For anyone else who wants to start/progress/finish writing a book in 2011

[artifarti]

As the title says really!

Me: After several years of dithering with short stories, I committed myself to Nanowrimo last month and managed to bash out a 50,000 first draft of an idea I've had for ages. There is some excrutiating crap in there but also the bare bones of a plot and some interesting characters. So I'd really like to spend 2011 trying to develop it into something better.

But I need some company so that we can mutually kick each other's arses when the temptation to watch Holby City is proving too great. Anyone else?

[BsshBossh]

1474 words today, produced largely because I downloaded a programme called Freedom that prevents me sneaking onto the Internet and wasting time. Basically you can't reconnect to the Net unless you restart your PC which, frankly, is a faff. Helped me focus on my day job too (no sneaking onto Facebook or Twitter).

Am I alone here? I really don't want to bore you all with my daily word stats. Hope I haven't driven you away (will stop if it gets on your nerves, honest!).

[Novelist]

Wow, you're pulling some good word counts in! I'm just easing on in to things now the kids are back at school. Will be writing a couple chapters starting tomorrow and into next week that I've taken notes for. Will post word counts if you'd like me to!

I hear you on Facebook/Twitter/other distractions. I was just thinking the other day how much easier it all was when my first novel came out in 2000. Back then, you wrote the manuscript, sent it to the publisher, did the edits and page proofs, it came out, you did some interviews and so on and then got on with writing the next one. Now you have to have a bloody platform, with a Facebook Page, website, Twitter, a Klout rating etc. It's all such a time suck. Mind you, the one NYT best-selling writer I know does none of that and it doesn't hurt her any!

[CassiePalmer]

Hi all
Well I'm pretty unproductive right now. I've suffered loads of colds this year and came down with a cough over the summer which I struggled to shake off and this weekend I ended up in hospital with pneumonia, just got out yesterday. So I've not really been in the mood for writing and it'll probably take me a couple of weeks to recover. Bit gutting as I was doing quite well but haven't the energy now.
That Freedom programme sounds good Bssh, I'm terrible for letting the internet interrupt me, I even switch my wireless connection off but turn it back on when I run out of steam.

[BsshBossh]

Yippee, I'm in good company :) No need to post word counts Novelist unless you want to. It's just my own way of staying motivated and it seems to work as I see my word count for a previous day and I either want to beat it or at least match it. Childcare issues and Internet distractions notwithstanding, it helps keep me on track.

Cassie, poor you. Get well soon! The Freedom programme is really good. It's easier to somehow to toggle WiFi on and off than restarting my not-very-fast PC so the programme is great for me. They do a Mac and a Windows version.

[BsshBossh]

Did 1243 words yesterday (with Internet turned off!) and completed Chapter 18.

No writing today as too many other committments and I don't write on the weekends so onwards Monday when I'll commence Chapter 19.

4 more chapters to go...

How are you all doing?

[FlamingoBingo]

Hello everyone,

Sorry I haven't been round much at all. But, the good news is, I finished my novel this morning! Determined to start posting here again, got such good advice when I was more involved :)

Looking forward to catching up on what you're all up to (those of you who aren't on my twitter feed) :)

[BsshBossh]

Congratulations Flamingo, wow how exciting! Keep us updated on next steps.

No writing for me until Wednesday now as I have houseguests.

[FlamingoBingo]

Certainly will, BsshBossh. It's going to need a lot of editing...and I need to write another 20k words of subplot...

[grumpypants]

Good luck flamingo. Mine is all ready in my head, just need to write it down now! Planned friday - 3 hours alone!

[FlamingoBingo]

Good luck, grumpy - not sure you'll bang out a whole novel in 3h, but...

[grumpypants]

oh darn it - i had such high hopes. might go shopping instead...

[FlamingoBingo]

LOL...could get it started!

[BsshBossh]

Writing on hold until next week as I have a bug and am feeling quite poorly . Hope everyone is still writing!

[Novelist]

Wow, Flamingo, that is great! Go you! Got back into the writing yesterday. Wrote 3500 chocolate-fuelled words (husband just got back from Belgium). Ugh, felt so sick by the end of the day.

Hope your bug departs soon, Bssh, my illness was just stupidity, I'm afraid...

[belledechocchipcookie]

Goodness, you're all working so hard.

[BsshBossh]

Writing and researching all week (in spare time). Happy with it all.

[belledechocchipcookie]

Quack.

[CassiePalmer]

You all seem to be doing really well at the moment.

I'm really struggling, haven't done much writing for months, not getting any new ideas, well I have but didn't write them down and I've forgotten them, hopefully they will come back to me. I'm well now but been busy, new course has started but I've been pencilling in time to write but not doing it. I think it may be 2012 before I make any progress again!

It's bothering me as writing is my form of relaxation, though I still write lists when bored(I love a list).

I was thinking of doing NaNoWriMo to motivate myself again, I loved doing it last year, but I have an assignment due 10th Nov and another mid December so not sure if a good idea to do it this year.

I may try and plot something anyway

[BsshBossh]

Dandy, can't wait to hear your news. Don't keep us in suspense for too long.

Cassie, NaNo sounds like a great idea. You've got nothing to lose really. Go for it.

I've been writing steadily all week - a few thousand words, which I'm pleased with as I've been juggling childcare (DD at home more now she's started preschool and I've reduced her childminder hours). Now that I have less time to write I'm actually much more focussed and productive with the time I have.

[Novelist]

Cassie, you should definitely do NaNoWriMo -- go for it! The timing's never been right for me, but I hope to join in one day. Just finished a pitch that my agent is sending out today to someone I would die to work with. It's a bit Downton Abbey meets Gossip Girl. I had to work out six episodes. Fingers crossed! Big working week as I just released a book straight to Kindle today. Fingers crossed for that, too.

How's everyone else's writing going? Picking up a bit now kids are back at school? I swear I moved countries to get my youngest into school early. In Australia he wouldn't be starting school until next January. Here he would have started September 2010!

[BsshBossh]

Novelist how exciting about the pitch! Let us know how you go. Is it a TV script or a novel?



I've had a long weekend of house guests and now they have all left and DD is at preschool all day I really need to crack on with writing but I am shattered, not just from the run I did this morning but also emotionally drained from being in company all weekend. I am such a loner and feel most energised when on my own so am sat here in my armchair trying to recover myself again.

I realise I have the "luxury" of not having to work nor look after DD today but I am spent.

Should I just crack with it? I mean, if I was still working I'd have no choice but get back into the swing of things... I've answered my own question. But I think I'll turn on th PC and read a few chapters of a book (not mine) then crack on in an hour...

Tomorrow I have another clear day of writing then the rest of the week few hours each day only. But I really should start today...

[Novelist]

Bssh, it's an e-serial. I think a few publishers are going to get quite aggressive with the e-stuff where the young adult market is concerned. It will be interesting to see how it pans out. Kind of weird, but it occurred to me today that we're moving back into the sort of fiction Dickens wrote -- serialised fiction etc..

I sometimes think you've got to be kind to yourself when you're a bit spent. Give yourself some down time, then get stuck in!

[BsshBossh]

Best of luck with the e-serial, Novelist.

Well, I've been reading this afternoon, relaxing in the armchair in my bedroom, clean white laundry hanging out in the sunshine, listening to the world go by outside. I can feel myself recharging. I actually think I will do some writing tonight after I put DD to bed, before DH comes home.

I need to give myself a break. I'm quite a driven person and need to realise that sometimes that drive can be counter productive...