The Finish the Damn Book Challenge

Status
Not open for further replies.

FranOnTheEdge

Procrastinating lots, writing a bit
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 21, 2011
Messages
158
Reaction score
9
Location
Southern England
EclipsesMuse To Tepelus, I've been there. You might also try writing a synopsis for what you want to happen in that scene. It helped me a lot.


Yes, I agree with that, I've found that a para or so stating what needs to go there can help a lot after the tremendous rush of writing the part that was boiling away in my head.


Monkey,
I got the first thousand words on the sequel to Never Fall completed today.


Wow that's great!

joeyC, 101,000 words.

Wow, that's amazing.

David Poellot, Once the queries are in full swing, I'll get back to working on outlining and see if one of the ideas appeals to me, so I can get back to writing. You don't realize how much you miss, until you're away from it for a while. But if I want to be a published author someday, then I need to go through all this other stuff.

I know what you mean, I've just been inputting my MSS into a prog so I can check frequency of characters, items and locations and other stuff, - I'm pretty fed up, and missing actually writing, but as you say sometimes we need to do other things.

Margarita Skies, the last rep point I received from you. I've received no more rep points :cry: but anyway, how are you doing?
rep points? What are they?
MokoBunny,
I just finished the first draft of my second book today! I didn't think I could do it but I did lol. Yay me :D
Absolutely Yay You! I'm nowhere near that point, having had to go back to book 1 and try to sort that one out.
If I even do get to the point of first draft of book 2 finished I'll be over the moon.
Congratulations!

French Maiden, My hands are nearly all healed. Hoping to be pumping it on out again perhaps as soon as tonight. :)
Have you ever thought of getting something like Dragon Naturally Speaking?
I have joint problems that sometimes make using a keyboard very painful, and DNS can help a great deal with some writing tasks.


Lizardmaker,
I finished scribbling chapter 12 today. Will need to decipher and type it tomorrow.

That's the sort of think I use DNS for. Congrats for chapter 12!

AndreaGS, I'm at 34,785/90,000 on my urban fantasy now. Keeping up my 700 words/day pledge on it. But I'm thinking I'll have to add in another sub-plot at the pace I'm burning through my outline.

At this rate you hardly need any encouragement, your word count is 'phew'! your total is 'wow'! and you outline first! 'Yipes'!
I find it impossible to outline until about 1/3rd to 1/2 way through - or sometimes until the end.

Tepelus,
Hopefully you're over the hump then?

pdblake Ok, ok! I've finished it!

Oh damn, I went and started another.:)

Now you're just asking for trouble! You're just a 'writin' fool, I guess.

I've just inputted my MSS from MSWord to yWriter and WYON, for different things each prog can do - (I wish there was one that could do it all) trouble is each prog is reporting the manuscript as being at differing word counts:

MSWord says it's: 69,340
yWriter says: 69,213
WYON says: 70,080

So... where does that leave me?

yWriter meanly states that I've added, minus 2 today.

Well! if that's not adding insult to injury!
Lol
 

French Maiden

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
1,368
Reaction score
122
Location
Western Australia
Fran.

Thanks.

It's not my joints, it's my skin, it's extremelly sensative to almost everything. I washed my dog last week and my skin broke out in eczema, my hands swell up and my skin blisters, then breaks open and I cant move my hands until the swelling has gone down and the lesions have healed.
I cant use gloves either, which is rather inconvenient.

But they're all healed now, I can go down town without people thinking I have a contagious dsisease. Also I can get back to writing :D
 

Sheila Muirenn

Rebuilding My Brain
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 9, 2010
Messages
1,906
Reaction score
495
Location
Riding my bicycle
A challenge born out of frustration.

The Rules:

1) You must do something to your novel before you can log onto the internet. You can add a single sentence or edit your last one, but it has to be something, and you have to do it every time.

2) You can't start any other projects until your current one is finished. This includes outlining. (You can jot down ideas, but that's it, Bucko!)

3) You must have a daily, weekly, or monthly goal that is absolutely doable for you, in your current situation, right now. It doesn't matter how small it is. That self-imposed goal should be your absolute minimum number of words for the time period specified.

4) You must post your working title, word count, goal, and updates here so that you can be cheered on.


Any takers?

I'm joining this because I need to finish that damn book.

But my rules are different because we are all different.

