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Original poster

Write a book this year

322 replies

GlumyGloomer · 28/04/2021 08:03

I started back around February I think, and hoping to finish the first draft before the end of the year.
Anyone else fancy a chat/support thread?

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Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 12/05/2021 13:50

MrsRussel oh but this time he gets to be a useless reptile Grin
it's just saved as one of the main characters names at the moment.

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winched · 12/05/2021 13:56

Does anybody else make playlists to write along to?

I choose one song when I come up with the book idea and then listen to it on repeat as I'm writing... it kinda just fades away into the background but it's excellent for getting back into the "vibe" of the book whenever you want to, even a year later.

Checking in! I'm going to start doing it daily. This has been a good week for me.
Monday: 5486
Tuesday: 5426
Wednesday: 7616 (I got up at 4am 😴)

That was all on the same book... but I just did one sprint on a new book and got 760. Going to try to get a couple more chapters in tonight when the sprogs are in bed -- if I don't end up in bed before they do 😂

GoddessKali · 12/05/2021 14:04

This is a great thread idea and has inspired me :)

Can I jump on and ask if everyone just writes using Word documents? I want to write a sort of training manual..... I’m not sure what’s the best software to use as want text and pics / diagrams etc

GoddessKali · 12/05/2021 14:06

This is a great thread idea and has inspired me :)

Can I jump on and ask if everyone just writes using Word documents? I want to write a sort of training manual..... I’m not sure what’s the best software to use as want text and pics / diagrams etc

MintyCedric · 12/05/2021 14:12

@GlumyGloomer

My leads are 'played' by Tom Burke and Eve Myles currently.

BreastedBoobilyToTheStairs · 12/05/2021 14:21

Can I join please?

I have a few projects in progress - one is an epic fantasy (first of a series). I have 90k words but it needs a substantial rewrite because it is just far too long and complex already. I realised it's too much of a substantial project to start writing with (I haven't written before), so I've put it on the back burner until I have honed my skills and can be more focussed.

I also have a YA novella (a sort of 0.5 of a few books I could write with these characters but I'm going to do one full novel and see how it goes). It is at 35k and I've set it aside for a bit before I do the second draft.

I started another project last night after inspiration struck while I was walking the dog. I've written 1.5k words of a first chapter and spent most of the night thinking about it. I'm definitely in the excited phase so I'm just trying to get as much down as I can before that runs out and it becomes more difficult!

BaruFisher · 12/05/2021 14:32

Wow winched that’s an amazing word count. I’m proud if I get 5k done in a week! Good for you.

Goddess I do use word with Pro Writing Aid for editing but then I have no tables, diagrams etc so it’s fine for my purposes.

Breasted I’ve been the same with a few unfinished projects on the go. This one I’m determined to finish if only to have finished a book in my lifetime.

For the casting agents among us I’d love Toni Collette andMargot Robie for my two POV characters

MintyCedric · 12/05/2021 14:48

@GlumyGloomer

My leads are 'played' by Tom Burke and Eve Myles currently.

BreastedBoobilyToTheStairs · 12/05/2021 14:49

Baru it's tough when you're juggling, isn't it? I feel the same with this one. So far it feels like a stand-alone rather than something with the potential for a series which is making it easier (she says optimistically) because I'm not being tempted to grow the world out of control or weave too many characters into the storyline.

My epic has three POV characters for the first book (cut down from a lot more) but a big cast all from different places and walks of life. It's just too bloated so I think I need to leave it alone and come back to it with a clear head. I've already cut chunks of it out to be moved to the second instalment because it was becoming too unwieldy so it's all going to need a redraft anyway.

Winched I'm in awe! Shock

MrsRussell · 12/05/2021 14:55

I'm sort of torn, for my boy - Julian Sands in his youth would have been a shoo-in but he's kind of saggy and bald now so hard pass there I think.

Kali I use word but then upload to Google Drive so I have a copy EVERYWHERE. Not only so I don't lose it, but that way if I'm sat in the car and moved to add another few words I've got the most recent version, especially at this stage where I'm tending to wander off in God knows what directions and then find out that I can't do the thing I want to do because history or chronology.... the joys of writing a series!

I also buy notebooks from The Works, one per book, and scribble down plot rubbish while I'm just doing other stuff. As one does.

BaruFisher · 12/05/2021 15:30

Wow winched that’s an amazing word count. I’m proud if I get 5k done in a week! Good for you.

Goddess I do use word with Pro Writing Aid for editing but then I have no tables, diagrams etc so it’s fine for my purposes.

Breasted I’ve been the same with a few unfinished projects on the go. This one I’m determined to finish if only to have finished a book in my lifetime.

For the casting agents among us I’d love Toni Collette andMargot Robie for my two POV characters

Bakingdiva · 12/05/2021 18:49

@winched that is amazing to get done in a DAY! I’m happy is I get a chapter (so 2,000-2,500 words) done in a WEEK!

I keep imagining who would play my characters but they keep changing who I think they are and acting in ways I didn’t plan for them so my actors change too. I wish they’d just do as they were told!

BaruFisher · 12/05/2021 20:12

3181 done today. winced I think you have spurred me on!

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 12/05/2021 21:36

Setting the bar high there, Winched!
Around 600 words today, through to after school when the really fun stuff happens.
Hello @GoddessKali and @BreastedBoobilyToTheStairs!
I have a number of unfinished projects, which I hope will one day become finished projects. All stuff that would require a bit more sit down and focus time than I have at the moment to do them justice.

