Holly Black did it her way, fit it into her very busy schedule, and didn't do anything superhuman to accomplish it. Her daily writing is far less than you'd think.I think it's a fantastic breakdown and proves that you don;t need to sacrifice your life for your writing, and that even a few hundred words a day can get you to your goal.
So, what's your process like? Are you a daily writer, a weekend writer, a when I feel like it writer?
This is Holly's process.
How I Wrote BLACK HEART
So, with WHITE CAT out in paperback and the RED GLOVE release just around the corner, I thought I would talk about the book I just finished a draft of, BLACK HEART, and how much I actually wrote -- and when -- to get it done.
I didn't track my word count until about a year ago. Before that, I gave myself goals in chapters (or percentages thereof). But when I was in Mexico last year, writing a big chunk of RED GLOVE, I gave myself the goal of 1K a day. For some writers, that might not be much of a goal, but for me, it seemed like a lot. (I know people who can write 10,000 words in a single day and writers who do a consistent 350 words every day -- whatever works!)
This year, I logged my word count as I wrote the whole book, from beginning to end. It was very interesting to see -- specifically how much traveling and other stuff ate up writing time. And after the draft was done, I promised myself that, no matter how embarrassing, I would post what I discovered about my habits.
Read the full post here.
7 comments:
Interesting article, very helpful too.
I'm a daily writer and am currently tracking my progress on my WIP. Each day I not only record my word count but also post a new sentences I've added. To see my progress, please visit: http://sweatercursed.blogspot.com
You'll soon see I write one word at a time.
Very encouraging. I tend to think that published authors must be super human in order to spit out a novel a year. But she's right: her progress is totally doable.
Lately, I've been a write when I can writer (which hasn't been very often, I must confess).
Not very impressive, I know!
Cheers!
Jen
Myne: I thought so to.
The Sweater Curse: I love that: One word at a time. What a great way to look at it.
Jen: That's what I was most impressed with, how little she wrote at a time and still made great progress. Don't sell yourself short! Any writing is good, and it's forward progress. Just thin of all those folks who want to write and don't. You're *doing* it, even if it's at a slower pace right now.
That is really encouraging. When I think that my first manuscript took about a year to write, it's kind of daunting when I plan my second.
Keeping track of word counts per day would drive me nutso. I do a bit of editing over the previous scene to get me into the flow of things, and that wouldn't be included in a word count. (It has to feel smooth enough--not polished--so I can know where I've been before I know where I need to continue on from!)
Paul: I probably shouldn't say this, but the second book is usually worse than the first :) Be prepared! LOL But you might be one of the lucky ones where book two goes smoother.
Carol: I use a weekly chapter goal. Three chapters per week. Much easier for me, and I don't feel pressured to hit my words every day and feel anxious if I don't.
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