Weekly Writing Progress Report - M4 Week 5

Hi All--

Today is the last day of week five! Whooo! So even though it's only 2:36 p.m. as I write this, I am turning off my computer for the rest of the day (after I right this post) to enjoy the start of memorial day weekend!

Week 5
Project: M4 YA Fantasy
First Draft

Word count this week: 13,271
Total word count to date: 53,551

This week in writing:

I am shocked at the words I've churned out this week. Work has been so busy that I've really started to feel like 'blah,' all week. I still forced myself to get moving and work out (albeit very short work outs), but I've also been snacking way too much and eating too much chocolate. I guess you could say I stress eat :( This is basically what I looked like all week (with Blaire as my model):

crawling under desk at work

sleep after snacking too much

what am I to do with this? exercise?

Thank goodness for this three day weekend. Hopefully I'll rest up and be back to normal. Whatever that is.

What was critical this week for writing was being prepared when I met the page. Needed to increase that productivity, yo! So word sprints all the time and checking my lists (of scenes to write). I also bribed myself with food. 1,000 words and then I could have a piece of chocolate -_-. I know, I really am horrible this week on my diet. But what didn't pay off on the scale paid off on my word count. Less than 20,000 words to my 70,000 word goal! *Throws Confetti* But as I'm nearing the end, with six chapters left to write, I'm thinking I'll be going a little over the word count I've expected. Which is pretty cool. So now I'm not focusing solely on word count anymore, I just really need to push myself and finish this thing in the next two weeks. I do have an upcoming trip to Vegas next weekend, so hopefully that doesn't distract/deter me that much. But if so, c'est la vie.

Interesting tidbits about the manuscript:

• I currently average 3,000 words per chapter / 9-10 pages per chapter
• From what I've written so far and what I've planned out for the next couple of scenes, I guesstimate I'll have 24 chapters total.
• My chapter titles are mostly one word, with a couple that are two. I like trigger words that give me a gist of what I've written without having to delve back into the pages. Take a look into my scrivener file! 

• I still have no idea what the working title is.
• According to Scrivener, I've written 153 pages. Not bad for a vomit draft :P

Getting past the dreaded middle, while eyeing that ending:

• Trust and allow yourself some freedom - Last week I had a difficult time with the middle trying to bridge what was currently going on in the story with where I wanted to end up. This week, I was still in the middle phase, but what really helped me was having a plan, but also allowing some leeway for my character to guide me to the next step. So though I never planned for Captain Cavanaugh in this story, he appeared to me like a chance meeting. Because for my main character, it was a chance meeting. Ha! Now I'm smitten with him, so he'll definitely be a minor character in the following books in the series. So yeah, let yourself and your character explore, because you never know where you'll end up or who'll you meet. Captain Cavanaugh just ended up being the answer to a plot solution I needed. Know that it's okay to deviate from the outline once and awhile.
• Treat yourself - Yes, I've been snacking like crazy, but I think it's really important to treat yourself while writing as a way to applaud yourself and keep your stamina up. Back in college I used to run half-marathon's and I would always eat sports jelly beans to give myself a boost at the six mile mark. Same concept. You need fuel to write. For me, that consisted of tea, a good breakfast, and a bubble bath (not pictured).

batter: banana, egg, oatmeal, and chia seeds
topping: blueberries agave and two slices of bacon.
YUM.

• Look forward - Keep in mind what you're working towards. That beautiful ending you've had since you started writing chapter one. It is coming, you will get there. Keep on keepin' on.
• Take a break - If you've been working really hard and then one day you are just feeling so unmotivated. It means you're burnt out and need a break. Like, me, today. I wrote what I could, switched gears with this blog post, and then I'm gonna get dressed and go out with my main squeeze on a night on the town. Because you know what? We only get one life, and yeah we enjoy typing away and creating our stories, but we also need to live. That's something I always need to remind myself.

                     

Hope all is well writing friends. Remember to live, and remember those who have served.