That's brilliant, Lorraine! Good for you!

Please post your word counts, daily if you can be bothered because it inspires others, and I intend to join you in doing so when I get back from Germany on Friday.

Deb

Week 1 wordcount so far - 4763 words. Still 5 days of week 1 left so hopefully will surpass my target.

This is an excellent idea. Good for motivation to put your goals 'out there' - will be following your example.

(P.S. - Do essays count?!)

Welcome to the Group. I'm fairly new to it as you can see. I don't know about essays. Probably a question for Deb. Good Luck with your word count.
Lorraine

Another 657 words today making my week 1 count so far 5,420. Yeh! Have surpassed Week 1 target already and it's getting to the interesting bit!

Well done Lorraine - great going! I did 1200 words today and am very very pleased as it was a tricky bit. M and S coffee shop always works for me! Good luck for tomorrow.

Almost another 1,000 words today - now at 6,396 wordcount (still week 1). Tired now. So going to bed. To all other late night novelists, sweet dreams.

Hi Funny, Sorry I forgot to say thanks for the encouragement. Glad to see you got through a tricky part. Good Luck to you also.
Best Regards, Lorraine

Another 1600 words tonight making my count 8009 words. I was flying but now I'm stuck. A good night's sleep is in order.

Oooh, it's great to have you, Lorraine! You are motoring!!!! Go girl!

Stonerayven, essays can count if you want them to. You might want to separate them - eg, "940 words today on the novel, 1150 on an essay I had to write". Entirely up to you, but I think it might help you to distinguish, though both counts are welcome because it puts in context what you've achieved on the novel.

Deb

Oh dear - ran out of time and just did an hour - but had to drive miles today and so sorted out the ending of this chapter in my head, so know exactly where it's going. So only 300 words today - but hopefully will finish this chapter on Monday.

How's everyone else doing?

I did nothing yesterday - hit a bit of a block. I've taken a breather today to work out where I'm going with the plot and to plan out the chapters although I have it planned to about chapter 12/13 and then it wobbles a bit. What does help me is the little conversations I have in my head as I'm driving to work about how ideas for plot and sub-plots, imagining dialogue between characters. I had a conversation with a demon this morning. No, I'm not crazy!. Think I'm okay now and hoping for a second wind so here it goes.

Hi Lorraine. You seem to be doing well. Keep at it.

Avis

Word count as of 1am this morning - 9,274. Am very pleased. Good to see there's alot of other activity out there - it helps to motivate.

you keep on going!

Yay for you!

A couple of slow days but now at wordcount 11,647. Seems fairly respectable.

keep at it

Thanks, Avis.
Have made good progress today. Now at 13,426 which is already ahead of my cumulative week 2 deadline so will see how much further I get with it between now and Saturday which would have been my deadline date.

Only about 800 words today but it was gory stuff, took alot of focus. Wordcount now 14,256.

Go Lorraine!! 800 words is well worth it, esp if it's a tricky bit.

Keep at it... even a few dozen is progress...

wordcount now at 15,149. looking to make it to 20,000 plus by the end of this week.

You go girl!

wordcount now 16,054. A couple of slow days - work and a bottle of chardonnay got in the way - but now on chapter 5 so hoping to make more progress.

Go Lorraine!

Don'tcha HATE it when that happens! Going well, girl!

Arggh! I dropped my laptop last night and it broke the screen. Looks like I'll have to revert to long hand. I just hope I can get the book off the hard drive!

Oh god! Lorraine, am thinking of you!! Had you backed it up onto a disk anyway? You should do that anyway, of course, even if you don't break the puter.

Someone else can access your drive - but you'll need a bit of help hooking it up. No chance of having it repaired/replaced? Or plugging an old stand alone monitor into the back of your laptop? Kind of like a cut price docking station - or maybe a docking station proper? Ask your local PC shop. Will the laptop boot up even though the screen is duff - or is it too risky to try?

AVis




<Added>

And as Debbie said - back up, back up, back up. I back up every night.

