07 April 2011

How it Began...

I have started and not completed more novels than I care to admit.

Lately, I have been considering going back to school, as one thing I always wanted  to accomplish was to earn a college degree. (If you are in college or just out of high school, and people are telling you that "taking a break" from school is a bad idea - even if you think it is just for a semester or just for a year - listen to them!)

Unfortunately, doing so does not make sense for me and my family financially right now. So, as the time for my mid-life crisis approaches (ha!), I have been looking around for other unfullfilled dreams to accomplish. Think about it, if I can't afford college, then I can't afford a sports car either, so I gotta come up with something else.

I believe I am finally at a point in my life where I have enough confidence in my ability as a creative story teller and a writer to do this one thing that has been gnawing at me since I was a child. SO! I took a weeks vacation from work to get going with it.

Funny, I had a few nice little day dreams where I would write 10k words a day and finish a whole novel in those 9 days (I planned on using weekends too!).

Yea - how many of you think I was able to accomplish that? (See that last sentence? That's me hoping someone actually reads this someday).

Nope - didn't happen. After 5 days I amat about 16K words. I'm not sure why I am so fascinated with how many words I have typed... I guess I think it isn't complete until I hit a certain mark, but really it's done when it's done. If it takes 70K or 100K words, thats what it is. (I have been shooting for 80K - we will see...)

Anyway that's where I am this morning - hoping I will hit 20K today. Once I go back to work my time is a bit more limited. But strangely, even though I have all day (minus the seemingly unavoidable distractions), I think I am only getting done as much writing as I probably would in a few hours a day.

I think I could be done in a few months if I commit to doing at least 1500 words a day after I go back to work. There is a mountain of editing and rewriting ahead of me - and much to my surprise, I think I am really looking forward to it. The story seems to solidify more each time I look back over a section and make some changes/improvements.

I'm curious if this process and the amount of writing I am getting done in a day is typical.  Is there even really a typical amount?

Well - thanks for listening... And for being my silent therapist on this matter!

5 comments:

  1. I too have started and stopped a dozen or more novels, and am currently working on one "for real" this time. I know what you mean about how you seem to get less work done when you have a whole stretch of time in which to do it, versus when you only have an hour or two a night. I'm a new follower from Book Blogs, looking forward to reading more!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am not a book writer but I write a blog. Believe me it all requires a tremendous amout of time no matter what you do. I spend many many hours per week just on my blog with reviewing books and interviews, guest blogs, giveaways, etc. I correspond with many authors and I have seen it takes a tremndous amount of time to write a book. Most of them work a full time job in addition to writing. Just check on Fb and twitter. you will see. Most of them spend months writing towards one goal. Anyway, enough of that. I am following your blog. I hope you will check out mine. I review all genres of books. http://vampirekiss1967.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Awesome blog ;) I had a daydream of writing books fast too, then editing got in the way LOL! I LOVE the way you write. ;)

    I'm following.

    ecwrites.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I know the feeling that it is hard to write, life gets in the way. I, personally, have found that deadlines work wonders. National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org) has worked wonders for me. You commit to writing 50K words in 30 days - and thousands of other people are doing it too. I managed to write 2 novels in the last 2 years!! They need tons of editing, but they are written.
    I found your blog from Book Blogs. Thanks for the email. I will definitely follow.
    http://coreenamcburnie.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hello there! Following from Book Blogs hope you can follow me as well :)

    Jessie D
    Reader Between The Covers.

    ReplyDelete