Radishes Gently Oscilate
I'm going to try and review early in the hopes that I'll get more done without a deadline - other than, you know, needed to sleep before I start hallucinating. So, another day of light blogging. Still working away though. Just on other things. My ghost file's shot well past 60k at this point and is closing in on 70. I feel like I should be draining that pool before it gets too fetid so maybe I'll finish some things up and slap up a post or two.
I read something on the NaNo boards (which are still hopping and if you're looking to get into writing feel free to stop on by because there's lots of advice and support there. Along with challenges - writing exercises, really - to motivate those of us who need a little push to get moving. Like me, for example. Anyhow, one of those challenges is called "20 weeks of writing" which, basically, consists of writing a set amount each week for, well, 20 weeks (Yeah, I don't know where they got the name from either) - 2.5k on a story and 1.5k total from three prompts. Prompts being, basically, writing exercises - a plot, a starting sentence, a style that you'll write in for a little bit, or whatever just to avoid the existential horror of the blank page. And that sounds like a pretty cool thing that I'd like to do. If, you know, I wasn't doing it already. Every day. Before I start working on my posts.
Yeah, I can write a lot so I tend to. Getting better on the quality is the next step but for right now I'm just focusing on getting myself to write and write and write until it becomes second nature. Probably not for everyone but, well, I'll let you in on a secret. I'm definitely going to be playing in the next NaNo round - next year - but I'm not going to be going for 50k. The bar maxes out at 200k. And I'm planning on pushing well past that mark. That's right, I'm aiming for 300k. That's 10k each and every day. It means I've got a lot of practicing to do, of course. But the funny thing is, I'm already hitting that pace day in and day out.
So, yeah, I'm feeling pretty confident right now because I was writing something and I think I nailed it. To the fucking ground. Exactly what I wanted to do with the piece I did. I mean, it's not going to go down in the history of great works or anything but every now and then it feels good to reach a new plateau.
I'll try and throw some stuff up later but there are a few more things I wanted to get done before I start posting in earnest again. I just know when I do I'll start worrying about my posts per day and all the other metrics. But don't worry, even though you can't see them yet they're coming. And they might even be good.
Outlook: I've got a hammer. Feels good.
[1] - 20 minutes.
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Dear Diary
4 comments:
It does feel great when you take something to the next level.
You plan on doing 10k EVERY day next year!!! You are crazy, but I can't wait to follow your progress.
Just remember that Nov is still a while away and you don't want to burn yourself out. But you know your limits.
I am going to link to your blog. Check out mine if you haven't already.
Definitely going to link back, it's on my to do list for the night, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.
Anyways, I am planning on 10k a day or the equivalent (I've already challenged one of the vaunted 200kers to a word race so I've got to aim high. She's a gamer, too and I'll never live it down if she gets the high score. But the thing is 10k is well within my abilities. I wrote my novel in five days and while I didn't count the words too closely (Or accurately, I thought I was a lot closer to the mark and I wound up being nearly 5k over.) that works out to 10k a day - and I know I started light and wrote more as the days wore on.
And, well, when I count up all the posts and e-mails and IMs and letters and everything else I write during every given day I get over 10k easily. And I'm not even trying all that hard (I blame it all on the typing classes I've taken. 90wpm is my fighting weight and I might even be getting better than that with all the practice I've been getting lately.) the trick is going to be focusing all that into one little novel.
Burnout's a concern, though, and I've already felt it more than once. But I deal with it not by fighting it. When I get tired and need a break, I take one if it's a few minutes or a matter of days. But when I get back I try and burn brighter still. Like I always say, when someone tells me my work sucks I don't get discouraged, I get better.
And that goes double when it's my reflection telling me I should quit.
Thanks for linking to my blog too! I like the tag line you gave me, I think I may use that if it is okay.
I will have to make a note so that I remember not to get into any word wars with you. 10k a day... you are a monster!
You're more than welcome to use the tag and anything else you might happen to like around here.
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