Hi Avis,
I've tried hooking up a monitor but that doesn't work. I don't know if it's booting up because the screen is multicoloured lines like a psyadelic nightmare(not sure I spelt that right). And no I didn't back up but I do have a print out of the novel to date so that's not a massive issue.

I'm going to buy a new laptop from PC world tomorrow and for £40 they'll transfer everything off the hard drive.

This down time is doing me no good for my wordcount

Lorraine

Oh, I'm glad you've found a solution, Lorraine, even if it involves a new laptop and an extra 40 squids.

But please, please, please back up daily or at least every other time you write when you've got your new laptop. Having a printout might seem that you still have it, but once the wordcount gets up beyond 16k you will find it a major undertaking it type it all in again (it already is). (Unless you have access to word recognition scanning, but most of us don't.)

In the meantime, can you do some writing by longhand? I do that sometimes when out and about, cos I don't have a laptop (only a desktop) and then it doesn't take long to transfer it onto the PC, editing as I go.

Deb

£40 is not bad for data transfer.BACK UP in future. get an external drive.

Avis

Hi All, After a few days down time, I'm back. Wordcount now 18,654. Even without the laptop issues, I've been suffering a little from self doubt - reading back over some of my work and wondering if it's good enough. I should know better than try to critique it as this point. Tonight though, I'm glad to say, I've written some cracking scenes and diaglogue and it's spurred me on again.

Lorraine

Good. Remember they say you fix it on the second draft! Keep going forwards.

Avis

Glad you've got your mojo back, Lorraine, and sorted the puter problem. Please back up!!!

I love the word diaglogue... Great typo!

Hey, I was tired. LOL! I couldn't go to sleep until I'd finished the scene.

He he! I wasn't having a pop, Lorraine, honestly. It's just that some typos are just so... adorable!

I didn't take offense. You'll probably find a few more as I tend to do my writing at night until I can focus no more. I read a sentence from my novel the other day which I had been writing past midnight which trailed off as "watched him echang drigs for goney!"

<g>

LOL!

wordcount today 19,438. extremely tired now. Good night everyone!

Well done! Night night.

A bit slow tonight. 647 words just taking me over the 20,000 mark. year end and an attention seeking husband diverted my attention. Still this is fairly respectable. Every word counts.

As you say every word counts. Get a shiny thing for the husband - to distract him....or promise him sex if he leaves you alone to write a good chunk AND supplies you with frequent cuos of tea/coffee/whatever!!

AVis

Hi Avis, Tried that one - it doesn't always work!
Lorraine :>

Word count as for last night just shy of 23,000 words. Have been in the zone hence my absence from the group. I've got the day off work tomorrow and kids for the most part are at school so over the next two days I'd hope to get near the 30,000 mark. Trying to give it a big push!

Aww Lorraine - no fair!! He's not playing by the rules!!! Good luck with the big push

Well my plans for a big push fell a bit flat. My day off work with kids enscounced at school and a whole day of writing ahead did not go as plan. I'm just shy of 26,000 words now and with husband at footie tomorrow night, I hope I can make up the difference and get to the big 30k mark.

Well done Lorraine - keep going!

Go Lorraine! We all have good days, bad days and middling days... every little counts!

Good luck, i hope the words just fly out.

Well didn’t quite get there last night but still managed to write about 1,800 words. Word count now 27,635. Thanks everyone for your encouragement. No doubt I’ll get to the 30k mark soon.

You are getting there quite quickly even if it isn't as quick as you wanted.

30k really is just round the corner!

Keep that focus. You're doing really well.

Wow - excellent!

Over a 1,000 words last night. Now at word count 28,635. Good to see so much activity from others. Well done to everyone.

yay

Well done Lorraine!

excellent progress lorraine

Only managed about 400 words yesterday. Hyperactive children scupered by chances of getting any more done. I had some lovely mother's day cards this morning but my two girls made up a little ditty of "Mother's Day, Mother's Day, We're going to Annoy Mummy today." They sang this to me this morning, falling about giggling. Bless the little horrors. I don't hold out much hope for the rest of the day. I'll see what I can get done once they go to bed.

