Like many
writers, I keep track of the number of words I write each day. I have a chart blue-tacked
to the wall, with columns for each day and weekly totals. Today I finished
filling in the details on yet another page of that chart. When I looked back
over the chart, the last four pages had numbers in every box: I had written on
every day since August 22, 2011, that’s 812 days in a row.
writers, I keep track of the number of words I write each day. I have a chart blue-tacked
to the wall, with columns for each day and weekly totals. Today I finished
filling in the details on yet another page of that chart. When I looked back
over the chart, the last four pages had numbers in every box: I had written on
every day since August 22, 2011, that’s 812 days in a row.
During those
116 weeks I wrote 257,070 words, an average of 316 per day. Most of those words
were for the novel I am currently writing. I have added words to that
manuscript on every day since the beginning of last November.
116 weeks I wrote 257,070 words, an average of 316 per day. Most of those words
were for the novel I am currently writing. I have added words to that
manuscript on every day since the beginning of last November.
So I am keeping
at least one writing goal of writing every day. But I would be a lot happier if
it was 1,000 words a day. The only day during the past two and a bit years when
I was close to not writing happened just two Monday’s ago, when a kidney stone
made sitting at the computer very painful.
at least one writing goal of writing every day. But I would be a lot happier if
it was 1,000 words a day. The only day during the past two and a bit years when
I was close to not writing happened just two Monday’s ago, when a kidney stone
made sitting at the computer very painful.
As Norman Mailer says: a real writer produces work even on bad days.
The Novel
So how is
my epic novel going? I am currently writing chapter 103. A few months back I
thought I was very close to the end, but then one of the characters screamed
out for help. It took a while to work out how to save her. I then expected to
quickly finish writing the novel, but one final twist, which could result in an
even better ending, came to me. I estimate I have around 6,000 words to add to
the 204,000 I have written.
my epic novel going? I am currently writing chapter 103. A few months back I
thought I was very close to the end, but then one of the characters screamed
out for help. It took a while to work out how to save her. I then expected to
quickly finish writing the novel, but one final twist, which could result in an
even better ending, came to me. I estimate I have around 6,000 words to add to
the 204,000 I have written.
At least I
will have something to edit.
will have something to edit.
Divine
My latest
article, Healing Words, went up on Divine last Friday week. After I had finished
writing that article, I had no idea what to write next. The dread of running
out of ideas seeped in, but then an idea popped into my head, one that would
require a lot of research. Luckily, another idea came after reading about a
new technology on the web. And yet another idea came from watching the local
news. The first idea concerns music, and the last idea was health related. I
have pitched two of the ideas to the editor and she has said yes. I plan to
write the one on technology in the coming week.
article, Healing Words, went up on Divine last Friday week. After I had finished
writing that article, I had no idea what to write next. The dread of running
out of ideas seeped in, but then an idea popped into my head, one that would
require a lot of research. Luckily, another idea came after reading about a
new technology on the web. And yet another idea came from watching the local
news. The first idea concerns music, and the last idea was health related. I
have pitched two of the ideas to the editor and she has said yes. I plan to
write the one on technology in the coming week.
If you
were wondering, the pain from the kidney stone caused me to call a doctor for a
late night home visit and a pain killing injection, but a few hours later the
pain was back and I went to the local hospital’s emergency department.
Fortunately, the hospital was very quiet at 4am and after some morphine, and a
few hours sleep in a hospital bed and then at home, I passed the kidney stone. I was then once more happy to inhabit my body.
0 Responses
So impressed with your work ethic Graham – that's an amazing achievement – not just the word count (three novels?) but to keep at it every day, despite your health issues and travelling and writing for Divine.
Editing is going to be fun!
Good louck with editing that Graham! A task beyond all tasks… and like Anthony said, perhaps you have a trilogy there…?
Anthony and Chris, you can expect a whole lot of posts about editing and redrafting in the not too distant future.