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1000 a Day May

Kate

Troubadour
I mentioned in the 50k for June thread that I was having a warm up month, writing 1000 words a day, every day, in May.

A couple of others have decided to join me, so rather than clog up the June thread, I thought it would be best to have 1000 a Day May dedicated area.

And it's extra cool because there's a rhyme. :cool:

So. Day 6. Bring it on!
 

Kate

Troubadour
Day 7. Kind of cheated today and did a lot of editing, cutting and pasting and rearranging of what I've already written. I've written around 1000 words, though i've trashed around 4000 so I'm not sure if it counts. I decided last night that my story would be better shifted a year or so back in time to make it more of an "origin" piece, rather than going into all of this back story and flashback since that was the more interesting part anyway. I haven't deleted the 4000, they might come in handy for a sequel (jumping the gun much?)
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
I'm going well so far. Am about to embark on a new scene now actually. And as to what you wrote in the other thread about quality, I could wonder the same about mine. But that's okay, we're writing and that's what counts. Lots of time to edit later. And now, hehe. I've cut out a bunch of mine too, but meh, count what you write, not what you cut out. It's all going towards making the book awesome anyways. And good idea to keep it in case it's useful for the sequel ^_^
 

Kate

Troubadour
You're exactly right - the writing is what counts. And I think the daily exercise of sitting don to write is just as important as the growing word count.
Glad you're going well so far. :) How did your new scene go?

I was back on track today with my WIP. Think I've made the right decision in shifting it back in time a bit too. It also means a few less characters so I think that's a good thing too.

Who else is cracking along with their 1000 words a day? Anyone writing more than that?
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
It went well, just finished it actually ^_^ And am a bit over the word count, which is yay cause I'm never good at these things. I also just entered the first 50 pages of the manuscript into this Penguin scholarship comp, so I'm really motivated to keep writing in case I get short listed (and even if I don't, getting rejected makes me think about why, which always gives me a bunch of ideas, so can't complain about that).

Sounds like a good idea that you moved it back in time, I agree. Someone once said that if you've got too many flashbacks, you probably haven't started your story early enough. Good luck!
 

Kate

Troubadour
Oooh, that Penguin scholarship looks really great! Glad you're on onto a good thing with your WIP. How goes Day 9?

I had a great morning today, did almost the whole 1000 in a single bound before getting a bit stuck on exactly how I wanted to push this new character I've created. He's such a jerk.
I'm at a bit of a loss for tomorrow already. I alwasy like to leave a writing session at a point where I could keep writing, so I can pick up that momentum the next day. I'm in between scenes now, and haven't planned anything in advance so looks like I'll just be diving in blind.
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
Thanks ^_^ I missed Day 9, but have been on track since then, so yay. This was such a good idea.

How did you go with your writing when you didn't have anything planned?
 

Kate

Troubadour
Day 13 and going well. I think it's been a good idea too. I'm really starting to get somewhere in this now... Not exactly sure where that is, but it's somewhere!

There have been a couple of 'seat of my pants' days so far. A new character, adding an entirely new dimension to an existing character paradigm has been one good thing. And discovering another character isn't human. Not sure what that means yet, but it'll be something cool.

I'm at that point now where the beginning is winding up and we're getting into the meat of Act 2. I hate that part. I find it's the hardest place to write and usually give up around this point. Not this time though!

How are you going?

And p.s, I just noticed that you're from Brisbane. I'm not 'from' there precisely - not 'from' anywhere- but I do call it home and will move back in about 18 months (and counting). Where are you based?
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
Somewhere is always better than nowhere, so good work ^_^ Ooh new characters are always fun (I've introduced three actually, and never thought I'd find them so interesting so quickly), and that is quite awesome to discover someone wasn't human. You mind me asking what your story is about?

And hehe yeah I find the middle really hard myself. That's what I'm working on now. And it occurred to me (though it's somewhat obvious I know) that if I keep this up, my book will be at 100k works in 30 days. That's crazy and scary. I'm so determined to do it, but also a little nervous as to what I'll end up with. I'm going well though. Hitting target about every second day, which is better than usual, so I'm happy. There are lots of gaps now where I have no idea what will happen, but it's fun trying to work it out. Just praying I don't get stuck.

Where do you live now? And I plan to move to Melbourne sometime in the next few years, but hopefully I'll be around long enough to say hello when you do come back to Brisbane ^_^ Also, in case you didn't notice (lols cause there are so many Fodwocekts out there), I followed you on Twitter. Oh and Starconstant says she knows you from Nano. Can't wait for our next attempt in June!
 

Kate

Troubadour
It's not happening for me today at all. I blame this cracking headache :( I have managed to make a few planning and revision notes, so that helps I suppose. Not to bad, not making target 1 day out of 14.

100k is MASSIVE! Well done (in advance). I'm aiming for around 75/80 as a rough draft, hoping to polish it into about 65k. What's your WIP?

My project is an urban fantasy with a few different interconnecting story lines, but predominately it's about a woman who is sort of a shapeshifting jaguar (I say sort of because I'm not using the the usual shapeshifting paradigms, but that's as close as I can explain it at this point), the cryptozoologist who's been tracking her, and the detective investigating a murder that she's linked to.

I've been based in small town Western Australia for a few years now. Not much to do here but write. I only recently clicked on who you are - I've been dropping by your very cool website for a while now. Good stuff!
Yep, Starconstant and I have been Nanoing together for a few years now. I'm also really looking forward to June. And I thought May was proving tough!
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
Yeah that's still definitely something to be proud of. And I hope your headache is gone by now ^_^

Ooh that sounds quite interesting, and different too. Did she do it? Or is that asking for a spoiler?