Hope you have a good day. Try putting a DVD on for them? Throwing them at their father for a walk?

;

Tried to pass the 30k mark last night but my eyes began to droop. Wordcount circa 29,750. Should get past it tonight.

Ooooh - so close!! You're doing really well.Keep at it!

Avis

Keep going! Great progress, Lorraine!

I made it past the elusive 30k barrier tonight. Wordcount now 30616. Too tired to write anymore but think that I can still hit by end of March target of 38k words without to much of an issue, so reasonably pleased. Good night all!

Well done you

Been on an intensive course at work for the last 2 days so I've done nothing. May try and get a few words down in a minute and see how I go.

A bit slow at the moment.struggling with one particular chapter. Wordcount 31250.

I'm sure it'll come to you. I usually take a break for a day when that happens to me. My other trick is to create a cliffhanger and then switch the subplot to something new altogether. I think that's fine when you're doing a first draft.

Don't give up!

Still feeling knackered. Kids waking me up before 6am each morning and I've been falling asleep on the sofa by about 10pm. Tonight however I managed to finish my troublesome chapter. Wordcount now 32,746. I may get a few more words down before bedtime if my eyes allow. Lorraine.

Oh Well done you! Keep a box of matches by the side of the PC to prop those lids up with!!

Hi, I'm new to the group. Lorraine I'm so envious of your word count. i going to try and measure mine weekly not daily. kepp up the good work, well done you!
G x

Keep it up! Good stuff!

My wordcount had been suffering from sleeping sickness for most of this week. Managed to get a couple hundred words down last night but whacked by 10pm. Think I might have a better chance today or hope so. Fingers crossed :>

P.S. Thanks for everyone's messages of support and encouragement

Picked up the pace yesterday and now at wordcount 35,146. Hope to continue to get to 38,000 by the end of the weekend.

You GO girl!! Pace yourself and I'm sure you'll do it!

Avis

Wordcount now at 36,248. Hope it hit near the 38k tonight.

Did it?

Avis

No. Only managed 186 words due to one very sick child. Managed a bit more last night though. Now at wordcount 37,343.

Hope offspring is getting better now.

Yes. He’s the suffer in silence type and my GP misdiagnosed a cold for acute tonsillitis and glue ear. Luckily a doctor at the hospital spotted it during a routine hearing test so now he’s on the antibiotics. Still he’s a cheerful little chappy, a real mummy’s boy and looks to be on the mend.

Did a more at lunchtime today and I’m sure I’m a smidgeon off 38k but until I type it up I won’t know for sure. I’ve finished chapter 9 at any rate. Now onto chapter 10.

A good start to chapter 10. wordcount now 39,086.

Keep up the pace!

I've hit a wall. Taking a breather today to see if I can sort the rest of the plot out for the remainder of the novel before I move forward again. Up until now it's been relatively straightforward so I'm a little bit frustrated at having to stop but know it's the right thing to do. Also frustrated that I'm done some sort of muscle/ligament damage to my foot, so I'm hobbling around like an invalid and it hurts!

I think sometimes taking a breather isn't such a bad idea. Sorry to hear about your foot, don't suppose that can be helpng either.

Thanks, Jim. Feeling alot more positive today. I've got a rough plan of where I'm going and am ambling away with my wordcount. Foot is also better today which is great. The throbbing was really putting me off. Wordcount now stands at 41,294. Hoping to finish off chapter 10 today so need to crack through another 1600 words or so

Oh! And I met by end of March target as well. Actually slightly exceeded it. So another good reason to be smiling.

Yes, keep smiling and keep going!

Another 1399 words tonight. That's me done for the day. Night all.

Well done!

Avis

Plenty to be smiling about for you ;0) that's excellent!
regards
Debra x

Thanks Avis and Debra. Just churned out 410 words to clost out chapter 10. Now onto chapter 11.

