Determined December - 500 words/day or editing - all genres welcome

lizmonster · Dec 8, 2016

Mary Love said:
How are you other Nano'ers feeling about your stories now??

I think I'll be lucky to salvage 10K from what I wrote in November. But I did work a few things out.

I think NaNo burnout is a real thing, and it's worth taking a break if you have the time.

I edited bits of NaNo stuff today, changed some names, and added a whopping 19 words. I also did some work stubbing out a wiki I'm writing, since I'm getting tired of hauling out Book 1 every time I forget a character's eye color.

Yes, I'm pretty sure the wiki counts as procrastination.

Go, everyone! :e2cheer:

lizmonster · Dec 9, 2016

Did some more editing today. Up about 35 words, but the important thing is it's getting tighter and more consistent.

I also got email asking if I had cover ideas for Book 3, and I spent some time compiling my thoughts. This meant flipping through bits of Book 3, which reads better than I remember. This is something of a relief.

DarienW · Dec 9, 2016

lizmonster said:
Did some more editing today. Up about 35 words, but the important thing is it's getting tighter and more consistent.

I also got email asking if I had cover ideas for Book 3, and I spent some time compiling my thoughts. This meant flipping through bits of Book 3, which reads better than I remember. This is something of a relief.

Always nice when that happens! Are you working on book 4? Is it a series?

I've been helping a friend paint a table, so I had NO WORD Thursday! Today I'm doing some editing and fleshing out. Word count just goes up and down, but I'm happy I can work on it tonight. 24 hours till next coat of paint!

Silva · Dec 9, 2016

I am so immensely pleased with myself over my wordcount for this month thus far as listed below.

Here is some cake for everyone. :Cake:

DarienW · Dec 10, 2016

Yay, Silva--I love your avatar! Hope that cake is chocolate--my fave!

Saoirse · Dec 10, 2016

I've done nothing except sleep and stare at the computer screen since I finished my editing job. Haven't had the energy to write at all, or the brainpower. I have a rare form of eczema that is currently flared up and driving me insane with itchiness. Got a shot of steroids yesterday, although I can't say whether or not they are working. I am still itchy.

And I have another editing job. My client is sending the document on Monday.

Silva · Dec 10, 2016

DarienW said:
Yay, Silva--I love your avatar! Hope that cake is chocolate--my fave!

Of course it's chocolate. :tongue

I rarely make cakes that are not chocolate. (Pineapple upside down is the exception.)

Saoirse said:
I've done nothing except sleep and stare at the computer screen since I finished my editing job. Haven't had the energy to write at all, or the brainpower. I have a rare form of eczema that is currently flared up and driving me insane with itchiness. Got a shot of steroids yesterday, although I can't say whether or not they are working. I am still itchy.

And I have another editing job. My client is sending the document on Monday.

So sorry about the eczema. My son has a diet-related variety and it does tend to flare up during the winter even if he's being good.

Saoirse · Dec 10, 2016

Silva - I LOVE chocolate cake! Sorry about your son's eczema. It can be really miserable.

Brechin Frost · Dec 11, 2016

I hate not having a title. I find coming up with a snappy title an integral part.

I started writing. Just to get some words onto the page and try to get a feel for the story. I don't think I've found the right starting spot. I've certainly not written a first sentence or first three sentences that work for me. Not yet. As soon as I find it, I think everything will fall nicely into place. I want to do more research as well.

lizmonster · Dec 11, 2016

I did nothing today, but I did write 1767 words yesterday. Kind of jumped ahead in the story, but it still counts, right? Right??

DarienW, yes, it's a series. Book 3 is in the slicing and dicing stage, and Book 4 is in the "hm, which of these random thingies can I spin into a whole plot?" stage.

Well done, everyone! You guys are awesome. :hooray:

DarienW · Dec 11, 2016

lizmonster said:
I did nothing today, but I did write 1767 words yesterday. Kind of jumped ahead in the story, but it still counts, right? Right??

DarienW, yes, it's a series. Book 3 is in the slicing and dicing stage, and Book 4 is in the "hm, which of these random thingies can I spin into a whole plot?" stage.

Well done, everyone! You guys are awesome.

Very impressive number, Liz. I'm writing a series too! I found a beta for book 2, so i'm looking it over with new eyes thinking about a stranger reading it!

