I finished Chapter 2
And reached 10,000 words.
I am happy :D
That is all
W-O xxx
Thursday, 26 April 2012
Monday, 23 April 2012
Pros and Cons of Wordcounts
Okay, I'm writing this to (just about) coincide with two word count milestones that I've achieved in the last week.
First: I managed to clear the 1000 word mark on Chapter 2 of my WIP.
You may well say: "Hang on! You've been writing this thing for around six months (or more) now and you still haven't gotten past Chapter 2. Isn't that a bit slow going?" Well, yes, it is slow going at the moment, but I haven't been that slow. Chapter 2 has just been causing me problems for a while, I simply skipped past it and started work on Chapter 3 - which (for the record) I finished months ago - and the Chapter 4 (and 8 and 13). But last week I decided enough was enough and actually sat myself down and started really writing this chapter. It's now starting to properly take shape in my head and is no longer the blank spot it was a few months ago.
Secondly (and the more important milestone): the combined efforts on Chapter 2, plus additions to other chapters have meant I've now passed 9000 words!
It may not be much in terms of a novel, but it's giving me a boost right now and I just keep thinking: "Nearly at 10k!", which certainly does feel like quite the milestone.
Well, enough about me and onto my Thought of the Day: Is it good to keep a word count?
Right now my answer is an emphatic 'yes'. The thought that I've managed to get past 9k is giving me a boost and making carrying on just that little bit more enjoyable. It also lets me know how much further I have to go and lets me keep track and not write too much - which I tend to do.
But it has Cons as well:
First off is limiting you. There's a certain amount of emphasis today on not making books too long or drag out too much, as it makes the reader get bored and people can get turned away by just the sight of a large book (a la Breaking Dawn - it's massive! Though I'm not saying it's unnecessary.). But for some stories it may be necessary to get all of the important information in, or it simply is a long story (as I said). It depends on the book and plenty of people may feel pressured to cut things short, leaving their plans for the book unfulfilled.
Second, it may make you write more than necessary. Kind of the other side to the story. Aspiring authors will want their book to have equal shelf space with all the other novels out there. This can cause them to stretch things out; making a book that would be brilliant at 50k into one that drags along and comes in at 80k. There's no need for this.
So, my overall summary: write what is right for your book, do not follow trends of long or short books, finish your story when it feels right. So long as you do this - by all means - use word count as a morale booster, you're sure as anything going to need it sometimes, but don't let it dictate how much you write and what you write.
Not really much usefull in this post, but I felt the need to share my joy at getting past my markers.
Hope someone enjoys this.
W-O xxx
First: I managed to clear the 1000 word mark on Chapter 2 of my WIP.
You may well say: "Hang on! You've been writing this thing for around six months (or more) now and you still haven't gotten past Chapter 2. Isn't that a bit slow going?" Well, yes, it is slow going at the moment, but I haven't been that slow. Chapter 2 has just been causing me problems for a while, I simply skipped past it and started work on Chapter 3 - which (for the record) I finished months ago - and the Chapter 4 (and 8 and 13). But last week I decided enough was enough and actually sat myself down and started really writing this chapter. It's now starting to properly take shape in my head and is no longer the blank spot it was a few months ago.
Secondly (and the more important milestone): the combined efforts on Chapter 2, plus additions to other chapters have meant I've now passed 9000 words!
It may not be much in terms of a novel, but it's giving me a boost right now and I just keep thinking: "Nearly at 10k!", which certainly does feel like quite the milestone.
Well, enough about me and onto my Thought of the Day: Is it good to keep a word count?
Right now my answer is an emphatic 'yes'. The thought that I've managed to get past 9k is giving me a boost and making carrying on just that little bit more enjoyable. It also lets me know how much further I have to go and lets me keep track and not write too much - which I tend to do.
But it has Cons as well:
First off is limiting you. There's a certain amount of emphasis today on not making books too long or drag out too much, as it makes the reader get bored and people can get turned away by just the sight of a large book (a la Breaking Dawn - it's massive! Though I'm not saying it's unnecessary.). But for some stories it may be necessary to get all of the important information in, or it simply is a long story (as I said). It depends on the book and plenty of people may feel pressured to cut things short, leaving their plans for the book unfulfilled.
Second, it may make you write more than necessary. Kind of the other side to the story. Aspiring authors will want their book to have equal shelf space with all the other novels out there. This can cause them to stretch things out; making a book that would be brilliant at 50k into one that drags along and comes in at 80k. There's no need for this.
