But my goal was to finish Book 2 by October, and October's, um, here. Practically. I'm giving myself three days to write the final 10k--and then a few days to recuperate before going to NY with the hubs!
I started this project on Wednesday, but kept it offline until today, Friday. Please feel free to jump on board and do your own live-blogging, too!
Since Friday is the day I wanted to finish 10k by, I'm going to go ahead and post this now, before I finish...and post updates as I get them. I have no idea if this will work, and in all honesty, it probably won't. But I'm going to try!
Day One: Wednesday
Thirty minute writing sessions using the timer method.
- Session Zero: Ok, full disclosure: It took me until 1:07PM to just get started. I told you I was dreading this...
- Session One
- Starting word count: 69,842
- Ending word count: 70,297
- Total words for session: 455
- Total words since the beginning: 455
- Thoughts: Not good, but it took me a hot minute to get started, then I spent some time researching what explosive agents would smell like...the things I have to Google...
- Session Two
- Starting word count: 70,297
- Ending word count: 70,809
- Total words for session: 512
- Total words since the beginning: 967
- Thoughts: Still not good. I think I've figured out what to do with this chapter, though.
- Session Three
- Starting word count: 70,809
- Ending word count: 71,661
- Total words for session: 852
- Total words since the beginning: 1819
- Thoughts: There we go. Getting back into the swing of things now.
- Session Four
- Starting word count: 71,661
- Ending word count: 71,799
- Total words for session: 138
- Total words since the beginning: 1957
- Thoughts: Annnnnd back to slow again. Working on chapter order--re-arranged a lot, but not really additional words. Progress, though. Sort of.
Crap. We're out of chocolate.
Also, I'm at the stage where doing housework is more appealing that writing. God help us all.
- Session Five
- Starting word count: 71,799
- Ending word count: 72,590
- Total words for session: 791
- Total words since the beginning: 2,748
- Thoughts: The break helped me figure out what to put in this chapter, but it's still a bit touch and go. I have this one scene I love that I'm trying to fit into the story, but it's like hammering a square peg in a round hole.
Day Two: Thursday
Thirty minute writing sessions using the timer method.
- Session Zero: It's 1:20pm, and I've not even eaten lunch yet. I woke up early with good intentions, but then got sucked into email. On the bright side: I've got a GREAT idea for a December giveaway. On the down side: it's 1:20pm and I've not started on the actual real-life writing...nor eaten lunch. My deal with myself: one writing session, then lunch, then writing until supper.
- Session One
- Starting word count: 72,590
- Ending word count: 72,771
- Total words for session: 181
- Total words for day: 181
- Total words since the beginning: 2,929
- Thoughts: EEP! OK, now it's 2:30, and I've done hardly anything. But excuses! I have them! My dog came home and brought a friend with him--so then I had two dogs! And they needed petting and playing with and throwing cookies and....right. Back to work.
- Session Two
- Starting word count: 72,771
- Ending word count: 74,105
- Total words for session: 1,334
- Total words for day: 1,515
- Total words since the beginning: 4,263
- Thoughts: Wow. That was awesome! Also--that was SO not 30 minutes. The timer went off, and I smashed it and kept writing...eventually, when I looked up for air, I saw that it was nearly 4 and I should record what's happening. I think this was closer to an hour. I don't think all these words will work, but they're working now, and I can re-arrange them later.
- Session Three
- Starting word count: 74,105
- Ending word count: 74,888
- Total words for session: 783
- Total words for day: 2,298
- Total words since the beginning: 5,046
- Thoughts: That was actually thirty minutes, but I am a little sad I didn't hit the 1k mark with this session :)
- Session Four
- Starting word count: 74,888
- Ending word count: 75,614
- Total words for session: 726
- Total words for day: 3,019
- Total words since the beginning: 5,772
- Thoughts: Oh, yeah. I'm on a roll. Unfortunately, now I have to go cook supper. :(
Day Three: Friday
Writing done in thirty minute sessions, mostly.
- Session Zero: Well, I'm improving. I'm sitting to the computer at 11:20am--after a big breakfast that I hope can stave off lunch for awhile. I've got the pressure on me today--I'm determined to finish draft one by *today*. Will I make it? Eep!
