To those who have decided to peripherally monitor this train to see of it goes off the rails, I feel obligated to inform you that I am not a same time every day writer. It comes when it comes and the schedule allows. I would love to be a same time every day AM writer. Alas, there are days when I am a PM writer, and even late night writer. (In fact, that is most days) Happy Scribing.
Jan. 3/4 – Days 64 & 65 – 1052 Words.
I was twittering yesterday. Not tweeting, twittering. What is twittering? Beats me, I just made it up, or maybe I heard it somewhere. Either way, I was hanging out on twitter for a minute, perusing tweets and then I saw it. I can’t remember the person’s name, and if you reads this and you are that person, feel free to comment on what I am about to say, below. Anyway, so, I am twittering and then I see it. Wait, I know it was a woman, I remember that. She tweeted that she had just finished a seven thousand word day, and after that she was going to sleep.
Immediately, the jealousy bug bit me on the rump. No, not because I couldn’t get in bed with her. Yep, you got it, the seven thousand word thing. I wondered how long it took her? Was she a seat of the pants writer? Or was she working from a detailed outline? Was she catching up on missed days? Or was this a daily thing for her? If it was, she’s got some kind of hustle, I’ll tell you that. Anyway, so my paltry daily count comes to mind and I am like, ‘Waaaa! I want seven thousand words too!’ That lasted a minute or two, before I realized that I knew nothing of her or her situation.
Maybe she has the gut hustle, determination, drive and time to sit down and get the job done. I can’t be all bent out of shape jealous because someone rolls up their shirt sleeves and decides to work their butt off for what they want. And then I realized something else. There is a reason I do 500 words a day, and that reason is because in my present circumstance, that is what works for me. That is what I can do, and that is what I do. I have stuck to it for a good while now and have written two other novels the same way. It is what I know works for me. Could I perhaps do more than 500 in a day? Possibly, because as I have mentioned previously, 500 is not a whole bunch of words.
“Especially when you compare it to seven thousand. You go girl, whoever you were.”
We finally agree on something. 500 is a paltry count compared to seven thousand, and I, too, wish her great success in her endeavors. I like where I am. I like my consistency. I am sticking to it and will forge ahead and hopefully complete my novel. Yes, 500 is paltry when compared to seven thousand, but I am not comparing it anymore. I stopped doing that after a minute or two of Waaaa-ing, after seeing the tweet.
I may not be rocketing into the stratosphere, but I am headed there, nonetheless, because that is where the stars are, and I am reaching for mine 500 words at a time. Some may get there quicker, and then ask me what took me so long when I arrive. And I will smile warmly at them and say, “I am fashionably on time.” Happy writing people. Oh, the two writing days I am updating went pretty good. Another thousand plus words riding the Irony 3 Novel Train. :)
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Jan 5/6 – Days 66 & 67 – 1057 Words
I am getting the distinct impression that this is going to be a short update.
Why, Rob? Why? Why is this going to be a short update?
Probably because I don’t feel like writing it.
What? But from what you have posted in the past, writing when you don’t feel like writing is what you do. Yes, but that is the book. This is an update.
Oh, so, the book gets all the love and we as update readers get stiffed? That rots!
Maybe, but I am quite positive that it is understandable.
By whom?
By the thousands of people who read these posts.
Thousands, huh? You were right, it is understandable now?
What do you mean?
I mean if you think that this drivel is read by thousands of people, then it is obvious you’ve been in the writer’s glue again, and that is why you don’t feel like writing the post.
Funny.
I thought so, and probably true.
I don’t even know what writer’s glue is, so, no, it is not true.
Anyway, moving on, I can’t say the last two writing days were easy, and I can’t say that they were hard. I would say they were average days where I sat down and pounded out my 500 words and was happy about it. I am at the stage of the book now where things are happening, revealing the chief dilemma for my main character. Then comes the run from middle to near end, as I begin to pile things on top of him to work through, and then the dash to the end. Most of the seeds are already in the ground for the piling things, buried under the 30 something thousand words I have typed so far. All that needs to happen now is for me to unveil the growing of them and eventually write them into trees, and then let my MC handle the forest as best he can, pulling an eventual lesson out of it at the end. In other words, It aint easy being cheesy. (Week 7/Days 47 &48) Happy writing people.
