Another Week...Still No Prompt

Well, Marianne, I tried this prompt but what I came up with made no sense--in a bad way. I may keep going at it because, quite frankly, it's a challenge. I did do the ten minute typing challenge. I've been doing that daily. Works well, even with the added distraction of children around.

As far as word count goes, I finished last week with 5178 words, working on two different wips. Not too bad. Not as good as last week though. But I was a day short because I counted last Sunday's words last week since May was ending. That was another 1300 words. But I won't count them twice.

My daughter and stepdaughter have spent all of yesterday writing their own stories. I was busy editing SD's story while she was writing a new one. My DD wrote a very short (and rather disturbing) story and parts of three others. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I think I may have a little Stephen King on my hands. And if her writing now is any indication, she's going to be one heck of a writer when she grows up and develops her talent. If she sticks to it, that is. She's pretty good for a twelve year old!

I hope that isn't just a mother's bias.

Everyone have a super Sunday! It's cake baking day here at the Hebert hacienda. Joy.

I hate baking.

With a passion.

May Is Done

Okay, I decided to wait until today to post my week count and combine it with my monthly total.
So, I had a pretty good week this week. Better than I thought. Maybe because I pushed to make up for last week and I didn't have much to do but write. I wrote 7438 words this week, working on three different projects. I started another young adult story, but put it aside for another one I've been working on for awhile. And last night and this morning I worked on a query for a short story. I'm planning on submitting it to The Wild Rose Press. It's an odd little story and I'm not sure what catagory to submit it under. It's about a woman who goes to bed at the age of forty-four and wakes up as a twenty-three year old, knowing now what she didn't know then. It's her chance for "do overs". It's a very light romance, but I'm just not sure if it would fall under regular contemporary or not. Any suggestions?

Anyway, my May total is 24164 words. Boy, glad I wasn't striving for 50K!

Time to get dressed. Need to get the Sunday paper.

Everyone enjoy the day!

Weekly Word Count

Well, last week was much better than the week before. I think switching wips may have helped. Actually I worked on two different wips last week. I know I know... I need to concentrate on one, but I'd rather go where I'm being most productive. I started (well picked up an old wip) a young adult story on Wednesday and it's been flowing very nicely. It's not the one I had been working on earlier in the year, this one is more contemporary. I've been trying to figure out what kids want to be reading, what I would've liked to have read when I was a teen. I know vampires are big these days, but no, I'm not writing a teenage vampire story. I don't think I'd want to compete there, but my main character won't be any ordinary teenager.

So, my word count for this week is 6971 words. I can't complain. I do have to do some editing on other things, though. I'm itching to get something submitted somewhere (although I do have a manuscript with L & L Dreamspell, but no word yet).

I tried the chicken prompt but my chickens were not very spontaneous. Maybe today something scathingly brilliant will hit me. For now I have to concentrate on cute boys and an ice cream stand.

But I did the ten minute writing challenge. I like that. Works well when I don't have any distractions.

Everyone have a lovely Sunday! I'm going flea marketing soon.

Bad Busy Week

Well, it was bad for writing, that is. Seemed like I didn't have one afternoon free all week. Always on the go. So there for I only hit my goal I think 3 out of 4 days. Guess that's good considering.

My weekly goal is 3314 words. I've been working on 2 different wips. Got tired of my new new wip when I started having to force it, so I went back to an "old new" wip and it's a little better. I've also started to edit my "short" story (just over 20K).

Yesterday I spent the day burning my face to a crisp. I forgot my sunscreen and I'm one of those fair skinned kinds of British and Danish decent so now I'm feeling poofy and warm. But had a fun time at the NH Pitch Hit and Run competition my son was involved in. He's never been on a baseball team, never really did any of those things until a few weeks ago and he was up against kids who all play on teams, so even though he didn't qualify to go to the next level, he still did pretty well and we had a good time. Now he wants to work on getting on a team for next year.

Off to write. Need to do better this week!!

End of the first week in May

I did okay. I forgot that I upped my daily word count, but I had one really good day that made up for my lack of words on other days.

My total for this week is 6441.

This past week I managed to finish a short story and work on a new piece. I really need to concentrate on some editing though. I have lots and lots to edit.

But working on my new piece, working on my new hero, I asked myself "could this guy be hero material?"


I've been in a The Office mood lately. I love this guy. He's adorable and his character on The Office is awesome. But he's got a goofiness that might not work. Any thoughts?

Off I go to get some groceries. I may add to my word count later. Or I might edit.

Oh, I'm going to be interviewed tomorrow on Denise Robbin's blog. She's been very helpful in the marketing department, something I'm pretty bad at.

Stop by and say hi!

