Monday, October 12, 2009

This book's not going to finish itself

Last week I wrote 17,000 words on Bell-Men. I haven't counted up this week so far, but the count is pretty low. I don't usually get a lot done on the weekends--I seem to feel I have lots of time left, and then suddenly it's Monday morning--but good grief. 1,000 words over the weekend? Pathetic.

I've got around 20,000 words to go on Bell-Men. If I knuckle down, I can have the draft finished in another week or ten days. And since I'm running out of October, that's good.

So here's my solemn pledge. Let me raise one hand in the air, solemnly. For the next week, or until the draft's done, my minimum wordcount per day is going to be 2,000 words. If I miss the wordcount, I have to write an extra 1,000 words the next day.

Oh, and I'm going to start tonight. Since I've only written around 500 words today, I'd better get to work. Only five hours until midnight.

17 comments:

Jamie Eyberg said...

That is pretty harsh. Good luck. My brain is so lucky I don't hold it to many standards anymore, mostly because my brain is lazy.

K.C. Shaw said...

My brain is lazy too. That's why I'm responding to your comment instead of writing right now, although I have managed to write 1,000 words since I posted. When I finish the other 1,000, I will reward myself with as much Desktop Tower Defense as I can stomach before bed.

LMEighmy said...

You should participate in 10K Day this coming Thursday. I haven't had much time to work on my own writing lately, so you can bet I'll be participating! :)

http://fearofwriting.com/blog/10k-day-for-writers/

K.C. Shaw said...

OMG, how perfectly serendipitous! Thanks for the link! I have Thursday off work, so I'm in for sure!

BT said...

Good Lord - 20K in a week! 10K in a day!

Good luck with that, seriously. I'm awed by your output.

My verification word seems unusally apt here - reasin (pronounced ree sin): The naughty time-wasting exercises writers use as excuses for not getting decent word counts done on their current work in progress.

:c)

K.C. Shaw said...

The perfect word verification! I like that. :)

I was able to get my 2,000 words written tonight no problem (in fact, I made it to 2,200). I'm not sure if I can do 10k on Thursday, but it'll be fun to try--and if I do manage it, I'll almost be done with the book! Woot!

Danielle Birch said...

Those are some serious words.

Aaron Polson said...

Rock on!

10K in a day? Marathon or death-sport? Yikes.

K.C. Shaw said...

Danielle--I'm sort of dreading the editing process for this one. There are huge chunks of the book that I haven't read after I wrote them. But I can edit in 2010. :)

Aaron--I probably won't manage 10k on Thursday, but even if I just pass 5k, I'll be that much further along than I am now.

Fox Lee said...

Write like the wind! Then treat yourself to something nice : )

Cate Gardner said...

I find setting daily word goals always helps and I'm sure you'll have no problem hitting 2,000 a day.

10k on Thursday!!! Maybe if we all write a 1,000 words each we can achieve it. :D

Alan W. Davidson said...

You're a slave driver, KC...You should be running your own company and whip your workers into productivity!

K.C. Shaw said...

Natalie--I'm thinking ice cream, even though it's cold out. Ice cream is always a motivator.

Cate--I can delegate my 10k. I just need nine other people to help and it'll be a cinch. :)

Alan--My employees would hate me and that would make me feel bad so I'd give them all raises and end up going out of business.

Unknown said...

books don't write themselves? crap. now what's a girl to do?

K.C. Shaw said...

I was hoping mine would. That's why I left it alone all weekend, but it didn't make any new words. :)

Paula RC said...

Go for it! I write early in the morning and at the weekend and find a little often does help to build up the word count.

Good luck with your book

K.C. Shaw said...

It adds up fast. I'm 6,000 words forrader than I was on Monday. :)