Managed 1.156 words today taking my wordcount over 44,000 words.
Hope to have better success tomorrow. Lorraine

Brill Lorraine, you are up and running for your April target!

Fingers crossed I'll do it. I've got a week's holiday with the kids at good ol' Butlins next week so am trying to get through as much of my April wordcount as I can now.

Fingers and toes crossed for you ;0) I did notice you'd made allowances for less writing time in April - good thinking batwoman! LOL x

Keep at it girl - you are doing so well! Hope the weather warms up for the trip!

I hope so too

Just over 2000 words today making a total wordcount of 46280. That's enough for today. Not a bad day's work.

Good going Lorraine, half way there, if not over! Can't wait till I'm in that position! x

Well done Lorraine. Keep the pedal to the metal...

Avis

Thanks. I'm trying to aim for the 90,000 to 100,000 mark, so it could be taken as half way already or almost half way. Either way, I'd like to get to 50,000 before I go on holiday and my husband even suggested taking the laptop with us. Shock! Horror! I thought he'd be dead against it. I'll see if I can squeeze out a few words but won't take liberties. It is a family holiday after all and about the only time I'll get to do anything is when they're in bed.

Only 770 words tonight. Not as much as I'd hoped to do but still something.

keep at it and take the PC - even if you only do a couple of hundred a night, you'll keep your eye in. I do when we go body boarding in Cornwall...

Unfortunately haven't been able to do much since Thursday. Sister was down for the weekend and my girls had their birthday party which took alot of time preparing for and recovering from. Sunday morning about 2am I threw up and now I'm quite sick - raw throat, dodgy tummy, fever and to top it off we're supposed to be going on hols to Butlins today. Arghhh! wordcount at 47,534. I'm not expecting to do any more until the end of the week.

Oh dear, hope your feeling better soon!

It looks like your doing amazingly well with your word count anyway.

Keep going! - but only when you are feeling better.

Hi All,
I'm back. Have been on hols and have been in the grips of a rotten virus which really wiped me out. There's also another virus that is plaguing me in the form of my mum and sister. I should never have given them access to my WIP. My mum is trying to psycho analyse me and my sister is on a mission to find tenuous links between scenes in my book with Twilight. Arrggggh! Not helpful. Anyway I have posted my synopsis and first 5 pages for the Egmont masterclass if anyone is interested and yes I've upped my wordcount - now just shy of 49,000. Only a couple more thousand to go to my end of April target. Good to see so many new comers and new posts here by the way. I hope everyone is moving along nicely with their counts.

Best Regards, Lorraine

Hi Lorraine Good to have you back

Avis

Hi All,
I've been struggling with Chapter 12 for the last week or so. Now at wordcount 52,397 and glad to say that I was one of the few selected for the Egmont Masterclass critique. Can someone explain to me what "show rather than tell" means and what the fine line is between the two? I thought I had grasped it but am not so sure. Anyway, as I've been procrastinating with my wordcount or so it seems I'm about to set myself a challenge from Wednesday onwards to crack through the rest of the first draft. Planning to write 3000 words per day. If I do this for 12 days I should reach my final word count. Fingers crossed.
Lorraine

Was there a comment there about that? I joined the group so's I could read the comments. I shall go look....

Yes there was. I'd appreciate your take on it. Well done by the way with your count. Almost there. Keep Going.

for 3000 words for the next 12 days I'll have my fingers crossed as well, seems like a hell of a shot to me, but go for it and see how you get on!
Jim.

I think (this is my opinion) it might be because there's an authorial voice coming through in a couple of places. Like the one stated.

Although I was sure I’d done my best, the days of exam question practice an invaluable stepping stone to the real paper, the last thing I wanted to do was talk about the exam now

That middle bit is loosening the impact of the end bits:

Now, I was sure I’d done my best and the last thing I wanted to do was talk about the exam now’

I think this is what is meant. It can be difficult getting everything you want to say over because I can see why you've put that bit in. But it slows the impact of the thought. After all she wouldn't say it like this to herself or if she were telling someone would she?

