[Writing] September Numbers
Oct. 1st, 2014 12:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jon_chaissonThe official return of Jonc' Whiteboard Writing Schedule worked out pretty well for September, all things considered. The output was a little lower than I wanted it to be, but on the other hand I am using the non-project exercises to a good extent. The numbers below give me a good idea where my strength is and where I need to adjust.
Non-Project Exercises:
750 Words.com:
29 out of 30 days hit; all 29 hitting at least 750
Lowest - 752w
Highest - 1591w
Total words for 09/2014: 24895
STATUS: Ongoing. I've been using 750 for working out project-related ideas, writing outtakes and a few poems as well. Serves well as a primer to get me going for the rest of the day/session.
Personal journal:
20 out of 30 days hit
[No wordcount calculated]
STATUS: Ongoing. I usually hit this during my workday, often during my first short break of the day. This is where most of my unimportant blathering has gone off to, as I'd decided it was time to take that offline. This has also cleared more time for positive-creative exercises, such as with 750 Words. Some entries are a few paragraphs, some are a few pages...it really depends on what's going on in my mind that day.
Artwork:
2 out of 4 scheduled days hit
STATUS: Obviously needs adjustment. The temptation to join in #inktober is very high. [tl;dr: Draw something, anything, in ink for each day of October. Sort of an art version of NaNoWriMo.] This obviously doesn't need to be a big masterpiece--it can be one of my map drawings, or a Murph sketch, or something along those lines. It'll be a good way to get me back in the habit of daily doodling again.
Poetry:
7 out of 10 scheduled days hit
[No wordcount calculated]
STATUS: Needs a bit of adjustment, but I'm not too worried, as I seem to be finally getting back into the groove of writing it after a very long dry spell. As noted above, I've been writing a few as part of my daily 750 and then transcribing them to the composition book. Would like to extend on this at some point, however.
Project-Related Writing:
WordPress Blogs:
Walk in Silence: 3 out of 4 scheduled days hit
Welcome to Bridgetown: 2 out of ?? scheduled days hit
[No wordcount calculated]
STATUS: These have been sorely lacking as of late, mostly due to procrastination and time constraints. I definitely have ideas lined up for these, I just need to carve out the time to get to them. I'm aiming to return to a once-a-week schedule with these again.
Two Thousand:
21 out of 22 scheduled days hit
Lowest - 261w
Highest - 855w
Total words for 09/2014: 10130w
Total wordcount for book: 13585w
STATUS: Nearing end of Chapter 3. Considering that I haven't written a new novel from scratch for at least a few years, I'm actually not too worried about the low count--that's actually pretty good for a month and a half's work. I can see where I'm having trouble: lack of preparation and shortened time. I don't always get my 750 done before the end of the day, so I have to squeeze that in with my evening writing session, and that shortens time for TT work. There's also the fact that I haven't gotten around to doing any of my short-term outlines yet. Both are easily rectified, though.
Walk in Silence:
3 out of 4 scheduled days hit
Total words for 09/2014: 0w [minor edits not counted]
Total wordcount for book: 24478w
STATUS: Nearing end of Chapter 7, and about halfway through the initial draft. At present, I'm rereading what I have so far, making a few minor fixes, and will start on and count new words when I'm caught up. I kind of tripped myself up on this one before our London trip, and chose to distance myself from it for a few weeks and start on Two Thousand in the interim. Now that this has become my weekend project, I'll be able to devote more time to it.
Overall:
Pros: I'm definitely hitting word count when I put my mind to it. I'm not worried about that at present. I'm not too worried about having too many things going on, either...I know my limits pretty well enough and can scale back if/when needed.
Cons: Time management seems to be the culprit here, and that can easily be worked out.
October Plans:
1. Continue with the 750 Words. As stated above, I will use this more as a playground for new ideas, as well as working out ideas for current projects.
