I’ve heard it said that authors need to write one million words before we truly master the many and diverse tools of the writing craft. Now that I’ve been working at this writing game for almost two decades, I'm closing in on that word count. I’m beginning to feel more like a seasoned veteran and less of an imposter.
The
most important lesson I’ve learned is that I’m part of a larger and welcoming global
writerly community. These folks are my peeps. A big part of being a member of
that community is about paying it forward and giving back.
I’m not
talking about networking, although that is important. I’m talking about giving
back almost anonymously by volunteering to serve as an anthology judge or
editor; offering to review newbie manuscripts and supply supportive critiques; serving as an organizational officer; or volunteering to work a registration table at one
of our many conventions. Yes, this eats up precious writing time, but I find that
fitting these “projects” into my schedule makes me more time aware, disciplines
me away from wool gathering and puttering around, and keeps me focused on
adding words to my manuscript and completing publishing related tasks.
Right
now I’m mentoring a debut author as part of Sisters in Crime’s pilot mentoring
program. It doesn’t take up a lot of time, probably around three hours a month.
I made up a checklist of Great Thoughts I could share. The revelation is that
as I worked up my ideas and suggestions for the newbie, I ended up reminding
myself of just how far I’ve come.
Public
speaking doesn’t frighten me anymore even when I don’t have time to prepare. When
I’m pulled up to a podium, I have enough veteran experience to speak to a
writerly or organizational topic pretty much at ease. The knee-shaking terror I
used to struggle through is gone. That ease came from years of opportunities
and practice. What a relief to be free from that emotional drama!
An eye-opening piece of advice I shared with my debut author was that she needed to hit a daily or session word count. Like so many of us, she kept going back and repeatedly editing her first chapter. Doing that kept her in an endless editing loop that exhausted her storytelling and kept her from making progress and moving forward.
I
recommended two things: buying and reading Anne Lamott’s guidebook Bird by Bird,
where she would learn that it’s okay to have a shitty first draft. The second
bit of advice was training herself to add five-hundred words to her draft
manuscript every time she sat down to write.
They
don’t have to be perfect words, but at the end of six months, she’d have a 90,000
word manuscript. And that’s when the real editing (and the fun) begins.
Once I
shared that advice, I looked at my own manuscript. I knew I was noodling around
with one scene that seemed to be taking forever to finish. I realized I was
just playing with it because it was fun. The next set of scenes was a big open
blank space, so I was staying in (and playing with) my half-written scene because it
felt like a comfort zone. Taking my own advice, I pushed on. Five hundred words
a day became the mantra that keeps me focused and on track.
Gentle
readers, do you have daily word count writing goals? What advice would you give
a newbie debut author?
I do not have daily writing goals--at least not for every day. On days I am working on a new manuscript, I may set such a goal if I find it hard to push forward. Other days, I may give myself a time-based goal (butt in chair while creating for two hours). As the saying goes, you can't edit a blank page. Other days have other goals and some of those do not include creating any new words. But for first-time authors, completing that first draft is a critical task, and if a daily writing goal helps one focus and push through trying to make things perfect, then it's a great goal to have.
ReplyDeleteThat's great advice, JIm. Thanks for sharing. I use a time-based goal more often when I'm editing mostly because editing is my favorite part of the writing cycle and I can lose myself for glorious hours. Once I have a completed rough draft, I tend to relax more and let the story tell itself. I'm very excited about helping my newbie author reach her goal of a completed rough draft mss.
DeleteI'm mentoring an author through that same program, Martha. Mine has her first book out in the world and is struggling with marketing and trying to find an agent for her NEXT book. It's a fun experience, hopefully for both of us!
ReplyDeleteMy daily writing goals change as other "stuff" falls in my lap. Currently, I'm 43,000 words into a first draft with the completed novel due to my publisher on December 1. Easy peasy...EXCEPT I'm waiting to receive my second round of edits for the previous book, so I'm trying to pad my wordcount until that happens. My goal today is 1,000 words. But days like this coming Thursday when I have a writing group meeting, a grocery order, and an appointment to have my HVAC serviced, I'll be happy to get 500.
Hi Annette - I have those days, too, when Life trips me up and keeps me from meeting my 500 words goal. Yesterday, for example. LOL. I've given myself permission to not stress over it when it happens. Like everything, I sit my "butt in the chair" the next day and keep trying. The miracle is when - rough and cobbled together as it is - I can hold a completed draft in my hands.
DeleteDo any of us truly "master" anything about writing? Seems we get the hang of it, then it all changes.
ReplyDeleteI general, I like to get 1,000 words a day. Sometimes it's more, sometimes it's less. I've learned you gotta roll with it because if you beat yourself up for failing one day, you're almost guaranteed to fail the next.
Hi Mary - you're right. Maybe that's part of the fun of the writing craft - there's always something new to learn. I know I learn something new with every conference, podcast, or workshop. I've always admired your steady discipline. I'm much more scattered, but in the end I do get it done.
DeleteGreat blog, Martha, congratulations on your success and kudos to you (and Annette) for mentoring.
ReplyDeleteI do have a word count. It's rather high, and I learned it from Edith Maxwell. 1,500/day. I don't always meet it, but it keeps me honest. Like you, before I set a count, I spent a lot of time dithering--usually over word choices. Something better dealt with in edits.
Advice to a newbie author? Take the time to enjoy the debut and the rush of your name in print. Then, sit down and back to work.
Hi, Kait - I've had the great honor of spending time with Edith Maxwell at a retreat. Her output and the quality of it amazes me. And dithering (love that word) over word choices is my favorite bad habit but is there a better feeling than when the perfect word gets used? My second favorite thing is getting back to work. When I'm not working on something I get anxious. That's when my sister tells me: "Oh, for heaven's sake! Just start something." LOL
DeleteIf I am working on a first draft, I aim at 1000 words a sitting. I don't get to it every day, but often enough. I do tend to concentrate on one work at a time (Isaac Asimov had a u-shaped desk with several typewriters. If he got stuck with one project, he switched right away to another) although I will put things on the "back burner" for a while.
ReplyDeleteI am very grateful to all those who have helped me, and continue to do so. I try to give back when I can.
Hi Kathleen - I'm in awe of the U-shaped desk and multiple typewriters idea but I can't begin to imagine the reams of paper I would go through during each draft. Even hard to imagine writing on paper with a quill back in the day. LOL. I give a tip of the hat to anyone who has completed a full-length work of fiction!
ReplyDelete