1. The internet thing. What Monkey said.

2. Multitasking makes me write more. So starting other projects in writing is okay. In fact. I need to make it a goal. I'll start by getting into the habit of blogging again. Just update the thing every time the urge strikes. (Instead of the current 'why bother' attitude).

3. Goal: It is not okay to skip writing for any particular day.

4. Title: The Four. Word-count: 55 k. Goal 65 k.
 

Monkey

Is me.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
9,119
Reaction score
1,881
Location
Texas, usually
The rules of the FTDBC are similar to the Pirate's Code. They're more like guidelines.

Welcome to the challenge, Sheila!

ETA: Got my thousand for the day. Barely.
 
Last edited:

EclipsesMuse

Questing
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Messages
422
Reaction score
23
Congratulation pdblake! Welcome Sheila.
Maiden, I'm glad to hear you hands are doing better. Great job at getting your word count, Monkey.

I started my new one today. I got 300 words. I think I'm going to set my daily word count at 500 again. I plan on working on revisions for Prescription each day as well. Well, I'm off to work on the revisions.
 

joeyc

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
712
Reaction score
55
Location
Somewhere.
Congrats on the finish, pdblake.

102k. I've slowed down a bit.

Can still get done by 2012, though. (~8k left, I would think.)
 

MysteryRiter

Murder isn't so bad...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
1,719
Reaction score
325
Ok, I'm joining. I started a new novel today.
- Title: I really just have no clue
- Wordcount started: 0k
- Minimum goal: 200 words a day though I'd like more.
- Hopeful date of rough draft completion: Jan 15 (I'm a fast writer and the book will only be 60k at most. Plus, I'm on break right now.)
Do I need anything else?
 

Tepelus

And so...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
6,087
Reaction score
413
Location
Michigan
Website
keskedgell.blogspot.com
Ok, I'm joining. I started a new novel today.
- Title: I really just have no clue
- Wordcount started: 0k
- Minimum goal: 200 words a day though I'd like more.
- Hopeful date of rough draft completion: Jan 15 (I'm a fast writer and the book will only be 60k at most. Plus, I'm on break right now.)
Do I need anything else?

Only this:whip:


I could use one too. lol!
 

Lizardmaker

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
602
Reaction score
52
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Website
anneejohnson
Welcome MysteryRiter and Shiela!

Good for you for starting a new one, Eclipse! And happy revisioning.

My stats from the last two days: Added 1100 words to chapter 13 of WIP MG novel. Edited four chapters of Ebenezer's Locker. Those edits are due Friday. Have three more chapters to do, but editor and I are discussing changing the main character's age by one year, which would require another once-over of the text. (It's for kids, so one year really matters.)
 

ladyleeona

fluently sarcastic grandma offender
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 3, 2010
Messages
932
Reaction score
138
Location
wherever the Jose is.
10k for me in 4 days, and I finally get to type 'the end'.

AHHHHHH :)

So, the damn first draft (of The [damn] Painted Queen) is finished, and now it's going in the damn drawer for more damn editing down the damn road.

:)

On to the next damn manuscript....
 

Receding Waters

How much for a cheeseburger?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
191
Reaction score
19
Location
Currently: Dalian, China
Website
ourchinaexperiment.wordpress.com
I'm going to jump in here, if that's ok. I like the attitude behind this thread quite a bit.
Current WIP: First draft of Toward Eternity (tentative title): Word Count now: 49, 365. (Estimated Length when completed: 55K)
Min Word Count per day: 100
Awesomeness goal: 500
One of my big issues isn't so much writer's block as it Writer's boredom. Generally, when I get within 5 chapters of the end of any piece I simply slow down because I don't want to finish it...maybe it's because I know how it's going to end and just don't feel like seeing it through. Either way, I inevitably begin one or two other pieces and tend to let the mostly-written first draft exist in that Purgatory of nearly-but-not-completely done.
BUT, I'm going to finish this first draft, dangit!

Jordan
 

Lizardmaker

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
602
Reaction score
52
Location
Brooklyn, NY
Website
anneejohnson
Woo! congrats, ladylilchubb, on typing "the end"! I like the title.

Welcome, Jordan. Just by being here you have achieved awesomeness. But 100-500 words per day would also be nice. Good luck! (I'm sure we all know what you mean about losing focus on a particular piece, and longing for that thrill of starting something new. Speaking for myself, I just have to fight through it every time. Then, as I get nearer the end, it becomes exciting again.)

