The characters start saying things and doing things I never anticipated. How fun is that??
But, as most fiction writers know, writing isn't always fun and games. I struggle to stay motivated through my draft. It's easier to check Facebook and e-mails than to sit and write. The only explanation I have for this? Writing is intimidating. Really intimidating.
I have a few tricks to work that word count, though, so I figure I'd better share them!
1. Set an almost impossible finish date.
Why? Sometimes a do-able finish date becomes too easy, making me lazy. When I set an almost impossible date, I might miss it, but I always finish well before my original, do-able date.
Plus, I push myself harder when I set big goals. :)
2. Keep track of your word count and the overall word count.
Seeing your word count go up makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
3. Fill out a scene list as you write.
I used to do this before I wrote my draft, but I find it's easier to do after each scene. This keeps me on track as far as pacing and comes in handy when the book is done and I'm revising.
4. Take a few minutes at the end of the session to jot what needs to happen next.
If you're not sure what will happen next, think about the previous scene, whose viewpoint was used, and how far into the book you are. It should trigger something!
5. Limit editing at this point.
I'm terrible about turning off my internal editor. Usually right after I write a scene, I'll realize things I got wrong, forgot, or that need to be added. I want to fix them right away. But, I try hard to type a quick note with my suggestions at the beginning of the scene and move on. Last week I gave in to temptation, spent over an hour fixing the scene I'd written, and came up short on word count by about a thousand words. I can write a thousand words in an hour, so it's obvious I could have made that word count.
We gain confidence in our writing when we finish what we start. Work that word count!!
How do you stay motivated to keep working on a project?
(Happy birthday to my beautiful daughter!!)
Have a fabulous Monday!!
I stay motivated through having a really bad memory - and I don't write things down.
ReplyDeleteIf I don't finish the first draft in less than a month, I'll forget what the point of the story was. Kind of like a dog who forgets where he buried a bone, and digs up the whole back yard.
blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com
I love how you view this--bad memory equals motivation! Delightful!
DeleteGreat tips, Jill. The last two have really helped me. I would love to create my scene lists as I go, but I find that shifting into organizational mode makes it harder for me to get back into my creative zone, so I save that task until I'm in self-edit mode. Sometimes the very act of capturing a scene's details for my chart shows me that the scene isn't necessary or that it doesn't pack enough punch and needs work.
ReplyDeleteRight on! Anything to keep us from self-editing mode, right? Sketching in my scene list after I write it actually prevents me from self-editing. I can refer to the list instead of scanning my ms for things I might have missed!
DeleteI like that you mentioned setting impossible goals. You always hear people talk about setting realistic goals, but for me, it's almost better if I set a crazy goal...I'll push myself harder that way. And even if I don't make the crazy goal, I'll still get further than if I set a more tepid, realistic goal. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat also helps me is having an accountability partner--my awesome CP Lindsay Harrel. When either one of us is pursuing a goal, we usually tell the other...and then we text to keep each other on track. Man, I'm thankful for her!
Same here--doable goals? Yawn. Crazy goals? Oh, yeah! I'll do it!
DeleteLindsay is an awesome partner to have--a friend, critique partner, and someone who will kick your butt if needed!
You have some very good ideas that can be applied to non-fiction writing. Thanks for giving me a boost.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad! It's always nice to find new ways to stay motivated, right? :)
DeleteOooo, Girl, I laughed out loud at your photo. So true! We can write anywhere, but we must have the necessities. Thanks for such a great list! Your first point made me think of the annual NaNoWriMo. It always fascinates me when I hear novelists mention that their characters talk to them. I wouldn't know whether to be freaked out or inspired. You go, Girl!
ReplyDeleteHa, ha! I'm a strange bird. I hear lots of things. :)
DeleteI think goal-setting is important for the yet-to-be-published author. Otherwise it's too easy to let that WIP languish. Hypothetically speaking, of course. :-) I followed your suggestion regarding the scene list today. Very helpful! This plantser has a much better idea about where this is all going.
ReplyDeleteOoh, good! I find writing the scene list as I go helps me stay on track. I hope it works for you!!
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