WIP 2 - 10K Mark

Small steps certainly do add up. Since starting WIP 2 on March 1st, I have kept up with daily goals, and so now the book has reached 10K mark, which I am very happy about. If I stick to my word count, then by end of March, I should reach 20K. Well, my goal is 19500, but I will try for 20K anyway. 

While I have been writing this WIP, I have incredible urge to do a hand-written first draft. The main reason is because this is a half-and-half. I am writing whatever I can during my commute in the morning on a notepad, then I type it up. It seems bit of a waste of time, because I am not editing at this point, simply auto-typing the words. But I feel that since I have already got this WIP going on computer, I don't want to stop typing up. 

However, I might try writing a next WIP first draft only by hand, and see how that works out. I have never done that. It's always been bit of a mix and match. 

Anyway, so at this rate, I am hoping to get first draft finished by end of July. 

How are your WIPs coming along?

New Guest Post Series Coming Up

Since I am in the middle of editing, it is natural that editing is in forefront of mind. I like to read about it. I like to talk about it. And on good days, I like to do it as well.

 

So I am going to have some wonderful guest bloggers here - all published writers from different backgrounds, which includes fiction, non-fiction, freelance, poetry etc. - to talk about their editing methods, or their editing loves and hates.

The series is titled: All About Editing

First post, coming up this Friday 

I hope you will find it informative and entertaining.

Writing Vs. Typing (Paper Vs. Computer)

When I decided to start writing the first draft of my new WIP, I had an interesting experience. I opened a new file in MS WORD. I typed: Chapter 1.

Then I sat there.

I look at the screen. Hovered my fingers above the keys. I knew what was supposed to happen in that scene. But I didn't know how to start. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to type anything. If I type something that doesn't seem like the right beginning, the words would be on the screen, staring at me, yelling to be deleted and replaced. So I gave it a few minutes. Then shut the file down, opened up a notepard, and started with - Chapter 1.

This time, there was no hesitation. If something didn't feel right, crossing it out with a pen, and moving on, seemed much easier and much less stressful than the wide screen glaring at me.

Once the words were there, I could type rest of the words directly on the computer.

But that led me to think about all the other times. Sometimes, I am clearly affected by my mood. Words would flow on paper, but they would not flow on screen. And at other times, they would flow on the screen, but not on paper.

However, when it comes to brainstorm or writing without thinking or especially new beginning, I definitely prefer to write on paper. It is strange, I agree. It is much much easier to delete words on computer than to cross out or throw away pieces of paper. Yet for me, writing on paper (regular notepads, not nice journals) gives me the freedom to treat it as a first draft, or a rough draft, or brainstorm.

For this particular novel, I am sometimes writing straight onto computers, but at other times on a notepad, and then transferring things later. The practice, while takes more time, is handy because that means I can sometimes get part of the writing done during my commute if I feel like it, and make some progress towards my daily goal. And again, it's about freedom. Even though I have a netbook, I would feel pretty silly opening it and writing 200 words and that's it. Whereas on a notepad, I can write a paragraph or two, close it, and still feel good about the progress.

What about you? Are you on one extreme between the choices of paper or computer? Are you completely flexible? Or bit random like me?

WIPs Update

WIP 2 

Word count has reached 5K+ mark, so that's progress. I am happy to say that I have stuck to my daily goals - 500 words on weekdays, and 1000 words on Saturday and Sunday. Quite low, but realistic word count for my otherwise full schedule. 

Currently I am at the beginning of the book, and for these initial scenes I did have some outline of what's supposed to happen, so real challenge will begin when I go further into the novel, and haven't managed to work out the nitty-gritties. 


WIP 1

Editing continues. I do need to spend much more time on this. I make a point of doing at least a little bit everyday, but it certainly needs much more intense sessions. Hoping to make that happen over the coming weekend. What I have found is that I have good times and bad times. Some times I really get into editing, and then I enjoy it, and take pleasure in going over every line and improving it. At other times, I get too impatient and just make superfluous changes - not a very good thing, since I know I have to go over it again. 

But over all, productivity continues so that's the main thing. 

How are things going with your WIPS? 