Try that old chestnut and read it out loud with a mind to what you want the reader to take from the paragraph.

Does this make any sense? Ignore at will!

Avis

<Added>

...maybe a 'but' joining the two ends and not an 'and'...

Good luck with target!

Lorraine, I haven't seen the comment you were referring to but, to me, show don't tell means that instead of writing...

"Jon was a very stressed person who found it difficult to keep his temper."

.... which is 'tell'.

You would 'show' it, by demonstration. Hence, perhaps...

"Kevin came into the room just as Jon was balancing the final card onto the sculpture. The breeze from the opened door wafted across the room and the whole pack came tumbling down.
'Fuck you, Kevin! Why did you have to go and do that?' Jon shouted angrily."

(Excuse the crap example, but just trying to make the point.)

Does this seem at all relevant to the point made to you?

Deb

Thanks Avis & Deb for the examples. I think I've got it. Although Deb, I think you can show without the dialogue as long as you keep it relevant to the character's narrative, and not the writer's narrative. If that makes sense?

I think that's the point the woman over in the master class was making Lorraine

Avis

Yes, I get it although I think that alot of the points she picked up on were already troubling me other than the amount of back and forths. But I'll take that. My 36,000 word marathon starts tomorrow. Focus needed!

Good luck tomorrow Lorraine!

Good luck, Lorraine!

Just read your question about show and tell. I think Avis demonstrates the difference well. Thing to remember is that you do need both show and tell, but the balance has to be right. I suspect that you are telling too much because you're on the fast first draft with this book - telling is faster and in some ways more natural, closer to oral story-telling, whereas successful showing is more about constructing and staging a scene, and needs more thought.

<Added>

Sorry - I meant Deb not Avis. Though the phrase Avis points out is also a good example of telling. It is something you could show us through your character's behaviour.

Thanks Leila.

Lorraine, I didn't mean the dialogue was the essential part of show - it was just part of how I chose to show in that example. Instead of having Jon shout angrily I could have had him bang his fist on the table and give Kevin a glowering look.

Good luck with the marathon!

Deb

Thanks all for the advice and words of encouragement. Day 1 of the 36,000 word marathon fell a bit short of what I expected. Only 1,629 words out of daily 3,000 word target but I'm too tired to concentrate now. At least I managed to close out the very painful chapter 12 and I'm now on to the next chapter. I'll see what tomorrow brings. I can't kid myself that I'll catch up with prior day shortfalls but I can still strive to try and write 3,000 a day.

Keep at it - if you don't try....

Well I failed miserably with my word marathon. Building works at the house have escalated and I've had no central heating or light for over a week. Not conducive to writing! Well now at least I've brought a couple of lamps for the bedroom so I can snuggle under the bed covers to get warm and try to kick off again.

Ooooh, that would be mega offputting, I'm sure! Not surprised you didn't write... but brilliant that you have a strategy to do so now... Good luck!

Thanks, Debs. I'm now inching away by lamplight. Wordcount now 55,110. Am planning to take the kids to softplay so hope to get some done during the day today and then back to lamplight tonight.

Just over a 1,000 words so far today. Hopefully more later. Not a bad start to the day.

Good going, Lorraine, that's a lot more than me today.

Keep it up!

Another 463 words tonight. Better than nothing. Good night all.

Just 300 words tonight. : ( hope to do better tomorrow.

Just 705 words today. Almost finished chapter 13 but it will have to wait till tomorrow.

Hey - Ben says the best way to eat an elephant is as a burger.... well not quite ; !! (See his recent post to Jim...)

Steady and sure- you'll get there.

Avis

705 is good. Keep it up!
Ben

Thanks guys.

Just over 1,800 words in last 2 days although 320 was a bit of a cheat - a prologue I wrote at the beginning and haven't counted till now. ;

I'm well into chapter 14 with a wordcount of 915.

