Catégorie : Writing project

Diary of a new writing project. Day 18: cleaning sprints

I used one my most faithful, always working writing tip during this blissful daylight creative writing time: cleaning sprints.

This week word count goal: 15 000 words
Word count so far: 12 427 words

I had three free day hours to work on the YA-Wip today. Three ! As my new early morning tv friend would put it: hooray!

I used one my most faithful, always working writing tip during this blissful daylight creative writing time: cleaning sprints.

Better then looking endlessly at the screen, or re-writing a sentence ten times and get all bump out. Plus, less chores left for the weekend – wishful thinking helps sometimes.

A little sweeping here, folding laundry there, dealing with dishes (which feel like it could be a full-time job sometimes). 5 minutes of brainstorming – aloud more often then not – and I am back in front of the manuscript.

No rest for the wicked

This coming weekend is a activity free weekend. That means: nap time writing session will be available!

Will I reach 15 000 words? I am going to try anyway.

Thanks for reading this post. Find me on twitter and or take a look my Writing Boards on Pinterest.
Until next time!

Diary of a new writing project. Day 17: beautiful mess

This story is going very well – of course, I’m at the very start!

This week word count goal: 15 000
Word count so far: 11 047

I got an eye cramp.
Did you know that you can have a cramp in your eye?
35 to 44 years on Earth, and I first experienced it today, while drafting away! Ha!


Today, I used my list of to-do’s before writing, to see if I could be as productive today as I was yesterday.
I guess I could have done better but I’m fairly happy with the results.

This story is going very well – of course, I’ve only just started writing it!
Nevertheless, I feel at ease in a contemporary-ish setting. It has been a while…

Also, I can see the writing tips science paying off on that new project. I can’t remember where I got that writing the backstories at the same time as the outline tip, but it is a good one. Must confess, I find the backstories more useful than the outline.
I love being able to go to my characters’ backstories in a heartbeat instead of figuring it out as I go. It really does help.

Although they are rough backstories, it still super useful to have the basics handy. I am still adding some stuff, erasing other stuff. Overall though, I can find their family history, the main events that shape them to be the characters they are at the beginning of the novel.

I say this, when I look back at the manuscript, I feel a bit scared. It still follows the outline main « guidelines », but the story is so different now.

My main concern now is the flow of it all. Conflicts follow action follow consequences. It’s all there, but it might be too much. I feel the urge to edit and clean up that beautiful mess.
However, powering through has proven to be much more effective… and fun.

Thanks for reading the diary ramblings of a crazy writer on a quest. If you wanna start at the beginning, be my guest.
Until next time!

Diary of a new writing project. Day 16: a most welcome escape

It went so well yesterday. For one good reason: I needed to think about something else then – oh, too many things.

This week word count goal: 15 000
Word count so far: 8 829

It went so well yesterday. For one good reason: I needed to think about something else then – oh, too many things.
Working on the new writing project provided a most welcome escape.

Writing is as much an escape for me than reading books. Sometimes, even more so. It’s probably the same thing for many authors.
Of course, when deadlines come knocking on the professional author’s doors, now, that is another story.

I did take some notes on what worked well during the writing session:

  • No interruptions
  • No distractions
  • A brainstormed story
  • A back-up detailed outline

Let’s see if I can beat my word count today… Doubt it, but we’ll see. Until then, thanks for reading and enjoy today!