Better Than I Thought

I really thought I'd had a lousy week. Okay, so not as bad as last week, but still, not great. I spent so much time contemplating what I had to write, the wips I had to chose from and nothing really generated a spark of interest. I spent time contemplating my "bad" characters to decide if I should reinvent them (see my Opinions Needed post).

In the end I worked on something brand new (but stopped when I realized I didn't have much of a plot developed) and finally ended the week working on a short story (shortish, I'm up to 12605 words and I have a few thousand more to go, but I'm determined to keep it short-ish). I found my spark there and actually had to force myself to stop because it's a spicy story and I got to a spicy part, which I don't like to write with kids around. I can spend the rest of my day (if I get anymore writing time) editing.

My grand total for the week is 5038 words. I could've done better but I completely wasted one day just staring at my computer (okay, and going to Facebook and such).

Only a few more days left in April! I'll post my month total on Thursday.

It's a beautiful day here. Think I'll take the kids out geocaching!

Writin? I Don't Know Nuthin' 'Bout No Writin'

Yah, it must've been that kind of week for a lot of people.

I had one day of mediocre writing.

One.

And I only got 334 words down.

It was a week of being sad about my submission to Samhain being rejected, trying to figure out "now what do I do with it?" (it's a sequel to one of my Samhain books), editing it to make it a stand alone (which thankfully wasn't that difficult. It only meant tweaking a few scenes) and hoping that whoever I send it to next will like it better than Samhain.

So, while my new writing was pretty pathetic, at least I got a weency bit of editing down while I wallowed in self pity.

No, kidding, I only allow myself a few hours of wallowing. Then I get back to work.

Anyway, I was digging a garden yesterday and this morning my arms won't move so I'm typing with my nose. Today more of the same. Depending on how I feel when we're done digging I may just have my mom bury me in the newly dug dirt. Sounds pleasant and soft.

If not, I'll be back in action tomorrow. Or tonight. But for now I have to get my manuscript off to someone else. Could be the start of a beautiful new relationship.

Sluggish week

I think I'm getting bored with my current wip. I'm getting preoccupied with other writing projects, especially doing prompts over at another blog. Today I spent hours looking over my files and I think I'm going to go back to another wip I was working on in January.

I also have been contemplating a finished manuscript that needs TLC.

But I shouldn't complain. My weekly word count is 5575 words. Probably more if I take into consideration all the prompts I did. But I won't count those.

Oh, and I found out that the editor I sent a partial to over at Kensington back in January jumped ship in February!! I emailed them asking if maybe my submission was handed off to someone else, but from what I've heard, this editor may have tossed everything. Waah! I'll probably have to resubmit it and wait ANOTHER THREE MONTHS!

Oh, the life of a writer.

Week Word Count

It's still early and I have plans on writing more today, but I wanted to get my word count in. We're off to do some work at my mother's so I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to post again.

Another fairly good week. My total is 6668 words this week. I had a lightbulb moment yesterday afternoon with a manuscript that I adore but is too bland. I've put it aside until I can figure out how to make it exciting. Ideas come to me slowly but surely and I had one yesterday. It won't be the story's saving grace, but it'll help it out immensely, I think, even though it (along with another idea I had) means doing a complete re-write to implement the changes. I'm not ready to go there yet, not until I know exactly what the real saving grace will be.

But the story got a real good prologue this morning and I'm happy with that.

Hope everyone had an awesome week. Enjoy your weekend and happy writing to all!

Wonder of Wonders

I really didn't think I'd make my goal this week. I took two days off and I had one really lousy day. But I rallied and had a few days that made up for it.

My total this week is 3698 words, between two different wips. Now, in November I could do that in a day, but I'm not going to complain. My arm was killing me all week. Lots of data entry projects at work (where I sit at a totally ergonomically incorrect desk).

More importantly, I'm liking the story I've been working on, even though I'm looking for an editing project. I do have one, but it's going to be pretty heavy duty since it was written a long time ago and there are things I want to change.

Still, I'm up for a challenge. Just not today.

Hope everyone had a stupendous week!

Another Week Has Passed

Hard to believe that not only spring is here but March is almost over. Not that I'm complaining. Every day we get further away from winter is a good thing. Especially this winter. The Ice Storm Of 2008 will forever be etched in my memory.

Not that it's a good thing, but ironically I have a story ready for editing (or Part 1 of a story) that happens to open during an ice storm. I wrote it years ago. Now I have first hand knowledge of just how awful the storm can be. Having that experience (and that of my mom and others who were more stuck than I was) is going to help a great deal. I've thought about putting aside my current wips in order to work on this one. But we'll see. I've come to a good scene in my current and I don't want to put it aside just yet.

So, it was a more productive week than last. I met my goal daily and my weekly word count is 5591. Nothing majorly exciting (I'd love to double that every week) but nothing to sneeze at either (what a strange saying). Especially since I spent lots of time this week at dentist appointments, cheerleader banquets and making unnecessary long trips to the wrong hospital for cardiologist appointments (ugh).