Managed a little more. Total count for today 1142. Good night to anyone who is out there at this ridiculous time of the morning.

Lorraine - doing so well! Keep it up.

Thanks Avis

Good to read that your WIP is progressing. Just keep at it, even what you think might be just small amounts, that doesn't matter, they all count and they all add up.

Jim.

Another 731 words tonight and some research. If I count my prologue. I'm now over the 60k barrier. On to the next hurdle 70k.

Well done Lorraine!

Thanks, Ben.

Steady as she goes!!

;

Today's wordcount 772. Steady and sure I guess. Quality of writing ok so resonably happy.

High word count and quality, I like it Lorraine!

Ben

Thanks Ben. Had a night off tonight. Went to see a friend for curry and wine. So back to it tomorrow. ;

Only 467 words tonight. Too many interruptions - kids playing musical beds, husband wanting attention. Arghh!

Well it's still words down on the 'page'- innit?

;

Feels like I've done near to 1000 words today. Tricky scene is taking me a little longer than thought. Total wordcount is 62,319.

I'd say that was fair going, if it makes you feel any better, I've done 7.

With that 7, I think it's time I called it quits.

Keep up the good work!

Keep at it Girl!

;

Managed 1300 words in last 2 days. I've fallen short of me end of may target by about 10k. The pace has slowed considerably. I need the FFD spark back.: (

Even so - that count is good going. Just keep it up. Maybe you've fallen short of your original target - but you're still producing. Revise the target, be realistic and don't try and force your hand - and be kinder to yourself.

Avis

PS When I was right at the end of draft 1 I had a count in my spreadsheet which showed me how many words were left to complete my 'official' target. It helped.

Ok so now I'm really struggling. I'm on chapter 15 and about 5 chapters to go to the end. I have a rough idea of what needs to happen before the end of the story but am worried I'm trying to fill it out in a random way, if that makes sense. And another thing that's bothering me is that I look back at the quality of the first few chapters which I think are pretty good and I look at the quality of what I'm doing now and wonder where was that talented writer. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself.

Part of me wants to put my critic back in a box, and get the the next 25,000 words out quickly without worrying about it. The writing might be shite and they'll probably be some inconsistencies but I feel I need to get past the first draft now. It's messing with my head. Arggh!

Has anyone else come across this problem and how did they deal with it? Any tips muchly appreciated.

Just put your critic back in its box, don't worry about chapter breakdowns, just keep writing then when you are done you can start to worry.

Ben Yezir

Well yes Ben I agree to a certain extent....

BUT when this happens to me, I find a stop and think and a quick Endgame point by point brainstorming session helps. It doesn't have to be long -in fact it SHOULDN'T be long - you don't want to write the end twice.

But get together some sign posts you can hang stuff on to get you to your end point, circle the wagons and pull up that draw bridge!!

OR Have you decided what that end will be yet? If not sketch out a couple or several and see how they fit.

OR try writing a quick synopsis of the whole story, or go back and write a blind alley for one of the characters - just so you keep in there working the characters and staying familiar with them.

OR Ooh ooh - you could try writing a sex scene ( can't remember your target audience) but that's always good for a laugh! You don't have to show it to anybody or use it in the final text.

OR try delving (no pun intended) into your characters background and formalise it - eye colour, religion, shoe size, education, likes and dislikes, family etc.

OR try writing some flash- go look in the two flash groups here for a prompt and get away from the WIP - a change is as good as a rest.

BUT I very definitely would like to say - don't let it fester and set you're too near the end to do that.

Hope this helps

Avis

Hi Ben & Avis,
Thanks for the advice. I have a three or four scenes that need to play out, and yes, I do know the end. I'll take your advice Avis and brainstorm the next five chapters and try and come up with some skeletal bullet points for each. I think that's what I needed - a structure rather than feeling it's a random rush to the finish.

Wrote about 1,000 words today so I've moved on a little. I'll take that break now and brainstorm, and get on with it.

Lorraine ;

You GO girl!! 1000 ain't to be sniffed at!!