2. Get my 750 during the day (during breaks, slow times, etc) to open up more time for evening writing sessions.
3. Take part in #inktober, if just for a trial run and as a primer for the artwork exercises.
4. Add the WP blogs to the whiteboard, work on them on weekends.
5. All other writings/exercises as scheduled.
Non-Project Exercises:
750 Words.com:
29 out of 30 days hit; all 29 hitting at least 750
Lowest - 752w
Highest - 1591w
Total words for 09/2014: 24895
STATUS: Ongoing. I've been using 750 for working out project-related ideas, writing outtakes and a few poems as well. Serves well as a primer to get me going for the rest of the day/session.
Personal journal:
20 out of 30 days hit
[No wordcount calculated]
STATUS: Ongoing. I usually hit this during my workday, often during my first short break of the day. This is where most of my unimportant blathering has gone off to, as I'd decided it was time to take that offline. This has also cleared more time for positive-creative exercises, such as with 750 Words. Some entries are a few paragraphs, some are a few pages...it really depends on what's going on in my mind that day.
Artwork:
2 out of 4 scheduled days hit
STATUS: Obviously needs adjustment. The temptation to join in #inktober is very high. [tl;dr: Draw something, anything, in ink for each day of October. Sort of an art version of NaNoWriMo.] This obviously doesn't need to be a big masterpiece--it can be one of my map drawings, or a Murph sketch, or something along those lines. It'll be a good way to get me back in the habit of daily doodling again.
Poetry:
7 out of 10 scheduled days hit
[No wordcount calculated]
STATUS: Needs a bit of adjustment, but I'm not too worried, as I seem to be finally getting back into the groove of writing it after a very long dry spell. As noted above, I've been writing a few as part of my daily 750 and then transcribing them to the composition book. Would like to extend on this at some point, however.
Project-Related Writing:
WordPress Blogs:
Walk in Silence: 3 out of 4 scheduled days hit
Welcome to Bridgetown: 2 out of ?? scheduled days hit
[No wordcount calculated]
STATUS: These have been sorely lacking as of late, mostly due to procrastination and time constraints. I definitely have ideas lined up for these, I just need to carve out the time to get to them. I'm aiming to return to a once-a-week schedule with these again.
Two Thousand:
21 out of 22 scheduled days hit
Lowest - 261w
Highest - 855w
Total words for 09/2014: 10130w
Total wordcount for book: 13585w
STATUS: Nearing end of Chapter 3. Considering that I haven't written a new novel from scratch for at least a few years, I'm actually not too worried about the low count--that's actually pretty good for a month and a half's work. I can see where I'm having trouble: lack of preparation and shortened time. I don't always get my 750 done before the end of the day, so I have to squeeze that in with my evening writing session, and that shortens time for TT work. There's also the fact that I haven't gotten around to doing any of my short-term outlines yet. Both are easily rectified, though.
Walk in Silence:
3 out of 4 scheduled days hit
Total words for 09/2014: 0w [minor edits not counted]
Total wordcount for book: 24478w
STATUS: Nearing end of Chapter 7, and about halfway through the initial draft. At present, I'm rereading what I have so far, making a few minor fixes, and will start on and count new words when I'm caught up. I kind of tripped myself up on this one before our London trip, and chose to distance myself from it for a few weeks and start on Two Thousand in the interim. Now that this has become my weekend project, I'll be able to devote more time to it.
Overall:
Pros: I'm definitely hitting word count when I put my mind to it. I'm not worried about that at present. I'm not too worried about having too many things going on, either...I know my limits pretty well enough and can scale back if/when needed.
Cons: Time management seems to be the culprit here, and that can easily be worked out.
October Plans:
1. Continue with the 750 Words. As stated above, I will use this more as a playground for new ideas, as well as working out ideas for current projects.
2. Get my 750 during the day (during breaks, slow times, etc) to open up more time for evening writing sessions.
3. Take part in #inktober, if just for a trial run and as a primer for the artwork exercises.
4. Add the WP blogs to the whiteboard, work on them on weekends.
5. All other writings/exercises as scheduled.
