1st August, 2012. One Month In.

I realised that as it is the 1^st of August, I am one month into my challenge. More importantly, while I'm not typing fast etc., I am finding writing 10,000 words not so hard, as I can sit down a write for longer periods of time without feeling overstretched or tempted away. This is all demonstrated by today's challenge.

Today had all the makings of a disastrous writing day. I stayed up till 1am last night because I couldn't put down my book until I had finished it. So I woke up late and groggy. After I finally got out of bed (using a game of Settlers to negotiate with myself) and had breakfast, it was 11.35 when I went to start writing. This was a seriously bad sign, as it meant I would need to write through the afternoon and fight the nanna nap temptation. (Just to give you an indication, current score lies generally in the vicinity of NN: 532. Buffy: 10.)

Just over the last week (sort of since I started keeping a record of my writing sessions) I've found that agreeing to sit down for a set number of hours, but breaking every hour to get a new cup of tea and have a bit of a stretch, works really well. I begin each hour by recording everything that might affect how I write in the coming hour and then at the end of the hour I record how many words I've written and how easy/hard it felt. It's slowly getting me the data I need to perfect my writing performance. Luckily I have another 4 years and 11 months to work it all out.

So today in my first hour I felt like I struggled a bit, sitting back with my arms crossed trying to ponder, then remembering I can't stop to ponder, I must ponder on paper. However, when I had finished that first hour I found that I had written 2,422 words. (Okay, I know when I first started I was like 'oh, I can write 3,000 words an hour'... don't know what I was thinking, that was a lie. I can do between 2,000-2,500 depending on how much flow I can muster.)

I then suddenly remembered I had to ring my brother, which totally could have waited, but seemed like a necessary thing at the time. So the second hour didn't start until 1.15pm, and I feared the gap would affect the flow I had developed. However, I actually really got into it and kept writing until 2.40, so got 3,157 words done. Halfway there for the day which was pretty exciting. Next hour started again at 2.48 and I polished off another 2,479 words. 

The fact that I had managed to keep writing, even though I had broken the flow to make a phone call, and had managed not to get overcome by tiredness and the need to take an afternoon nap was pretty amazing. But then my little sister was coming over, and instead of trying to get as much done before she arrived, I ended up reading 'Born to Run'.

Yes, I started reading, even though I knew in my heart that Jenny would want to do something, and I wouldn't get back to write that final hour. I let it go anyway. And as it happened, Jenny did want to get a video out. But we started so early we were done by 7.30pm. And by 8pm I was back at my computer. And by 9pm I had completed over 10,000 words for the day! I'm now up to 60,946 words in the story, and can see the end in sight. I have also worked out one or two scenes I want to put in earlier.

So, managed to overcome getting out of bed late, breaking the flow to ring my brother, the need to have an afternoon nap, and coming back late in the evening after a reasonable day of writing. And to be completely honest, I have no idea how I fought all these temptations with so little effort. Usually any one of these would spell the end. But I think my mind must be getting used to this writing idea. It's being trained to just pick up and carry on whenever.

Coffee in the second and third hour also helps, I think. And not really being offered better options.

But I will need to investigate this further. It will be on my list of things to look out for: how to get temptation to lose its sting.

I'm now going to jump into bed with a clear conscious and read.

Good night all.

Buffy.

Time To Get Serious, Time To Keep A Diary!

Well, have been having varying success with my writing this week. As mentioned, Sunday was a wipe out word count wise. Monday I did roughly 8,500 on the third book in my trilogy (which might turn out to be longer than a trilogy, still waiting to see). Tuesday did a sad little 3,000 as I worked well in the morning, but then came home after work and gym and just needed to read. Was feeling all dried out and in need of some relaxation. Wednesday I made my 7,500 which would have been great, except it was my day off so I was aiming for 10,000. And today I did okay in the morning, coming in at just under 3,000, but this evening had a personal training session at the gym later than I usually go, and then somehow cooking dinner ended up taking an hour, so I didn't get down to write until 9.30pm. So have only managed 5,000 words today.