Painting that table--ugh! i had no idea oil paint required so many coats, and such long drying times. I'm thinking it's finally done. My friend at least lets me use the speech function and play chapters while we work. I love it when things make her giggle.

DarienW · Dec 12, 2016

Hey All, I took the plunge and posted Chapter One of Book one in my series: Don't Tell Anyone.

I'd love to hear what anyone thinks! In between editing book 2 and writing book 3, I've been reworking this chapter one over and over.

A million thanks! How's tricks with all of you? Does anyone else have a chapter to see--I'd happily take a look.

Shara · Dec 14, 2016

826 words this morning.

I think I'm going to have to spend a bit more time plotting before I can go much further. My amateur sleuth is doing a bit too much wandering round going, 'ok, what now?'. Rather like I am.

DarienW · Dec 14, 2016

Great work, Shara (I agree with fix it in the rewrite!) I found following the evidence guided me nicely through my book when I had no idea where to go, hope that helps.

Shara · Dec 14, 2016

My sleuth is following the clues, Darien, and I know where they will take her. I'm just not convinced the path she's taking to get there is convincing. But you're right, I should follow my own advice and fix it in the rewrite. This is the first draft, after all.

DarienW · Dec 14, 2016

I had a ton of those moments during Nano. It was great that I was forced to continue, and though i traveled a few wrong paths, I eventually found my way.

Ultimately, beta readers can help when you reach that stage (I know, duh, LOL!)

Saoirse · Dec 14, 2016

Shara and DarienW, I usually fix everything in rewrite as well. To me, first drafts are where I discover the story -- and take wild tangents that usually get cut.

Still here. I'm about to start on editing job #2 and I am thinking of taking a few minutes every day to write something, b/c I feel a bit empty without it. No pressure, b/c come January, the pressure will be there.

Still itching. Doing some testing on Friday that will hopefully reveal what damn thing caused this mess. Wish me luck.

lizmonster · Dec 14, 2016

Good luck, Saoirse, and :Hug2:

.

DarienW, my grandmother used to paint pictures, and she loved oils because she could move them around for days. I can imagine it's not such an advantage when it's furniture.

Go, Shara! I can almost never plot more than two or three chapters in advance, but I'm trying to do a little more outlining the more experience I get. I keep hoping it'll save me time. So far no go.

Speaking of outlining...I have a book proposal! Or rather a rough draft of one. It's missing a B-plot, which may be OK for a proposal. This one was the easiest, though, since it's for the MS I'm actually writing right now. I have four other ideas I want to sketch out, and I'm not at all sure how that'll go.

But I did a thing! Yay! :hooray:

Shara · Dec 15, 2016

I do outline, and I know where I want to end up. I'm just not convinced I'm on the right path to get there.

Still, I'm pushing on and hoping that I get past this 'this MS is a steaming pile of poo' stage soon.

Another 550 words this morning.

Saoirse · Dec 16, 2016

I got a grand total of 12 pages done (of 58) of editing in the past two days. Le sigh. Can't seem to focus. This whole "take your time, I don't need it till after Christmas" thing is not good for productivity. I need a deadline.

lizmonster · Dec 16, 2016

I wrote another book proposal. It's thinner than the first, because I haven't actually written any of it.

It's more like a query, but with an ending. Two down, two to go! (And then I have to polish them and make them sound professional. Whee.)

Silva · Dec 16, 2016

Over halfway in my wordcount goal! Yay! *happydance*

Saoirse said:
I got a grand total of 12 pages done (of 58) of editing in the past two days. Le sigh. Can't seem to focus. This whole "take your time, I don't need it till after Christmas" thing is not good for productivity. I need a deadline.

Me too. And they cannot be self-imposed deadlines; they must be externally imposed. :rolleyes

Saoirse · Dec 17, 2016

Yay, Liz!

Silva - Absolutely.

So the patch testing is in progress. No reactions yet. I already feel grimy b/c I won't be able to take a shower until tomorrow night. Le sigh.

DarienW · Dec 17, 2016

Hey guys, just checking in. I'm trying to finish a beta read. The book really isn't my cup of tea, so I'm a little exhausted. Really hoping to finish tonight!

Best wishes all!

Brechin Frost · Dec 17, 2016

Roughly 3500 words this week. I think that's fairly decent.

Determined December - 500 words/day or editing - all genres welcome

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