Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Mid week pep talk.

Day four, how's everyone feeling? Have you looked at those word meters? Damn, ladies, when you add them all together that's some serious wordage! As the meters stand now we've done over 100,000 words collectively. Everybody pat yourself on the back, job well done. Whether you're one of the few with the large number or the ones, like me with a small one, makes no difference because it's the actual writing that we're after. Besides, every time I look at one of those large ones I get the tingly feeling in my tummy and I know I can do that too. Then the fingers get tapping and my total goes up.
I've been MIA, but I have seen some action, even with the drugs I was on for the pain I managed to get over 2,000 words done on Monday. It's just a shame I'm not writing a fantasy novel because I gotta tell ya, those drugs produced some interesting words. LOL The whole lot went in the trash bin Tuesday after I read it, laughed my ass off until I cried and tried really hard to work out what the hell I was thinking. Even though I've no intention of adding those words to my total they weren't a waste. They kept me going when the body wasn't so willing. I was going to say the mind was willing but I'm not so sure what the mind was willing to do. In fact one paragraph had me so confused I think the only way to pull it off is to not have a spine or maybe not even be human.
I've watched the sprints over the last few days and I'm happy to see everyone out supporting each other and having a chit chat, 'cause let's face it, the writers life is a very isolating one. If we know that while we're tapping away at the keyboard there's someone a few hundred miles away, or even a few thousand miles away doing the same thing it's a comfort. We don't feel so alone, and when we need to bitch about the bastard hero that just stripped the heroine naked in the hall and had his way with her three chapters ahead of your schedule then we're here to listen. Mine didn't have to do much stripping, she doesn't wear any underwear!
I'm loving all the excerpts that are popping up. Some are putting them on the loop just for us, others are getting really brave and putting them on their personal blogs. I for one will applaud that move, as that's how I managed to get my foot in the door with a publisher. Get yourself out there, be seen, be heard, but most of all, be writing!
It's good to see everyone letting others know their word count, whether on the loop or in the comments here, however to stop confusion and give myself, Sandie and Diane time to write our own stuff, we will only update the word meters once a week. Friday the check-in post will go up here on the blog, you'll have til Sunday to leave your word count in the comments section and one of us (whoever's on duty that week) will update Sunday night ready for the new week. I'd like to request one thing when you leave your count. Could you please leave your name, with everyone writing under one name and actually being know by another it kind of gets confusing. Stop pointing fingers at me, I know, I know, I can't talk. So this weekend is my weekend to update so I'm going to lead by example. When I post the check-in post I'll then leave a comment in the comments so you can see how to make sure I don't get confused and stuff up your word count. The other thing is leave your total for the WHOLE challenge, not just what you did since last check-in. For example; Rhian Cahill - 2,000.
Oh, and don't just leave your count, let us know how you got there. Did you need tweezers and a torch to drag them suckers out of hiding? Did your fingers barely touch the keys? Is your plot working like you thought or did someone take a detour? You get the idea.
It's still only early for me, and yes I'm blogging a few hours early but I figured that would give me all tomorrow to concentrate on making up those 2,000 words that I dumped in the bin.
May the Word Gods smile upon you all.
RC

6 comments:

Sandie Hudson said...

Hey RC

How's the rewrites going? I had a crappy day yesterday so was very out of sorts last night. Today, it is raining and I hate that as well ATM.

I'm on 12,615 after my first sprint this morning. That is where I wanted to be last night. Anyway I'm really just a crappy arse today so it is probably just as well as I'm home alone.

Okay taking my crappiness off to the world of fiction and romance, maybe that will make me feel better. If not I'm gunna watch a movie.

Hugs
Sandie

Rachael Johns said...

Morning RC... this morning my fingers have barely touched the keys and it was lovely to read your message at the end of mys ession.

Good luck to everyone...

Gail Symmonds said...

Hi RC

I've been having a few probs with technology. I'm just testing out cyber space to see if this message posts?? In case it does - I'm up to 8,185 words so far. Pretty happy with that. Hope everyone else is doing well.

Gail

Anonymous said...

Great going everyone!
Re-write suck but I must admit I'm finally getting into the flow of it. We'll just have to wait and see if it's an improvement or not. LOL
I'm gonna add back in my words I dumped in the bin. I can't really count the words I'm deleting and adding during the re-write so I figure those binned words would cover it by the time I'm finished. Actually I think they'd be a huge understatement.
Okay, back to it. Almost done, I think. sigh!
RC

Diane said...

Rhian, don't scrap 2000 words till the end of the month. You still wrote them during June, they still count. It doesn't matter that they don't make sense - your drug-addled brain thought so at the time.

Paula Roe said...

hey everyone... total to date is 5,550 words - some found editing my previous stuff (can't help it - I have to do it!) and some with fingers flying over the keyboard. As it normally is :/