We are warriors! … Just wanted to get that out there.
The progress and writing breakthroughs that have been made during this independent writers’ tournament are nothing short of phenomenal. As of today, we have exactly one more week to go, so hang in there.
MY PROGRESS FOR TODAY
My word count for today (officially Day #9), by the way, was 0. I finished the proofreading and editing of the book I finished last Friday.
I’m going to try to hang in there and upload it tonight, but this cold is kicking my butt. I took some medicine and it makes you sleepy, so I’ll see how I’m feeling once I finish this update.
Following is our progress as a group for Days 7, 8 and this past weekend. Just like in the last update, if feedback is given, I’ve pasted it in notes to the individual so that all can benefit.
As an aside, thank you ladies and gents for sharing so freely. I know others find it helpful; I certainly do. Now, here’s our progress.
DAY 7 (THURSDAY, 10/20)
Participant #1 (Yuwanda). Daily Goal: 3750 words.
My word count was 3936. I’m over the 25,000 words I’d planned for this novella. I have another 2,000 or so to write to wrap it up, which I’ll finish tomorrow. That will push editing and proofing back to the weekend, but I’m pleased.
Participant #2. Daily Goal: 500 words.
Thursday word count: 612
Participant #3. Daily Goal: 1600 words.
1789 words.
Participant #4. Daily Goal: 1500 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #5. Daily Goal: 3,000 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #6. Daily Goal: 3500 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #7. Daily Goal: 1,000 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #8. Daily Goal: 3000 words initially; changed that to 1500 after the first day.
Did not report in.
Participant #9. Daily Goal: 2200 words.
Goal: 2,200 Words
2,200 (Just worked out that way)
Total Words: 14,511 wds. 889 words behind schedule
Today I was able to focus on my software all day and met my word count easily tonight. I consider that huge. Most of my writing days before now were dictated by my word goal. Today I found room for everything in the schedule, right in its place.
Still more to do in the outline. Maybe I won't come up so short after all!
My feedback to this participant…
Awesome sauce! Keep up the amazing work. You’ve been incredibly consistent and focused … the makings of a successful writer. Writing talent is important, but being able to be disciplined is just as important. IMO, a disciplined but okay writer can easily make a good living, compared to a word God who’s not focused.
DAY 8 (FRIDAY, 10/21)
Participant #1 (Yuwanda). Daily Goal: 3750 words.
I wrote 6367 words today. I finished my novel. Now, I have to go back and proof/edit tomorrow, so I can upload it to AMZ, B&N, and D2D (Draft2Digital.com).
Participant #2. Daily Goal: 500 words.
Friday word count: 724 (Got to work early today, which is pretty new for me. It feels good to get the task out of the way first, though it is not the time of day that I have the most creative energy.)
My feedback to this participant…
I feel ya on the not being an early person! Good for you for soldiering through and pumping it out.
Participant #3. Daily Goal: 1600 words.
I took a break today. First of all, a client I quoted on a major project six months ago hired someone else cheaper who botched it. They were desperate to hire me at an even higher fee to fix everything this guy did. So, given that we're soon to head into the slow freelance season, I could not risk avoiding a $10k+ client project, so I spent this morning on the phone with them hammering out details. So, time to get caught up this weekend!
My feedback to this participant…
Whoa 10 grand in freelance work! I would have taken a break too. That’s awesome. You’ve been incredible consistent, so I totally understand.
See y’all … hybrid freelancing. It diversifies your income. Nice problem to have, no? Write on my book, or knock out this lucrative freelance pocket can give me a financial cushion.
Participant #4. Daily Goal: 1500 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #5. Daily Goal: 3,000 words.
0 words. This brings me caught up on reporting. Now to actually get caught up on writing!
My feedback to this participant…
Recognizing where you’re falling short is 90 percent of the battle. :) Hope that complicated plot is coming along.
Participant #6. Daily Goal: 3500 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #7. Daily Goal: 1,000 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #8. Daily Goal: 3000 words initially; changed that to 1500 after the first day
Did not report in.
Participant #9. Daily Goal: 2200 words.
Did not report in.
UNOFFICIAL DAYS: 2ND WEEKEND (10/22 & 10/23)
Note: Of course, you are not required to write on the weekends.
Participant #1 (Yuwanda). Daily Goal: 3750 words.
I didn’t write the entire weekend because I finished my book yesterday (A Taste of Tara: Part IV). I started the editing and proofing of it, but woke up with a bad head cold that persisted throughout the weekend. Did not finished the proofing/editing.
Participant #2. Daily Goal: 500 words.
No writing today :) time for a break to enjoy the weekend!
Participant #3. Daily Goal: 1600 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #4. Daily Goal: 1500 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #5. Daily Goal: 3,000 words.
0 words.
Participant #6. Daily Goal: 3500 words.
Did not report in.
Participant #7. Daily Goal: 1,000 words.
Hey there Yuwanda hope you are well! I missed reporting the last couple of days PROBABLY because I DIDN"T WRITE the last couple of days. Dayem, dayem, dayem and smh there I said it. Fear of admitting failure be shamed. Ahem...,Woo glad that's over!
Anywho, I'm sitting here on my laptop now attempting to catch up and so far I have a whopping 200 words sigh...
I did finally check out the article you sent and it did share some good tips and information. However since I'm writing a self-help type book it has a different kind of outline style. Reading that article prompted me to do my own online search for Self-Help book outlines and I found a few that I thought they were helpful. (Uhhhh,,, not helpful enough for me to make my word count though :-O!)
I really think that I'm not yet in the place in my life to write this book and my attempt to do has only exposed this truth. And now I know exactly "why" this is so. Personally, there are some things I need to get solidified first and there is simply no way around it. I am thankful that this experience has been yet another way for me to come to this realization and understanding! We never know what experiences will be used to make us dig deeper into ourselves and this is why I remain open to life experiences!
On another note I was just able to read through the last update you sent us and I just want to say reading through #6's comments and your reply was SUPER inspiring! Thanks to the both of you for being vulnerable, authentic and doggone honest in your sharing. Love it!!!
Ok I'm sending this now although I have a few hours before my evening shift and I may add some more words between after I push send and tomorrow. I'm not dropping out although at this point I'm pretty sure I won't be making my initially planned daily word count. Not with this particular project anyway.
My feedback to this participant…
Sometimes, that’s the win – figuring out that you’re not ready to write a certain book, for whatever reason. Now, you can move on to something you CAN write.
As for the “ SUPER inspiring” comments, in my other life, I wanted to be a shrink! :) Seriously, glad it helped. Life is so preciously short, I wish every person had the courage to just grab life by the balls and go for it. It’s how I live my life (with reasonable temperance and thought).
The only thing I want to say on my death bed is, “I’m glad I did that,” even if whatever it was was a monumental failure.
Participant #8. Daily Goal: 3000 words initially; changed that to 1500 after the first day
Did not report in.
Participant #9. Daily Goal: 2200 words.
Did not report in.
CONCLUSION
Fewer of you are reporting in regularly. Remember, for most of us, money is made in writing by consistency, so if you fall off track, get back to it as soon as possible. Even if you write only a few hundred words a day, it’s better than nothing.
As a reminder, here’s the daily writing goal of some famous authors. Some are as little as 500 words per day. So it’s less about how many words, than that you write … consistently.
FYI, writing consistently can lead to great success. Proof? This is the self-publishing and writing philosophy I live by.
The next update will be this Thursday, the 27th.
Yuwanda
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