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Jan 7/8 – Day 68 & 69 – 1008 at Words
I, just as much as you reading this right now, am interested in how I am going to continue to pull this book off. I felt the same way writing my other books, just about at this point in the game. I don’t know about other authors, but there is always that feeling for me as I write that I have no bleeping idea how I am going to do this. Do I have an outline? Yes. Does an outline a book make? No. It still must be written. You have to weave together the seams of the book and transition things from one to the other. Yes, I know where I want to go, but how do I get there from here?
And do it in a way that is not only not hokey and contrived, but for a sensible reader, makes them pass right over it without a second thought. And even if they have a second thought, I would like them to continue reading without saying, “Come on! What is this? That makes absolutely no sense! Who does that?” I have heard it said that series writing is easier, because you have established characters that you know, so keeping them to actions consistent with who they are is simpler. Maybe, but the other side is that you don’t want to repeat too many things said in similar situations as past books, or have a lot of actions overdone. Else, it will read too much like the last book.
Yes, every character brings their quirks, maybe even catch phrases. But, to me, I want to emerge at least something new in them every time I carry them forward, thus giving me more writing resources to draw on when putting them in certain situations. What does all of that add up to? I have no bleeping idea how I am going to do this, that's what.
However, I am hoping just like with Irony (found here) and Sticky Buns (found here) and Irony 2 (found here) that as I keep writing toward the ending I have in mind, things will fall into place as to how to pull off the things I have outlined. In the meantime, what we have today is two more days, and 1008 words, on the rails toward me not knowing how, but doing it anyway. Happy writing people.
See calendar on Contact page for blurbs.
Jan 9. – Day 70- 517 Words
“I have noticed something.”
That you’re not real?
“That hurt.”
Fine. Far be it from me to hurt the imaginary feelings of my imaginary character. Go on, tell me what you have noticed so I can get on with the update.
“Your word count.”
What about it?
“Looks to me like you are landing just over 500 words most times.”
And?
“Makes me wonder if you are counting words for every sentence you type. Something like that could interfere with the writing, no?”
No.
“So, you do do that?”
I do do what?
“Oh, grow up.”
Look who’s talking. But to get on with this, no, I don’t do it for every sentence. However I won’t deny looking at a block of words I think could be near 500, and then highlighting it to see the count. If not, I go back to what I was doing. If it is, I go by feel.
“Feel? Like if you are sick or something?”
No, like if I feel the words still coming, and they are coming strong, then I keep going. Other times, I may be close to completing a scene or chapter and keep going in that instance. Otherwise, I stop at my goal, feeling happy that I advanced my dream, and close the document. Did that answer what you have noticed to your satisfaction?
“Yeah, for now, but there is still the other thing.”
What other thing?
“If you do do that, then is there a specific time of day that you do do it, or do you do do it anytime--”
I should have known. Serves me right.
Anyway, on to the update. Once again we have come to the end of another writing week. Another seven days riding the rails on the Irony 3 Novel Train. I would say we made more stops this week than in some others. Because, like I said yesterday, this is the part of the book where I am transitioning from one part of the book to another, beginning to middle, and things are about to really start happening.
I am just waiting for that event to take place which blasts my MC into action and runs him full speed ahead toward the end. Throw in a couple of lulls here and there for him to catch his explanatory breath, and wala, we have a book. Pffft! Yeah, right, if it was that easy, I would probably be finished by now.
Being that I am not finished, and this is only the end of week 10, I will do my customary jamming to a favorite tune. Hmm, do I go old school or new? My taste is somewhat eclectic when it comes to music. Hmm...Okay, I got it. Old School it is. Now this one, in the rap genre, is from waaaay back. Some may know it. Most, however, I think won’t. Without further Ado, I bring you Week 10’s ending jam tune, Pee Wee’s Dance by Joe Ski Love. Happy writing people. See Contact page for calendar blurb.
YOU TUBE LINK