Avis

Excellent, 1,000 is fab. Keep it up missus.

Ben

Structure sorted. Onwards!

Good for you!

Goodo!!

Back on track. 1519 words today. Total wordcount to date 65898. I'm smiling again. ;

Nice numbers, well done!

Keep smiling too!

Well done Lorraine - keep it up!

Avis

Wordcount today 897. It was going well until a little visitor padded her way into my room. Why oh why won't they sleep in their own beds! I tried to carry on but she kept asking me questions and peeking at me. Maybe I'll have a better chance tomorrow.

Bless! You keep that focus and good luck tomorrow.

Only 352 words today. Still some is better than none.

You're right there. Maybe tomorrow will be better for you. Try and double today's count - at least.

Avis

Not bad tonight. Approx 900 words added which brings me to the end of chapter 15. Onwards and upwards.

Keep going - your really doing well! No more visitors?

Avis

She toddled in at midnight just as I was shutting down. Good timing ;

Today's wordcount 1257. A good start to chapter 16.

Good going Lorraine,you're really doing so well.Just keep up the pace..

Avis

Good stuff. Interesting that a couple of you are at this stage already breaking the book into chapters. Just an observation!

Ben

Had a rubbish weekend. Too much drama and emotional trauma going on. Families. Aahhh! Anyway I started again last night. Word count is now 70,456. Glad to have broken the 70k barrier. 20k to go!
Lorraine

Keep it up! You are doing very well.

Ben

Hi Lorraine - whatcha up to now?

Avis

Hi Avis, I've only just started back up again. I spent a couple of days on a barge on the Grand Union Canal with work colleagues, got very drunk, embarrassed myself by crying when drunk to my boss, and then spent the next day recovering. I also slipped in the bath and have an impressive bruise which covers half of my upper arm. It's a lovely black, purple and deep maroon colour and is quite sore.

Anyway I'm back on for. Wrote about 500 words this morning and hope to do some more this evening when the kids go to bed.

Lorraine

Rougly 1,000 words today. Not bad. Getting back in the swing.

Hi Lorraine,

your wordcount record over the weeks makes for epic reading! It's very inspiring to those of us who have just started to see how you have kept going despite difficulties.

Cheering you on towards the end!

freebird

Thanks Freebird. Cheering much appreciated. ;

Just over 700 words today.

700 is a sound contribution - getting closer to that target with each word!

I have been struggling with chapter 16 and the occasional distraction of a few glasses of chardonnay of an evening. Today though I've cracked it. I've closed chapter 16 with a total wordcount now of 73,849. On to chapter 17. Hopefully it won't be as tough. ;

Hi Lorraine, what's nice to read is that you haven't given up, that with all the distractions, you've kept at it and it's grown.
Well done and keep going!

Thanks, Jim. I've now opened chapter 17 with 295 words so hope to keep the momentum going

All it takes is words upon words. The end isn't too far away!

1238 words today. A positive contribution

Yes, very positive. Keep it up!

Had a couple of nights out socialising. I've been doing a few words here and there but haven't added up my wordcount yet. I'll do a bit more tonight and will report back.

Never mind - keep going!

Wordcount up to 77,074 tonight. Iv'e been creeping along. Less then 20k words now to finish. Just got to keep momentum going, however slow.

I'm in awe of your wordcount Lorraine - really well done ( i like your title too).

Keep on pushing on - 20,000 is not so much really but such an important part; this bit of the book. How fantastic you've got there. Good luck!

Thanks. Having a night off tonight. About to watch twilight eclipse. I don't know how I managed it but I,ve escaped the house and left my husband with the kids. Yay! Hoping the film will inspire me to get on with my WIP. We'll see. ;

I’ve been a naughty girl. Had a bit of a wobbler but hopefully back on track. Wordcount yesterday 1215. Let’s see how it goes today.

Me too - got little done on holiday, but did about 1000 today. Am going to try another 1000 very early tomorrow morning and then another 1000 at the weekend.

