July 2, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft one
New words: 1,772
Total words: 11,492
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Not a good writing day. Just couldn’t find that hole in the page, for whatever reason. Days like today are frustrating, because I try to push through it to get something written, and it all just feels like crap. I suspect that everything I wrote today will end up getting rewritten tomorrow.
Real life:
Woke up early for no reason at all. Did grocery shopping. Got a termite inspection done on the house.
I’m frustrated today at the lack of writing progress, especially since things have been going fairly well lately on that front. But I guess not every day can be a good one in the word mines. Hopefully tomorrow will be better and more useful.
July 1, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft one
New words: 2,163
Total words: 9,713
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Not a great day today. I woke up exhausted, and have been walking around in a fog all day. I’m glad I got the words that I did, but I would have liked to have gotten at least another 1k. I know from experience that it’s useless pushing on when my brain feels like this, though.
Real life:
Not much, thanks to this exhaustion. I probably would feel better if I went for a walk, but I just feel too damn lethargic. Time for some mindless entertainment, I think.
June 30, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft one
New words: 3,914
Total words: 7,545
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Yeah, I sucked it up and adjusted my word counter there.
Good writing day. I managed to fix up some of the scenes that had been really bugging me, and while they’re probably still going to need work, the bones are in place. I’m happy with these first chapters now, and feel that they set up the rest of the story well, which is ultimately their job.
Real life:
Tiny bit of grocery shopping this morning, including going to the chemist to refill prescriptions. Fun.
I slept well last night, with the result that my brain’s working well today. I got the writing done, as well as some beta reading for a friend and began work on another review. I love productive days, I really do. And I even took an hour to watch the latest episode of True Blood, which finally had some on-screen chemistry to back up the storyline (not between Sookie and Bill, who frankly bore me senseless). I’m really impressed at seeing how a so-so book series can be used to build a TV series that’s far more complex and interesting.
June 29, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft two
New words: 3,631
Total words: 10,843
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Yes, still no actual forward motion. I had a major brainstorming session last night and came up with a few ways that I wanted to change the first few chapters, so I’m hacking and rewriting. They’re changes that make the opening much stronger, though, so I’m happy to spend the time getting them right.
This also fixes the problem I’ve been having the last few writing days with one scene. I know now why it wasn’t working and I know how to fix it.
Real life:
Cleaned the house, did two loads of laundry.
I really want to keep on writing, but my brain is getting that fuzzy feeling that tells me that I need to stop and do something else. Okay, brain, I have plenty of other stuff to do. You get off until tomorrow.
June 26, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft one
New words: 2,778
Total words: 10,843
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Eh. I spent a long time bashing my head against a particular scene, and I still don’t know if I have it right. I need a bit of distance before I look at it again, I think. The weekend should do nicely. Unless I get a sudden urge to write over the weekend, which could always happen.
Real life:
Laundry. Glamour!
Sitting inside nice and warm while it’s been grey outside all day has been nice. Even when a certain little black-and-white fluffbucket decided that she needed attention now and that standing between me and the laptop was a really good way of getting said attention. She’s cute though, so she always gets away with it.
June 25, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft two
New words: 4,278
Total words: 10,843
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Those paying close attention will notice the lack of forward motion on word count today. That’s because I was noodling around with the first chapter again. I’m fairly happy with it now, and will likely spend my next few writing days working on the second and third chapters again.
One of my major flaws when I’m writing is zooming through edits. I like to get them done and get the chapters to betas to read. Which sometimes means that I’m sending stuff that’s still a bit crappy. At this point in time, I’m mostly looking for feedback about the storyline (and I’m getting what I need from my betas, as well as good feedback about some of my writing tics and weaknesses), so it’s not a bad thing. It just leads to more work and probably a perception from my betas that the novel is more scattered than it is.
I know I keep on going on about how much a good beta reader or critique partner helps, but it’s just so true. I value my betas so much. I’m truly lucky to have found people who are willing to really take my writing apart and show me my weaknesses. How else do I learn? I’d rather get feedback that’s harsh (and accurate) now than get a bunch of rejections later from agents and publishers.
Real life:
Grocery shopping this morning, along with a short and much-needed walk. Caught up with an old friend briefly while shopping, which was awesome.
June 24, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft two
New words: 4,088
Total words: 10,605
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Look at that – 10% already! I actually estimate that this draft will end up being a little less than 100k, but it’s a nice round number and so it’ll stay as the target for now.
A good writing day, making up for yesterday. I’m feeling like this draft is far more on track than the last one – which it should be, really. Hopefully my betas agree. It can be difficult to see when you’re so close to the work.
Real life:
Not a lot, again. I really wanted to go for a walk, but it’s been raining and horrible outside all day. I’ll need to do something tomorrow, since my muscles are protesting no proper exercise for two days. It’s days like this that I wish I had a treadmill.
June 23, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft two
New words: 2,483
Total words: 6,523
Goal: 100k
Writing:
Not the easiest writing day ever. I was struggling with one scene in particular, and ended up rewriting it about four times before I was even vaguely satisfied with it.
This edit is going to be hard, mostly because I need to chuck out whole chapters and scenes, which is going to hurt. I just hope that I have the skill to piece everything back together into a coherent whole.
Real life:
Not much. Listened to it rain a lot and gloried in having an intact roof.
June 22, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft two
New words: 4,040
Total words: 4,040
Goal: 100k
Writing:
I love editing.
Seriously, it’s when I have the most fun with writing. At this stage, I know how the story goes, and I get to put in foreshadowing and lots of fun stuff. I wish that I could get to the same stage by outlining first, but as of yet, I seem to need to write that exploratory first draft first. I do plan on giving the snowflake method a good go for the next novel, perhaps.
So, first chapter is edited and off to a few betas. Who will hopefully not want to destroy it and/or be bored to death by it. I’m certain that there are things that I’ve missed in editing, which is why I love my betas – they always find the blindingly obvious mistakes that I’m too close to see.
Seriously, good beta readers are worth their weight in platinum. I am so thankful that I’ve found a good group of people, and hope that I can return the favour for them in kind.
Real life:
Cleaned the house, did laundry and hung it out, peering dubiously at it every once in a while wondering if it wil get dry on an overcast day.
Now I need to do some review and beta reading. Have I mentioned lately that I love that my life revolves around words? As much as sometimes miss working in science, I wouldn’t choose to be doing anything else but living in the word mines full time these days.
June 19, 2009
Today’s progress:
Project: White Raven draft two
New words: 1,778 (plus a lot of words on character bios and worldbuilding info)
Total words: 1,778
Goal: 100k
Writing:
I know that I said that I’d be taking a break from posting word counts. But I sat down this morning, looked at the snowflake outlining method and decided that it wasn’t what I wanted to do.
Instead I sat down and rewrote my character bios and some worldbuilding stuff and then started on edits for chapter one. At this stage of editing, I work in a very slow fashion, essentially retyping the whole thing. It’s how my brain works, even though it feels somewhat non-productive at times. I also work purely electronically, but I plan on printing out this version for the next round of edits. Which will hopefully be line edits, unless I manage to write myself into some major plot holes.
Meanwhile, I have a list of changes as long as my arm to address. My challenge now is to remember them all.
Real life:
I did a couple of loads of laundry, though it’s not going to dry for a couple of days, thanks to the weather. Listened to the rain and the wind a lot. Did the final polish on a review and posted it at Horrorscope.
And I’m flat-out exhausted from running around like a mad thing yesterday. I’m amazed that I can still be productive. If I had to be sociable in any way today, though, I’d be a monosyllabic idiot. I just work that way.