So, my overall summary: write what is right for your book, do not follow trends of long or short books, finish your story when it feels right. So long as you do this - by all means - use word count as a morale booster, you're sure as anything going to need it sometimes, but don't let it dictate how much you write and what you write.
Not really much usefull in this post, but I felt the need to share my joy at getting past my markers.
Hope someone enjoys this.
W-O xxx
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Having The Time Of Your Life Vs Acting Your Age
I've noticed it's been a while since my last update, so I'm going to do something about that. So, here's my Thought of the Day:
Okay, I will confess now: I love acting like a kid. It's so relieving to suddenly drop all your responsibilities and worries and just run around giggling, as if the world is just a giant playground. I miss my innocent days. Also, there's frankly it's funny to see those who are meant to be sensible suddenly act like they are five again: it reminds us that we all have the capacity to have fun.
Some of my best memories are when I got to forget everything and throw myself into something, like a water fight or Trick o' Treating at Halloween (plus you get free sweets with that one). Deep down I'm still a little kid waiting for the games to begin.
This is all very well, but sadly at my age I'm expected to act with a little more maturity than that. A part of me embraces the independence of it, while another feels pressured and closed off by it all. I don't like to feel like my whole life rides on my decisions - which they more-or-less do nowadays. There is immense pressure to grow up quickly and learn the ways of the world, so that you can survive in it, but is it at the cost of our childhood?
I know what I face in terms of fast growth is nothing when compared with a few centuries - or even decades - ago: I'm not expected to marry by the time I'm 15 or live with the effects of wars (not noticeably anyway). I know I'm incredibly lucky to have the life I do and I am grateful for it, yet I'm still plagued by doubts and wishes to be elsewhere.
Think about it: by the time we're five years old we're in school and having to learn life skills; soon homework starts to appear and you're expected to do it or face the consequences. These are small children who are being made to worry about getting things done, when really this is the time of their lives when they should have very few worries. Okay, I may be being melodramatic here, but my point still stands: children are being made to grow up quickly. By the time the summer rolls around I'll have been in full-time education for 13 years - that's an awfully long time! These years have certainly been fun - I'm not going to deny that - but there's been an awful amount of stress, too, and they certainly weren't the carefree days that childhood is often portrayed as.
So I'm going to embrace every childish moment that comes around. I will do until I'm in my fifties and sixties, because we all need some time to be carefree - completely carefree, not with the threat of something looming over us. You can't be serious your whole life.
Okay, I may have deviated from my original topic a little but I think most of this makes sense.
Hope it's interesting to someone.
W-O xxx
Okay, I will confess now: I love acting like a kid. It's so relieving to suddenly drop all your responsibilities and worries and just run around giggling, as if the world is just a giant playground. I miss my innocent days. Also, there's frankly it's funny to see those who are meant to be sensible suddenly act like they are five again: it reminds us that we all have the capacity to have fun.
Some of my best memories are when I got to forget everything and throw myself into something, like a water fight or Trick o' Treating at Halloween (plus you get free sweets with that one). Deep down I'm still a little kid waiting for the games to begin.
This is all very well, but sadly at my age I'm expected to act with a little more maturity than that. A part of me embraces the independence of it, while another feels pressured and closed off by it all. I don't like to feel like my whole life rides on my decisions - which they more-or-less do nowadays. There is immense pressure to grow up quickly and learn the ways of the world, so that you can survive in it, but is it at the cost of our childhood?
I know what I face in terms of fast growth is nothing when compared with a few centuries - or even decades - ago: I'm not expected to marry by the time I'm 15 or live with the effects of wars (not noticeably anyway). I know I'm incredibly lucky to have the life I do and I am grateful for it, yet I'm still plagued by doubts and wishes to be elsewhere.
Think about it: by the time we're five years old we're in school and having to learn life skills; soon homework starts to appear and you're expected to do it or face the consequences. These are small children who are being made to worry about getting things done, when really this is the time of their lives when they should have very few worries. Okay, I may be being melodramatic here, but my point still stands: children are being made to grow up quickly. By the time the summer rolls around I'll have been in full-time education for 13 years - that's an awfully long time! These years have certainly been fun - I'm not going to deny that - but there's been an awful amount of stress, too, and they certainly weren't the carefree days that childhood is often portrayed as.
So I'm going to embrace every childish moment that comes around. I will do until I'm in my fifties and sixties, because we all need some time to be carefree - completely carefree, not with the threat of something looming over us. You can't be serious your whole life.
Okay, I may have deviated from my original topic a little but I think most of this makes sense.
Hope it's interesting to someone.
W-O xxx
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