65,466 / 80,000 (81.0%)

I think I’m having plotting issues. The climax is beginning to unfold and I’m not sure how it all fits together. I need to take some time to map it out and write some character stuff. That, and the fact I’m going to be unplugged from the net for a couple of days, means no word count updates. But my laptop is going with me to DragonCon, so wish me luck on my daily writing. Best to all, will podcast early next week.

By the way, please keep the victims of Katrina in your thoughts, and donate cash or blood if you can (http://www.redcross.org).

The four-day headache finally got addressed by the chiropractor today, but the pain and then the doctor kinda kocked off schedule.

Excuses? Yes. But I did write. Just not very much. I need to sit down and plot out the last 15K words. The climax is looming.

65,136 / 80,000 (81.0%)

Yesterday Michael Stackpole asked me if I had tracked my words per hour rate. I never had. I know, if I know what I’m writing about, I can write a 1000 word essay in half an hour, but I hadn’t tracked ficiton.

So I made myself not look at email or IM while I wrote, and just focused on the scene.

I did ~1000 words in 34 minutes.

Sometimes I wonder if I should be going for time rather than wordcount. Then again, that would mean some days I would sit here and write a paragraph and then stare at the screen for an hour and be done.

It’s all about the focus, really. If I can MAKE myself ignore distractions, I can get a lot done. But that, unfortunately, is a big if.

64,308 / 80,000 (80.0%)

63,315 / 80,000 (79.0%)

Still not hitting the 1000k a day, but writing every day is better than not.

In other news, had a good note from Michael A. Stackpole today. I’ll be interviewing him shortly for this podcast, so stay tuned!

Words written last night: 175.

I was tired. I was grumpy. And yet my own damn words rang in my head, sitting on my high horse, telling you that you can spare 15 minutes a day to write. So I got 175 words out.

Damn me.

Keepsie’s Bar

62,695 / 80,000 (78.0%)

Our hero encounters conflict as she realizes the hypocritical demons within herself, and vows to not let her listeners down again.

Novel - Keepsie’s Bar

62,520 / 80,000 (78.0%)

(this is an awesome tool, click on it to do your own wordcount)
[EDIT - OK, blogger can't make this seamless, no matter how I tweak the code. Perhaps if you try it for yourself on your web page or live journal (where I know it looks good) it will look nicer... ah well...]

• The Online Writing Workshop
• Occam’s Razor

Enjoy the show. You should be writing.

Thanks so much to Dana Countryman for the kind permission to use his song, Lovesick Martian Boy, as ISBW’s theme music.

 

 ISBW #2: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (103)

In which our hero introduces the show, herself, the concept of Square One, and issues an invitation for more questions.

• Geek Fu Action Grip
• The Secrets
• Sonar

Enjoy the show. You should be writing.

My Odeo Channel (odeo/dd42a75333170272)

Thanks so much to Dana Countryman for the kind permission to use his song, Lovesick Martian Boy, as ISBW’s theme music.

 

 ISBW #1 - Introductions: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (149)

Welcome to I Should Be Writing. If you’re an amateur (fledgling, wanna-be, dreamer) writer, then you’ve probably got questions. From “how do I put this idea on paper” to “what do I put on a cover letter?”

I’ve been writing for 4 years. I’ve gotten several things published - but no fiction. It’s my baby, the monkey on my back, the albatross around my neck. So this podcast will be my sharing of my misery, as misery loves company. Crushed by your first rejection? I have a file full of them. Frustrated at the novel that would never end? I’ll let you know my wordcount on my first novel, so you can see it creep along. Hopefully what I’ve learned can help you.

And if you’re skeptical about this, then rest assured, every fifth podcast will be an interview with a published author, checking my advice against their expertise. If you’re further skeptical, then check out Michael A. Stackpole’s The Secrets, cause you can be totally sure he’ll steer you right. If you’re convinced, pull up a chair, get a beer, and let’s talk about how much it sucks to be a wanna-be writer.