BTW, y'all, I opened my new website to the public today. Be thrilled to have you visit / join / make suggestions! Thanks.http://anneejohnson.com/

-Anne
 

joeyc

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
712
Reaction score
55
Location
Somewhere.
Congrats on the finish!

(Is that three on one page?)

103.5k for me. Two chapters (plus epilogue) is the current plan, but wrapping up everything is proving to be difficult.
 

ladyleeona

fluently sarcastic grandma offender
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 3, 2010
Messages
932
Reaction score
138
Location
wherever the Jose is.
Woo! congrats, ladylilchubb, on typing "the end"! I like the title.

Welcome, Jordan. Just by being here you have achieved awesomeness. But 100-500 words per day would also be nice. Good luck! (I'm sure we all know what you mean about losing focus on a particular piece, and longing for that thrill of starting something new. Speaking for myself, I just have to fight through it every time. Then, as I get nearer the end, it becomes exciting again.)

BTW, y'all, I opened my new website to the public today. Be thrilled to have you visit / join / make suggestions! Thanks.http://anneejohnson.com/

-Anne
Thanks, Anne! Once I go back for edits, I hope the title sticks. I've been kind of partial to it. (But if it doesn't cooperate, the 'damn' may get inserted into it for real, LOL.)

And I love the green background of your site, especially the faded spectrum of colors at the top--very cool :).

I'm going to jump in here, if that's ok. I like the attitude behind this thread quite a bit.
Current WIP: First draft of Toward Eternity (tentative title): Word Count now: 49, 365. (Estimated Length when completed: 55K)
Min Word Count per day: 100
Awesomeness goal: 500
One of my big issues isn't so much writer's block as it Writer's boredom. Generally, when I get within 5 chapters of the end of any piece I simply slow down because I don't want to finish it...maybe it's because I know how it's going to end and just don't feel like seeing it through. Either way, I inevitably begin one or two other pieces and tend to let the mostly-written first draft exist in that Purgatory of nearly-but-not-completely done.
BUT, I'm going to finish this first draft, dangit!

Jordan

I get that way near the end, too. But when I finally get serious and sit down to write, the words tumble out faster than I can type. Keep it up and you'll make it :).
 

Monkey

Is me.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 12, 2007
Messages
9,119
Reaction score
1,881
Location
Texas, usually
LadylilChubb said:
So, the damn first draft (of The [damn] Painted Queen) is finished, and now it's going in the damn drawer for more damn editing down the damn road.

:snoopy: :Sun:
:Clap::Clap::Clap::Clap::Clap::Clap:

You've worked long and hard for this moment! Congrats!!!

Receding Waters said:
I'm going to jump in here, if that's ok. I like the attitude behind this thread quite a bit.
Current WIP: First draft of Toward Eternity (tentative title): Word Count now: 49, 365. (Estimated Length when completed: 55K)
Min Word Count per day: 100
Awesomeness goal: 500
One of my big issues isn't so much writer's block as it Writer's boredom. Generally, when I get within 5 chapters of the end of any piece I simply slow down because I don't want to finish it...maybe it's because I know how it's going to end and just don't feel like seeing it through. Either way, I inevitably begin one or two other pieces and tend to let the mostly-written first draft exist in that Purgatory of nearly-but-not-completely done.
BUT, I'm going to finish this first draft, dangit!

Jordan

Welcome to the challenge, Jordan!
[Mortal Combat Voice-over] Finish it! [/Mortal Combat Voice-over]
 

MysteryRiter

Murder isn't so bad...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
1,719
Reaction score
325
Ok, no progress today. Someone better yell encouragement at me!
 

Receding Waters

How much for a cheeseburger?
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 21, 2011
Messages
191
Reaction score
19
Location
Currently: Dalian, China
Website
ourchinaexperiment.wordpress.com
MysteryRiter,
I don't know if this is encouragement, but yesterday when I was writing I thought of your avatar and it cracked me up. I plowed through 417 words while at work, in between writing lesson plans, all because I envisioned a stick figure toting a .45 behind me.
With winter here, maybe instead of cutting out snowflakes you could cut out paper stick figures and glue gun-shaped black paper in their hands, eh? Station them around your room as though they're getting ready for a paper mob hit.
To me that screams motivation.
Either way, tomorrow's another day, and as long as the desire is there you're golden. Hope this helps in some random way.
Jordan
 

MysteryRiter

Murder isn't so bad...
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Messages
1,719
Reaction score
325
LOL, that's a good idea. I'm glad my avatar is helping everyone out (people have said that before)!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.