Why We Write

I ORIGINALLY WROTE THIS FOR A GUEST POST AT VISIONS OF ARHYALON IN 2010. I DON'T BELIEVE I EVER SHARED IT HERE. BUT THIS IS A TOPIC CLOSE TO MY HEART, SO SHARING IT NOW. 

What Keeps You Going?

It’s funny being a part-time writer. It’s a dream. A step above hobby. A future career. But currently, it’s something that doesn’t pay the bills, only takes the time and effort. Lots and lots of effort.

If you are a paid writer, it’s your job. You know you have to write, or you may not have food on the table next month. But when you are not a paid writer, and the dream seems quite a long way away, weeks and months pass by, and the sense of urgency sometimes flails.

So what do you do to keep going?

It is the question I asked myself last week. I don’t believe in writer’s block. At least it’s never been the case for me. I don’t run out of ideas. Yet, recently I did have few weeks when I did barely any work on my editing. It could be for a number of reasons – reasons for not doing it are not important. What’s important is to remember why we do it. A few weeks away reminded me that the story did not get out of my head; my characters remained as close to me as ever, and as I found joy reading books written by others, it reminded me that it was what I wanted to achieve with my own book.

Writing is not about hobby, or about a career. It is something that brings out my wildest imagination and my most rational thoughts; it brings out my dreams and my nightmares; it brings out who I wish I was and who I never want to be. It is a tool that can create and destroy worlds….and when one wants to do a job as powerful and as amazing as this, hardships and trials are to be expected, because the end result would be all the more sweeter for all the hard work.

So I keep going because I am a writer. It is not what I do. It is what I am.

What about you?

The Perfect Outline Trap & A New WIP

I have been going on about how much I like a proper outline, and what wonders it has done for my no holes WIP that I am currently editing. I still hold to that. But I have also discovered a pit-fall, from rather painful, time wasting experience.

For several months now, I have been working on an outline. Granted, I worked on more than one WIP, deciding which one to work on. But it was taking longer than I had anticipated, because what I wanted was a completely detailed outline. I know the beginnings, I vaguely know the endings, but I don't know everything that would happen in the middle, and how it would all be tied together. I was hoping to sort that out in the outline.

I was aware that while I was doing this, of course I wasn't writing. I told myself, that's okay. I need to spend some time on the outline, so story will be better for it from the beginning. So I carried on. But after two months, and not much to show for it, I see how much time I have wasted. Two months of not writing new words - that's not exactly an ideal writer, is it? At least, it is not for me.

So the wake-up call came, as it often does with me, abruptly. The thoughts usually marinate, niggle in my head for a while, and then one day - BOOM! I realise what the hell I have been doing. And need to do something about it.

I made the decision to start writing. Now. Start with whatever fragmented plans I have, and work on it as I go. Even if it means writing a Draft Zero, doing an Outline, and then rewriting it. It doesn't matter. What is important is writing, because only by writing, I can discover and improve on my processes. Theories are all very well, but without application, I cannot know what I have learned.

So I started my new Fantasy WIP on the 1st of March. (See the word-counter to the right) It's going to be a part of my March Writing Challenge. And I look forward to discovering what this process teaches me. But now that I have started writing, the thrill of discovering what happens is back, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to start a story!

What about you? Do you spend months and months without new words, or are you always writing something? Does editing, planning, etc. take over creating new stories?

March Writing Challenge

In honour of my new WIP, to get things moving, I am doing a March Writing Challenge. As I am editing a book, as well as doing other stuff (life happens), I have decided on what I believe are realistic goals for me.

500 words every day from Monday to Friday
1000 words on Saturday and Sunday

I started this on 1st of March, so if I stick to it (and of course I shall), by 31st of March I will be at least 19500 words into my new WIP.

This challenge is also a part of working for a more balanced approach in life, as I generally tend to go in frezny over one goal and end up neglecting all the other goals. This is a normal pace that *could* be sustained along with all the other things I need to do.

I will more than likely carry this challenge over in other months as well, but for now starting with March.

Feel free to join me, and if you are not participating in this exact challenge, do you have regular writing goals? Are you a word-counter or page counter, or scene counter? Wordcount goals work for me, so I am sticking to them.

Happy Writing!