Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Live-Blogging, NaNo & Retreat Edition

As long-time readers know, occasionally I'll live-blog my writing. Basically, what this means is, I make a post and update it periodically throughout the day with stats on how much writing I've done. I usually do this to kickstart my butt in gear and get back on a roll after I've lost said roll.

For this particularly live-blog, I'll add this: I'm working on a NaNo novel. And while I had gotten up to 10k, I deleted back down to about 600 words and started over--it was the right thing to do, and I don't regret it, but darn, I need to get my wordcount way the heck up again. I *know* what needs to happen in this story, I've just not written it yet (like, not at all).

Also: I'm at a retreat! Yay! And this retreat is one with a huge focus on work (as opposed to, you know, drinking), which means even more I SHOULD BE WRITING. But I'm two days down, and haven't touched the NaNo book yet. (Day 1 = travel, Day 2 = finishing up something super secret that you don't get until January.)

Long story short: TODAY I AM GOING TO BEAST THAT NANO NOVEL.

So! Stats!

Word Count At Start of the Day: 3699

Round One: 3699 words.
Time: 10am
Status: I've basically finished the opening scenes, where everything gets set into motion. Now it's time to push my character into accepting her fate and going off to ADVENTURE!

Round Two: 3919 words
Time: 10:30
Status: I wrote a paragraph, then checked email. Sigh. I'm going to have to turn off the internet, aren't I?

Round Three: 4399 words
Time: 10:47
Status: Okay! Boring stuff of getting the character from Point A to Point B is done. Now for fun things! I CAN DO THIS!

Oops.
Time: 11:09
Status: I got an email from Lush, and then I went shopping, and now there's $100 worth of bubble bath in my online cart and no more words on my manuscript.

Round Four: 4852 words
Time: 11:27
Status: I had to stop in order to research sheep. Yes, really.

Round Five: 5420 words
Time: 11:46
Status: Yes! Getting back into the groove. I've decided that if I hit 10k words by the end of the night, I get to actually buy that $100 worth of bubble bath in my Lush cart. Carrot, meet stick.

Round Six: 5642 words
Time: 12:05
Status: Lunch! And then describing the hot new boy character! Yay!

Round Seven: 5903 words
Time: 12:56
Status: Lunch is OVER, time for SRS BSNSS.

Round Eight: 6837 words
Time: 1:23
Status: Chapter finished. Yes! Now for some MAGIC.

Round Nine: 7349
Time: 1:46
Status: I need Goldfish crackers in order to survive. That is all.
...15 minutes later...
I wish I had the Jedi Force, and could make the Goldfish crackers just float to me...

Oops.
Time: 2:33
Status: Well, I got my goldfish crackers. Also? You know what's fun? Not working. Also, the Internet.

Round Ten: 7757
Time: 3:08
Status: Ugh. I think I need a break. Right? I'm taking a break. That swimming pool looks nice...

Round Eleven: 7757
Time: 4:44
Status: Mmmm, swimming was nice. So. I have to get to 10k before I go to bed in order to get all those Lush goodies. Hm. I think it's worth it...? (Also: WOO! NY Times list was announced and Laini Taylor and Carrie Ryan both listed--YAY!)

Status: After a delicious dinner, I spent the evening talking with my friends at the retreat. This is the best part of retreats, and the reason I go to so many: days are spent focused on words with other people also focused on words. Evenings are spent talking, and it's great fun. I always learn something new, I always find out about books I'd not known of before, and I always come away with astounding memories.

Word Count At End of the Day: 8829

3 comments:

barmybex said...

That is impressive so far! you're doing well, keep it up! I need to get a shift on today. :D

ivanova said...

Way to go! You can do it!

Unknown said...

Sounds like phenomenal progress to me! Thank you for live blogging your day--it's comforting to know I'm not the only one who is incapable of staying completely focused :)