- Session One
- Starting word count: 75,614
- Ending word count: 76,136
- Total words for session: 522
- Total words for day: 522
- Total words since the beginning: 6,294
- Thoughts: I couldn't move on with the chapter I left without fixing another chapter in the beginning. Literally, I'm on chapter 83 (they're short chapters, don't worry) and went back to chapter 10 to fix a detail--something that the character finds that relates back to the ending. I'd been stuck on how that Chapter 10 wasn't working (it was too obvious a clue, too easily found), and while this means I didn't really work on the ending I'm trying to reach, it meant that I did get further into the story.
- Session Two
- Starting word count:76,136
- Ending word count:76,844
- Total words for session: 708
- Total words for day: 1,230
- Total words since the beginning: 7,002
- Thoughts: Yay! Finished this chapter. In the next chapter, I get to kill someone! YAY! But first: lunch.
- Session Three
- Starting word count: 76,844
- Ending word count: 77,341
- Total words for session: 497
- Total words for day: 1,727
- Total words since the beginning: 7,499
- Thoughts: That was about 20 minutes, not 30. But I got to the end of the scene and realized: I'm at the denouement. The end of this chapter will reveal the bad guy; the next chapter has the motivations and methods--final battle--end. Wow. The end. I can see it--it really is like a light at the end of the tunnel. Right there in front of me.
- Session Four
- Starting word count:77,341
- Ending word count: 77,970
- Total words for session: 629
- Total words for day: 2,356
- Total words since the beginning: 8,128
- Thoughts: Can't stop now. More later.
- Session Five
- Starting word count:77,970
- Ending word count: 77,362
- Total words for session: -608
- Total words for day: 1748
- Total words since the beginning: 7,520
- Thoughts: Yup. Negative word count. I'm deleting things I knew would need to be deleted, but I can't seem to get this climax the way I want it...
- Session Six
- Starting word count:77,362
- Ending word count: 78,596
- Total words for session: 1,234 (COOL! 1234!!)
- Total words for day: 2,982
- Total words since the beginning: 8,754
- Thoughts: Got the climax done. And dude! I shot someone! That was totally a surprise. Not expecting to do that...
- Session Seven (11:37pm)
- Starting word count: 78,596
- Ending word count: 79,793
- Total words for session: 1,197
- Total words for day: 4,179
- Total words since the beginning: 9,951
- Thoughts: I have only one word for this whole experiment:
DONE!!!!!
That's it, folks! I've finished the rough draft of Book 2!!!!!!!!!
18 comments:
"Also, I'm at the stage where doing housework is more appealing that writing." That's when I KNOW I'm in trouble! hahaha
Good luck, Beth!
This is so interesting to read because I get so distracted as well! :) Good luck! I'm sure you'll do it!
*gets pom poms* Go Beth! :D
You can do it! I have faith in you. Just keep pushing yourself, you're practically there.
I'll have to keep track of my progress this weekend. What a great motivational tool.
Good luck, Beth!
It's good to know we all face this challenge. Yay, you, for posting honestly and for getting it done--one way or another.
Sometimes, I go for some time like this, especially when I know I've got a plot issue that's not resolved yet. Then it opens up again.
Good Luck Beth!
And I love the timer method, it really works for me, thanks for sharing it.
Wow, you go, girl!
Good luck on making your goal. I'm word counting the other way. Cutting.
I love this post, it feels so familiar! This is exactly the way I write -- distraction, shiny thing, quick bout of housework so I have the right environment, quick cuddle with dog, then 30 minute session of furious writing, then cup of tea, shiny thing, distraction, email, another 30 minute bout. They're productive when they come, though!
This was so cool to read. It makes me want to try my own live blogging thing....because I REALLY want to finish my WIP, but I think I am more that just 10k away.
Hmmm......
Shelley
P.S. Congratulations on being done!!
Shelley
Yay, congratulations on finishing! :D
This seems like such an effective method. Definitely do need to try it when writing my first draft. :)
Yeah! What a breakthrough.
Congrats on finishing book 2! Now for revisions. :)
I like this method of keeping track of each session. And I totally relate with the sudden surprise of events in writing. I do things I hadn't expected often.
I totally have to try the timer method. It's fun to watch you do it and see how productive you are. I'm going to try it, really I am, once I recover from the weekend...(I'm a parent, need I say more?)
Yay! You did it!! And look how hard you worked, even got through the roughest parts of wanting to do housework instead :P Congratulations!
Hey Beth, I thought this was incredibly cool, and I'm glad you shared it with us! It was inspiring to see you start with such a struggle and than go through the ups and downs I can remember experiencing, but come out the end with your ending finished. Awesome post!
-Mandy
Congratulations, Beth! I'm so happy for you!
p.s. the blog looks killer!
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