Keep on trucking...

Well I did another 467 words today. Less than I hoped but better than nothing.

I'm onto Chapter 18 now. 650 words today. As it's my birthday, not sure I'll get much more done today. ;

You should be out celebrating, but anyway, great word count. Got any donuts left?

Good going Lorraine - how close to the end are you now?

Avis

Thanks, Avis. Well I've just passed the 80k mark. My original target was 90k but it looks like I'll run over that so may even reach 100k. Good to have you back by the way.

Happy birthday and well done on the wordcount!

Lorraine -

Happy B-day too!

Thanks although it's belated birthday now. Good start today on the WIP. I've done just over 1,000 words and hope to get more down later. It's a gripping scene so I'm feeling inspired. ;

Another 700 words tonight, so total wordcount for today is 1723. Not too be sneezed at. The most productive day in a long time.

Good going Lorraine. I always find I slow down when I'm reaching the end - kind of like when you slow up as you reached the top of a bottle you're filling up- y'know?

1723 - atishoo - not!!!

Doubt there will be much activity on my part for the rest of the week. Off on hols. Good Luck to everyone else. Lorraine ;

Have a wonderful time Lorraine. See you when you get back, tanned, relaxed and raring to go.

Not sure about the tan. I'm going to Yeovil then Taunton so imagine I'll come back the same pasty white! Never mind. It's still a break. ;

Well, you might get a fine coating of rust... that would pass for a tan! Enjoy t=yourself anyway.

Well done on the 1723 - v. impressive. Have a great hols.

Wordcount of 2042 over last three days in total. Almost at the end of chapter 18.

438 words today brought me to the close of chapter 18. Total wordcount so far 83,918.

A good start to chapter 19. Managed 1755 words today.

Lorraine - you're really pootling along. Well done you!!

Thanks. Another 1,788 words today. I think I can finish chapter 19 tomorrow and then on to the penultimate chapter.

Good going - keep it up! How big are the chapters?

I'm aiming for each chapter to be around 5k although there are a couple of short ones in there.

You two are up early and asleep late! Well done Lorraine -keep going you are so nearly there!

Thanks. I can almost touch the finishing line but I've already started rewriting parts of it in my head. I need to compartmentalise that and worry about it in second draft. P.S. I got my early to go the gym for the first time in over a year. Need to lose my post baby weight. Yes, post baby. As soon as I started full time work again I piled on the pounds. Fingers crossed. I'll keep the momentum up and lose some of it.

1,000 words on the nail takes me to the end of chapter 19 and to the penultimate chapter. I'm looking forward to writing the end scenes.

Fantastic. Don't worry about re-writes - it needs bottom drawer time doesn't it? It's so hard to think of anything else sometimes though isn't it, especially when you've reached the final stages. Well done with the gym! Hope you got there.

Just take notes of the rewrite thoughts - then you don't have to keep thinking about it.

Keep going girl

Onto Chapter 20 now with 500 words. I've got something else on my plate at the mo so may be slow progress for a while. Hope everyone else is doing well. Lorraine ;

Keep at it - even a few words a day.

Still on chapter 20 but in the last couple of days I've gone from a chapter wordcount of 500 to over 3,000. Still plugging away. ;

Oooh - don't worry about that, you can sort it out later. Well done for plugging away. Keep on truckin'!

Have you finished????

No. Almost. I've had other things to deal with but attempting to finish first draft this weekend and publish final word count tomorrow night. Planning to start on second draft next week. I've got a week off with the kids but they're back at school so for once I should have some quality time to concentrate. Fingers crossed nothing gets in the way. Lorraine

I'm almost there with my first draft and thinking about how I should tackle the next draft. Does anyone have any tips for the second draft. I thought I'd read through the first to:
[1] Address any poor writing.
[2] Check all threads tie in properly.
[3] Address any inconsistencies.

And then use third draft to sort out grammar, paragraphs, spelling etc

Does that seem like the right approach?

Thanks,
Lorraine