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MrsRussell · 13/05/2021 10:58

After one of those throwaway conversations with DH last night I now know how the thing ends and I'm writing the end now.
(I often write my books arse about face, so I sort of know where I'm going with them.)

It's one of those mornings where the words want to keep coming and instead the cat wants to get on my knee and DH is chatting incessantly about NOTHING. It's a wonder he is actually pausing for breath. That said, I have 1k done by 11 o'clock and I am not yet done.....

Song for the last chapter is Semisonic, "Closing Time" - "Every new beginning comes as some other beginning's end."

Drybird2020 · 13/05/2021 13:16

Can I join, please?

I've been hanging out on the submissions thread which is extremely interesting and educative but made me realise I was getting ahead of myself. I have just finished the first draft of my first novel (YA) and am trying to decide on an approach to redrafting that does not include flitting about and making changes I regret later! Is anyone else at a similar stage?

winched · 13/05/2021 13:33

MrsRussell I love the term 'arse about face' hahaha 🤣 reminds me of one of my favourites 'from arsehole to breakfast time'

Does anyone else collect words and phrases? I have hundreds of them saved on the note section of my phone, built up over many years. Good words & phrases I find on TV, forums, the internet etc and then also when I read some 'fresh writing' in books I save that too. If anyone finds my phone they'll think I'm half daft 😂

Today I'm at 4145. Got a bit of a sore head and I'm approaching one of the "steamier" scenes which I have 0 motivation to write 😬 going to take the afternoon off, get some fresh air and come back to it this evening I think.

@BaruFisher amazing!! Glad to be of assistance haha 🤣

Also just a disclaimer... please don't feel discouraged or anything by my bigger wordcounts 🙈 I've been doing this "professionally" for nearly 2 years now and I'm writing pulpy genre fiction for the mass market. Writing is a bit like a muscle that you build up over time in my opinion, but if I was writing more literary or serious stuff I'd probably tap out at 1000 a day. That was about my max when I wrote a domestic thriller and over-thought the shit out of it, as we all tend to do.

indieauthor · 13/05/2021 17:38

It's brilliant to read about everyone's progress.
For the last week I've had this thread open on my laptop as motivation to write because I'd hit a bit of a wall, procrastinating.
I wasn't able to contribute anything positive myself until today when I got 1500 words done and got out of my writers block! Hooray!

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 13/05/2021 23:05

About 400 words today.
Hello @Drybird2020 and @indieauthor,
I've got rewrites to do on my first novel, but I'm avoiding it as I have a very hard decision to make about changing a key element, and also writing a new book is more fun.
Indie glad you made it past the dreaded block!

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indieauthor · 14/05/2021 09:00

Ah thanks @GlumyGloomer. Now the block has been broken I am hoping to get back on it today too!

MrsRussell · 14/05/2021 09:42

Morning scribblers Grin

I'm very deliberately staying off the book today. I was starting to bugger about with the end yesterday - the thing where you keep spinning it out because you don't want it to finish - and until I have in my head where it stops, I'm not just going to keep twiddling with the words adding a bit here and there.

My publishers are sort of tentatively okay with it being called A Bastard Sanctuary and even more tentatively okay with it being more of a Book 0.5 than a Book 3.

It's sort of the 17th century version of Black Sails with an unpiratical accountant as one of the main characters, so it's a bit of a departure for me....

WitchyWitchFace · 14/05/2021 17:09

Hi, all. Hope you don't mind my joining. I'm writing the first book in a three book series. I'm currently at 17k words and aiming for 1k a day. Sometimes this might work out as 2k one day and 0 the next. I've set myself an ambitious task of 3k this evening to hit 20k total. My plan is to self publish later in the year. I even designed and created a book cover yesterday just for motivational purposes. I am planning on paying out for the covers to be professionally made when the time comes but I did enjoy having a play around and it did help with motivation!

WitchyWitchFace · 14/05/2021 17:30

@WitchyWitchFace

Hi, all. Hope you don't mind my joining. I'm writing the first book in a three book series. I'm currently at 17k words and aiming for 1k a day. Sometimes this might work out as 2k one day and 0 the next. I've set myself an ambitious task of 3k this evening to hit 20k total. My plan is to self publish later in the year. I even designed and created a book cover yesterday just for motivational purposes. I am planning on paying out for the covers to be professionally made when the time comes but I did enjoy having a play around and it did help with motivation!
Oh, that sounds like 20k is the total amount I'm aiming for. It's not! I'm thinking somewhere between 50 - 70k!
BaruFisher · 14/05/2021 17:30

mrsrussell I love the sound of that. And pirates are very popular right now so good move.

Hi witchy nice to have another one.

I’ve now reached a turning point so have decided to go back and do a bit of an edit (I know I should wait until the end but there’s a few fairly significant plot things that need to be fixed so am giving it a quick go over).

Went through all the chapters from one POV today (and the feedback from my writing group on them) and will edit the first couple of chapters from that POV this evening.

Even though I haven’t written a word yet I feel like I’ve had a pretty productive day so far.

Original poster
GlumyGloomer · 15/05/2021 01:21

About 200 words today.
Hello @WitchyWitchFace Smile. How are you planning to publish? I tried KPD but it was a flop due to lack of promotion.

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