Another almost-average week… Here are my stats:
Story of G:
- New Draft Wordcount: 1,476
- Background Notes Wordcount: 0
Book of M:
- Background Notes Wordcount: 284 words
Grand Total: 1,760 words
I basically didn’t work on “The Bookof M” at all this week – at least not in a way that can be tracked by wordcount. I did a few sketches to help me get an idea of how an important part of the setting look. I had been considering using Google’s SketchUp to attempt to do something of a floor plan of one important environment – but I think if I go down that path I’ll very quickly get lost in playing with a new toy, having fun, and not making much writing progress. It’s very tempting to try it anyway. But, for now, I will resist.
As for “Story of G” – I’m really, really close. I’m on the last scene. Of course, sometimes that final scene can be one of the most difficult to write – trying to time everything just right. But by the end of Sunday or Monday I should have this story polished off – okay, well, not polished but at least done in the first draft.
I’d have gotten a lot more done this week, but again I lost a few of my writing days. One was lost to out-of-town family coming to visit (which of course is not something that happens every day) and another to more yard work that needed doing. And, as if you weren’t aware, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2” came out this weekend. It’s probably no surprise that Dear Wife and I went to see it.
All said, since I lost a good chunk of my normal writing time this week, I can’t complain, because I got a good amount done compared to the number of days I worked.
Well, that was my week in writing. How was yours?
The Undiscovered Author 
So close to done on Story of G! I’d be happy to beta read for you once you get to that stage. Just let me know if you need it.
I’ve been hitting it pretty hard word count wise, though there are places I have notes to do more research, and add names and such. I may be going camping (hence the push to write) which will put a dent in my record but it depends on the weather later this week. I’m at 19k (started July 1), but its very rough. I expect the edits will be quite involved – but I’ve got a little more practice at that part now so we’ll see how it goes.
I’m sure I will need it. “Story of G” is very rough, right now… Ah, camping. I haven’t been in too long. Dear Wife and I talk about it, but I guess we’re not sure yet if B.T. will be up to it. Either way, have fun!
Oh yes, SketchUp can suck you in that way…especially if you like figuring new things out.
This week I’m up to 47,700 words of the original manuscript edited down to 43,400 words…which means I’m not really cutting so much as I am improving these days. So I guess my novel just wants to stay longer! Yay… *mumbles about maintaining beasts*
Not the kind of progress I was hoping for this week, though I did have some difficulties deciding how to handle certain problematic sections before attacking them (the whole “plans not surviving the battlefield” dilemma and adjustments thereof). Also had to research a few tidbits that I realized may not be entirely accurate in the way I described them…which cuts into actual words edited, but I think it was worth it.
These past 4,300-ish words have required more work than most weeks’ words tackled, for some reason. I think it’s that Sappy Middle Syndrome, heh. (Good grief, no wonder they say to multiply your editing ETA by 5…)
Yes… yes I do like figuring new things out. I’m still so tempted to give SketchUp a shot… but it’s really not necessary, I realize. I’d never heard the “multiply by 5” adage… that’s curious. But yes, the middle – that’s where a lot of the work seems to need to go. The beginning and ending are usually, for me, fairly solid (though I suspect “Story of G” is going to strain that), but the middle often needs quite a bit of work, both structurally and sytlistically. But eventually you’ll break out of it and emerge into the light of day! 🙂
Well, this has been a pretty good week. Got a name for my WIP (“Throwing Stones” — not a reference to glass houses). Got the first chapter mostly done and ready for my helpful and excellent readers to take a crack at it. This is the first time I’ve had formal readers, so it’s exciting.
As I talk about on my blog, I’m not counting words as an achievement with this (not that I ever have before, either), because my main goal is trimming out the infodumps.
The next chapter is somewhat puzzling, since I’m now wondering if all the characters who were in the first draft are still necessary. I think I’ll keep them in for now and see how it goes.
Oh, is the Harry Potter movie out? I hadn’t heard. 🙂
Yeah, wordcount isn’t the best tracking metric when you’re doing editing, revising or rewriting, really. I haven’t figured out how to report my progress on that stage – when that stage next comes – and I’m not sure if I will, or if it’s worth it.
Sounds like a typical week – you got to live as well as write, and I think that’s incredibly important.
I just finished my current work-in-progress as well, and I’m here to say that while yes, the last scene is hard to write, remember that it’s something that will probably often change in the rewriting anyway.
I wish you the best of luck for the coming week!
For me, historically, I find that the middle changes more than the beginning or ending in rewrites. In this case, though, that may be different from my norm…