So, lets see if I can have an uneventful week starting tomorrow.

That's all I ask.

Not so hot week

Well, I still met my daily goal, but I only wrote 3789 words this week. I spent a lot of time on editing, so it wasn't a complete waste of a week. I just got stuck on my wip and the new words weren't flowing so freely.

Next week won't be as bad... I hope, though I do have two days that will probably be lost causes.

It's okay. I'll make up for it at some point.

Full Steam Ahead

March has been veddy veddy good to me. I've been a writing goddess so far. Well, in my mind anyway.

I've finished the first draft of my short story which came in at 13600 words. I'll let it sit for awhile before I go in and edit. I've also been working on my 2007 NaNo story, getting back to my horsey roots, which feels awesome.

So, my total words thus far for the month of March is 9183. I can deal with that.

I'm going to spend the rest of my day (the part that I'm on my computer) editing my 2008 NaNo story which I finished last month.

So much to do!!

Checking In and Misc Rambling

I worked on "Queen and Assassin" this week. I didn't get as much done as I would have liked, and I didn't meet my goals... but I did get words down, so I'm relatively content.

Words written this week = 705
Total words on Q&A = 25,783

I admit to being just a tad worried -- I'm fairly close to the end, maybe another 15,000 words or so? And I want this story to be 65k or more. 25 + 15 does not equal 65, no matter how I do the math. Does the story have another 25k in it that I don't see? Are there legitimate scenes that could be added that contribute to the story and aren't just filler? Can I beef up what's already there?

There are a few things I need to happen earlier in the story in places I've already written: I need to name the dulin (and I'm on the fence about this... the dulin is known as a pretty scary and vicious predator, so do I name him something silly like "Fluffy" just for grins, or do I name him something that reflects what he is like "Terminator"?) and I need my heroine's brother to teach her a few things in regards to her psychic gift.

So, now, I've done the unthinkable -- I've gone back to the beginning to fill in the places I need filled in. I know, I know, in a real "wrimo" you don't go back. Ever. But I'm not really editing as much as I'm writing scenes out of order. I'm making the story better ("bigger, stronger, better than before") and hopefully at least a little longer.

And then, I need to brainstorm a few additional, meaty scenes. 65,000 words... here I come.

February Grand Total

So it wasn't a totally bad month. In fact I exceeded my goal. I ended up with 22500 words this month. This was made up of synopsises, the blurb for Forever Home and my new short story. I probably could've done more, but I'm trying to keep up on my editing as well. But I'm certainly not going to complain.

I'm keeping my goal for March the same--500 words per day of new stuff. I'm going to try to stick with my short story, but I have a strong desire to start another full length.

Everyone have a super night!

Saturday Check In

I know it's early, but I'm here to post my numbers because I'm done writing "new" stuff for the day. I've found a story to pick up on, something I can probably keep around 12K (I'm not ready to move on to any full length wips yet, not until I deal with the ones I have on my plate)

So, anyhow, my current February word count is 18597. I've been managing to maintain my goal, although I've had days I go way beyond. But that makes up for the days when I don't write any new stuff at all. The past two days I've been editing.

Thanks to everyone who pointed me in the right direction. I'm giving myself another week to edit my entire manuscript so I can send the whole thing as Samhain prefers instead of just the first three chapters. They'd take the three, but they prefer the full. I can wait a week.

Now I'm going to go spend some quality time with my manuscript and notes.

Thus Far

For February I have 5024 words written. I've met my goal on all but one day so far.

I've finally settled on one manuscript at least and I'm very pleased with its progress. Can't wait for it to be finished.

No words of wisdom. It's only 8:30 and I can hardly keep my eyes open.

See ya'll!

Done For The Day

All in all it wasn't too bad of a writing day. I worked on two wips and wrote a total of 3170 words. So my total is now.....




I've discovered that it's much harder to write a fantasy than a contemporary romance. Several times, as I struck out into cyber space for info, I had to wonder if I had flipped my lid by deciding to go this route. It's not too late to turn back but I'm actually curious to see how far I can take this.

Besides I've been getting all Mrs Robinson whenever I see a picture of Edward from Twilight. Yeah, that would probably freak my daughter right out.

Quick! Someone get me a picture of Gerard Butler!!

It's a start

Well, I'm done writing for the morning. I need to get ready for my day job. More typing. Oh joy.

Anyway, I just added another 1487 to my word count. Don't know if I'm going to improve on that today. I have a gazillion things I need to do after work.

But not too shabby.

Happy typing to all of you!

Ceri's Starting Word Count

I was 78802 words into my current WIP. That was about 5am. I've had a good day. I've already written 3338 words!

And I hope to add to that count.

Happy New Year all!