Time to write?

Antilles

Does anybody else have the problem of loving writing but being too easily distracted from it? I have a backlog of ideas for stories I want to write but can never get around to actually writing them. I am thinking of taking ten story ideas and giving myself one day to write each of them (c. 5000 words each) over ten days.

Is this madness? Am I setting myself up for failure? And more importantly has anyone here tried something like this before and what were the results?

EileenG

5000 words a day is a lot to write. Not saying it's impossible, but you'd be writing all day long, and you'd probably get burned out after a couple of days.

I find that I can do 1000-1500 words before I get to the stage of thinking "Sod it, let the aliens eat them."

Why not write down an outline for each of your stories, so that when you do sit down to write, you know what you've got to do?

Rosieogrady

5000 words a day is a lot and if you don't reach it you could end up feeling really deflated. I've been on a go slow latley too im about 1/4 way in writing my first novel and just sat down last night and got out 500 good words that im very happy with as opposed to 1000 more forced bad writing;)
Keep on going some days you will be able to write more than others if its there it will come don't fret:-):D

Madou

I try to do 250-500 a day, while recording all ideas that come to me during the day (I know it's seems like feck all, but come out with a few thousand words a week and always more material to persevere with).

5000 a day could be pushing it a little. Reckon you should set a more reasonable target - there'll be nights you hit a rich vein and go for hours, and others where you'll be completely dry (frustrating :mad:). Also, trying to do so much in one take may not allow your ideas to develop fully - bad for your stories and bad for your writing.

EileenG

Rosieogrady wrote: »

5000 words a day is a lot and if you don't reach it you could end up feeling really deflated. I've been on a go slow latley too im about 1/4 way in writing my first novel and just sat down last night and got out 500 good words that im very happy with as opposed to 1000 more forced bad writing;)
Keep on going some days you will be able to write more than others if its there it will come don't fret:-):D

True, 500 good ones is better than 1000 bad ones. But the discipline of writing X number of words a day does pay off. If you wait until the good words are in your mind, you simply won't write that much. 1000 bad words can always be edited into 500 good ones, but 0 words can't be rewritten.

Antilles

I've been thinking this over a bit today and I reckon what I'll do is set myself the ten days as a target to do as much quality writing as I can for the ten stories, and see where I stand at the end. I was hoping other people would have done something similar successfully, but I suppose I'll have to do without that encouragement! Like EileenG said above, you can't rewrite zero words, and I reckon there's nothing to lose as long as I don't pin my worth on success

I've already got decent story outlines written, because when ideas pop into my head I jot them down in my little moleskin notebook. I've got some free time in a fortnight so I think I'll research some background stuff over the next few days and then give it a go. Is 5000 words too long to post to Boards? I've got my own website so I could host them there if it is.

/edit/ Actually, what's the forum policy on linking to stories that are hosted off-site in that way? Is it considered bad form?

EileenG

Odd as it sounds, you might be better writing the story first, then researching afterwards. If you do the research first, there's a temptation to share all the fascinating stuff you find with your reader, and it can slow down your story.

busted flush

EileenG wrote: »

Odd as it sounds, you might be better writing the story first, then researching afterwards. If you do the research first, there's a temptation to share all the fascinating stuff you find with your reader, and it can slow down your story.

Did you know most cows have four stomachs , but a few years back in a little town called Mellisa in Texas, a cow was born with forty six stomachs .I'm thinking of writing a short story about it but its just a very boring topic so I'm thinking that the cow was molested as a calf and later developed a met amphetamine addiction but over came these terrible afflictions and found God. The story culminates when she wins an all you can eat competition at a local food fair. What do you think? Any good words in that little ditty.
busted.

Peyton Manning

busted flush wrote: »

Did you know most cows have four stomachs , but a few years back in a little town called Mellisa in Texas, a cow was born with forty six stomachs .I'm thinking of writing a short story about it but its just a very boring topic so I'm thinking that the cow was molested as a calf and later developed a met amphetamine addiction but over came these terrible afflictions and found God. The story culminates when she wins an all you can eat competition at a local food fair. What do you think? Any good words in that little ditty.
busted.

Stop hijacking other peoples threads.

Rosieogrady

EileenG wrote: »

True, 500 good ones is better than 1000 bad ones. But the discipline of writing X number of words a day does pay off. If you wait until the good words are in your mind, you simply won't write that much. 1000 bad words can always be edited into 500 good ones, but 0 words can't be rewritten.

Thanks for this EileenG that makes perfect sence actually:) I made myself sit down again last night and squeezed out about 1120 words and then came to a natural stop but I was happy with what was written and read back over it and added and subtracted some parts. I'm glad I'm getting back into the swing of it again its been awhile I can honestly say I'm really looking so forward to the day that I have it finished its been going on forever now.
(Hey ElieenG are you on RollerC too if so Hi its groggy:phere)

Insect Overlord

Archimedes wrote: »

Stop hijacking other peoples threads.

Hey, Mr Back-seat-mod, that wasn't a hijack.
That was Busted making the point that sometimes leaving your research until after the story is written can be a silly mistake.

Sorry I had to point that out.

Sarky

An File wrote: »

Hey, Mr Back-seat-mod

*blink*

Back on topic, kids, please.

EileenG

Rosieogrady wrote: »

Thanks for this EileenG that makes perfect sence actually:) I made myself sit down again last night and squeezed out about 1120 words and then came to a natural stop but I was happy with what was written and read back over it and added and subtracted some parts. I'm glad I'm getting back into the swing of it again its been awhile I can honestly say I'm really looking so forward to the day that I have it finished its been going on forever now.
(Hey ElieenG are you on RollerC too if so Hi its groggy:phere)

That sounds about right. Even professional novelists rarely write more than 1000-1500 first draft words a day.

Yep, that's me. I've already been boring you with my space vampire!

Antilles

Is there a length limit to how long posts here can be so? Mods?

Sarky

There is a limit. I don't know how big it is, probably along the lines of 10,000 characters per post. If I find out I'll let you know.

Antilles

Thanks Sarky. Is there a policy on linking to off-site writing? I've kinda gotten this stuck in my head now and if the finished product is on show for other people to see I'm more likely to actually do it heh

busted flush

An File wrote: »

Hey, Mr Back-seat-mod, that wasn't a hijack.
That was Busted making the point that sometimes leaving your research until after the story is written can be a silly mistake.

Sorry I had to point that out.

ty.

Sarky

Antilles wrote: »

Thanks Sarky. Is there a policy on linking to off-site writing? I've kinda gotten this stuck in my head now and if the finished product is on show for other people to see I'm more likely to actually do it heh

As long as you can convince us that you're not nicking someone else's work, and you don't make a habit of posting "HAY GUYS LOOK AT MY BLOG!!!"- type posts, I don't think there's a problem.

And busted flush: there is a thanks button. It's to stop posts like that one cluttering up discussion. Please use it.

busted flush

Sarky wrote: »

And busted flush: there is a thanks button. It's to stop posts like that one cluttering up discussion. Please use it.

Ok, i will.;).