Hehe I've been told by quite a few people that living in the middle of nowhere is good for writing, cause as you said, there's nothing better to do. I don't know if I could do it though. And aww thanks, I'm glad you like the site ^_^

Me too, I love all these excuses to write, and yeah she's lovely.

Yeah 100k is indeed massive, and I'm getting the feeling I won't even be done by then. I don't want to compromise the story for the sake of a word count, but at the same time don't want it to be too long. Oh well, there's always the editing process to fix that.

As for what I'm writing, I do usually write fantasy like you guys, but this is an old story I've been writing for years that I want to finish, and it's not fantasy or sci fi or anything like that. It's set in a country I created (but it's still in this world, the way Springfield is in America but no one knows where). The story is basically about three good people who through a series of events become terrorists. I want to show that people don't start out evil or murderers, that they can be driven to it. Odd as it may sound, the story is a Buffy like mix of comedy, drama and tragedy. And no idea what genre it would fall into.
 

Kate

Troubadour
Your work sounds pretty interesting. Anything that can be described as "Buffy like" is always fine by me!

You make a good point about compromising the story for the sake of a word count. It's easy to get carried away with numbers when doing these kind of set word count challenges (something I learn every November!), so it is important to sit back from time to time and take stock of the words you're writing, as well as how many of them there are.

Yes, she killed him. But he wasn't human when she did, so it's ok. Our hero cop lady doesn't know that yet though..... Not really a spoiler as this is all happening very early on in the story.
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
Hehe thanks ^_^ I'm really excited today, I didn't write my thousand words yesterday, but I somehow went on this brainstorming session of pure win, and how I've plotted out the whole previously missing middle section of the book. And it all just fits. Yaaaaaaaaay!

That's true. As you say, it can all be done in occasional editing (rather than obsessive editing like I can tend to do), and then some hardcore editing later. My biggest problem has always been finishing things though, so I think goals like this are totally worth it.

Ooh interesting. Haven't read a word, but I love situations like that, so I'm picturing all these ways the cop can find out, and how she'll act before she does know the truth. Awesome ^_^
 

Kate

Troubadour
That's great! Good on you :D

I'm kind of stuck at the moment.... I've made some fundamental character changes which have really altered the course of the plot, so I'm really not sure which way is up. The last week I was just writing, writing, writing seeing what happened, but I think doing that lead me down some fairly typical plot progressions - YAWN! so I think some major brainstorming is in store for tonight/tomorrow.

I too am notorious for not finishing stuff. I get these new ideas which all sound so shiny and faultless, and can't seem to function until I start working on them. Really trying not to do that with this WIP, I REALLY want to finish it! And finish it properly.
Which is why I'm keen to keep doing these word count challenges, but also want to make sure I keep on track and not end up with a big pile of cliche blah at the end.

I took last weekend off, but other than that, 1000 words a day have been really, really helping tame this beast of a thing. And having someone doing the same thing, really helps to. So thanks for playing!
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
No problem, thank you too ^_^ This is the most I've written in a long time, and the most new plot planning I've done in years. It's a really, really awesome idea, and while it does require a careful balance of quality and quantity, I think we can totally do it.

And it sounds like you're at a stage where you need to let it sit, just for a few days even, or as you said, brainstorm. I did that again today, and it's all falling into place. I have no doubt the same will happen for you!
 

Kate

Troubadour
Of course we can do it!

I'm in the middle of a giant brainstorm right now (which is probably why I'm posting on forums and doing lots of things besides brainstorming). I'm working a few things through, but creating all sorts of troubles for myself. I guess that's a good thing though, if I can't work out character's motivations at this point then there's probably not a lot of hope of writing a credible character to begin with. Back to the notebooks.........

Glad your planning is going so well. Create!
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
I don't know, sometimes time away can sort all those things out, so don't give up if you can't do it now.

And hehe yeah I have planned wonderfully, but instead of writing I've been running around taking photos and making tiny leprechaun outfits. But back to it today, cause I'm really liking this feeling of actually getting writing done.
 

Kate

Troubadour
Please tell me they're for actual tiny leprechauns!

Urgh. Today was impossible! Well, metaphorically impossible. I reached the 1000 words eventually (word count checking every five minutes). It's awful though, and going to be a real slog to edit later. It was a tense scene, leading up to an exciting action bit. I expected it to just coming rolling out of my head as exciting bits tend to do, but it just didn't happen. Oh well, at least I know what's happening in the scene now. Perhaps trying to figure that out in detail was inhibiting the flow. Or perhaps today just sucked.

Yesterday was super dooper all kinds of cool. So, can't complain.
 

Fodwocket

Minstrel
Hehe this is the photo: Seems no one was safe. #rapturebomb on Twitpic

Basically the jacket and the pot of gold are from a little dancing leprechaun hamster I own, and the rest I made from felt and foamies ^_^

Ahh well, that sucks you put all that effort in and it didn't work out, but yeah sometimes it's worth it to get it right in your head. You said you're close to finishing on Twitter - so that must be a nice feeling either way.

I haven't written anything yet today, have spent last night and today choosing pics for my characters (is something me and Starconstant do for fun). Am finally happy with them too (and also somewhat amused by my last choice, which is both stupid and awesome).
 

Kate

Troubadour
Very cool!

The "finished" story I was gabbling about yesterday was a short story. This WIP, a novel, is waaaaaaay away from being done. Although I noticed on that Scrivener Stats bar this morning, I had officially passed the 25% mark. So that's a milestone I s'pose.

How does this choosing pictures for your characters work? Famous people?
 
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