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Friday, October 15, 2010

Live Blogging Friday

Okay, so I am trying to finish a book this weekend. Taking a page from blog friend and awesome author Beth Revis, (who got the idea from PJ Hoover) I decided to try a series of timed writings.

Yikes.

So, first I am going to count up and see exactly where my word count is right now, so I can figure out how many word I get written in each session. The sessions will be 3o minutes, I think.

My current total is 38, 448. This is a middle grade book that I think will come in at around 48,000, however, I'd take anything form 45,000 to 52,000. Just depends on where the story goes.

So, I'm going to refresh my tea and get going. See you in half an hour.

Timed Writing #1

30 minutes

Word count- 430 (lame)

New Total-38,878

Comments: Hmmm. It was really hard to get started. Don't think the voice was where it needs to be, but I got all freaked out that I wasn't starting that I just starting typing kind of cruddy sentences...but the flow came after a bit.

Realized that I have recently introduced a character that I NEVER, EVER described. Good thing Joanna (my agent) hasn't read it or she'd kill me.

I am going to eat the breakfast burrito Sean just brought me, wash last night's dishes, row on the rowing machine and make a batch of banana bread. I think I'll try another timed writing in about an hour.

11:05 The bread making and kitchen cleaning and rowing and burrito eating took a little longer than I thought, but oh well. At least if I have nothing but 430 words and some banana bread to show for the day, it will be a day well spent. And here's a tip: Don't leave dishes for the next day...ewwww.

About ready to start, but am stifling a HUGE urge to net-surf....need to check hotwire for a hotel room price....*points finger at self* NO! Today is not a surf day. It is an industrious day!

Going off to set timer.

Timed Session #2

30 minutes

Word count: 646 (better)

total: 39,542

Comments: Flowed faster this time. Wrote up the description but not quite certain where I am going to put it. Am tempted to go again, right now while the fingers are feeling festive. However, I do have to get to the grocery store....and shower still.....Heck, I'm going for it!

Timed Session #3

30 minutes

Word count: 636 (Maybe I can't get much more than this in half an hour...?)

Total 40,163

Comments: Yikes! The back! Too much time in chair in same position!! Definitely time to get up and move around. I am not sure about the pace of the story right now. Am I going to fast? am I dragging it out? I need to think a bit before I rush ahead. Shower and grocery store, then I'll try again.

Timed Session #4

15 minutes (Real Life has reared its demanding head...quiet house gone. Must pick up children.....only a quickie)

Word count: 233 (And lucky to get it!)

Total: 40, 396

Comments: Wow...the afternoon totally escaped from me. And the evening won't ease up until after 8. Going to bring my notebook with me and do a by-hand-timed-session and see how it goes.

Timed Session #5

15 minutes

Word count: 187 (Was it really worth it?)

Total:40,583

Comments: so tired.......probably shouldn't have tried this last one....might just be crud. Will check in the morning.

Total for day: 2,132 (Not bad, but tomorrow will have to be higher if I plan to finish this weekend.)

16 comments:

Shannon Messenger said...

Ooo--good luck with this! I've thought of doing it myself. But...then I might have to hold myself accountable and actually work. *shudder* :)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

yay! Good luck! :-)

storyqueen said...

Shannon-I have to hold myself accountable since I stayed home from work (had a brief drs. appt) so if I waste the day, I'm going to be so tweaked. You better be careful or I am going to dare you to do it!!

Shannon-Yes!! Please!! Keep sending luck! (the dishes are really gross.)

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

The banana bread will do the trick. :D
Go. Go. Go. Actually, I'm already impressed with the determination of doing a timed writing.

Janet Johnson said...

Great idea! I might need to do this.

And yummmm . . . banana bread. You're not adding chocolate chips, are you? :D

Stasia said...

Wow. This is neat! I may pull out the egg timer this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration and take care of your back :) - Stasia

Sherrie Petersen said...

The funny thing is, I totally remember Beth doing this! Good luck with the writing today :)

Anonymous said...

haha I loved reading this. You're so funny :o) mmmmm banana bread.

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Great post...Almost 2,000 words. WTG!

Lenny Lee said...

hi miss shelly! yikes! this sounds just to organized for me. for me its pretty hard to say ok now youre gonna sit down and write for 30 minutes and count how much words you wrote. i just like writing when it feel like it and sometime i write for a real long time and sometimes for just a little time and i dont count words. im hoping this could work out for you. maybe older people are lots more organized. i guess im just a scattered writer. ha ha.
...hugs from lenny

PJ Hoover said...

That sounds like an awesome writing day, Shelley! I'm glad it worked for you.

Myrna Foster said...

I remember Beth doing this too. She was drinking some kind of soda that I'd never heard of. I think it's a great idea. You got a lot done!

Catherine Denton said...

Dying to know if you reached your deadline.

I love my timer, so timed writing sounds inspiring. I've done that before with Dr. Wicked's Write or Die; maybe I should go back.
Making Life a Work of Art!

Jackee said...

That was cool--thanks, Shelley! I'm going to have to try it now. :o)

Anne Spollen said...

Interesting idea, but when I tried this, I kept looking at the clock as though I were in some kind of race and I couldn't focus on the actual story.

As you said, "the flow" didn't flow for me, and when all was said and done, it read horribly.

But writing "experiments" are fun to try out.

Julie Dao said...

WOW! I hope it went well for you! I need to try this sometime but I don't have much willpower :(