So, have decided: it's time to get serious. In the mornings I'm varying between 2,000 words on a bad morning, 3,000 usually, and 4,000 on a good morning. But I am writing for generally the same amount of time, but sometimes I'm just a lot more effective (Okay, once or twice I've got to 2,000 and decided to fall back asleep, or take some time to read, but those few instances aside). The evenings are similar. I can sit down for the same amount of time and get a 2,000 word difference.

I've talked quite a bit about the flow and how useful it can be. I've outline a basic method for making sure it comes to your aid. But now I need to go even more hardcore. I need to know more than just 'exercise, eat, work'.

Based slightly on something Dorothea said, I've decided I really need to investigate what makes me write well and what holds me back on a practical daily level. So, I'm going to try and keep a diary where I rate how well my writing session went and analyse the factors that led up to it: how well did I sleep? Did I go to sleep particularly early or slightly later? What did I eat before hand? Do I work best after a meal of protein or carbohydrates etc. And particularly: what I was reading at the time?

This was the focus of Dorothea's message, to identify writing that makes you want to write. There are some authors that you will absolutely love, but they don't inspire you to write for yourself. And then there are authors or genres you think you despise, but they always send you running to pen and paper, possibly just to prove that you can do it better. In becoming more systematic about the process and identifying everything that makes me work best, I will be able to maximise my performance.

Athletes from all around the world are currently gathering in London for the Olympics. And they have spent the last few months, if not years, analysing every part of their life so that they can be at their best to go those few seconds faster. I'm going to treat my writing the same. If I work out that having some protein before I write means I can write an extra 1,000 words in that session, and I have two sessions a day, that means for each fortnight I could write at least an extra 20,000 words, which is two whole extra days off!

So, I'm going to start my process of self-examination on Saturday (unfortunately tomorrow's writing is going to have to be stuffed in around a variety of other things, as I can't see me having a block of time that I will be able to sit down and write, but I will do my best all the same.)

If I find out any amazing secrets, I will let you know.

For anyone else thinking of becoming serious about writing, I recommend the exercise as well. But I would say do it after you are at the stage of writing everyday. It's like when I go to the gym and see people wearing compression tights, but still only doing a walk on the treadmill. The pants really aren't going to help you unless you are working close to your maximum. Finding out that you can write 10% more if you drink tea instead of coffee won't be a big benefit unless you are actually writing, and writing a substantial amount. Until you have trained yourself to do, say, 1,000 words a day, spend more time focused on that. See my previous post for exercises on how to increase your writing.

The thing that has sparked my sudden desire to learn more is that I currently feel I'm spending every possible moment writing just to meet my targets. So getting more for my efforts and being able to finish a bit early would make a huge difference.

Just to give an overview for those of you who think I'm being a bit melodramatic:

I get up between 6.45-7am (which I know is not super early, but since I have to have 8-9 hours sleep, I'm really pushing it), get breakfast and a cup of tea and am sitting down to write around 7.15am. I then write until about 9.30am, when I need to get ready for work. I get home from work between 5.30-6pm, go straight to the gym and do 30mins work out with 15 mins of stretching before coming home, having a shower and cooking dinner. I usually get to sit down to write again around 7.30 and I write until usually around 10pm, by when I will hopefully have hit my target for the day. I then suddenly remember I also have to write my blog. I spend another half an hour plus doing that, before getting ready and falling into bed. If I manage to finish my writing early, I like to curl up in bed and listen to podcasts while doing my knitting (yes I am an old lady in training. But at least I've almost finished my new throw rug, while it's still cold!)

I manage to fit in reading: a few minutes while I eat my breakfast and dinner, the two stops I go on the train each way, and for about 20mins in my lunch break.

This also might explain why on my days off I tend to collapse.

But soon I will know the secret for amazing writing, and then I will take over the world! Or at least keep creating my own ones to play with.

Until later.

Buffy.