. Sometimes I'll add one or two more in the afternoon if I didn't quite get to my goal. Fifteen minutes is my usual length. Hope that helps!
ReplyDelete~Sarah/CG
Since my problem is putting pen to paper and WRITING - not anything technical or even being blocked - word sprints would be a great way for me to actually write, I think. (I mean, I take half the fifteen minutes to warm up and write more than two sentences, but that's better than simply never getting around to it!) Thanks, Sarah!
Delete