Struggling Writers discussion

What is your word count so far? Where are you in the story? Do you have another 10k to write or 100k?

I'm barely in the middle of my story :( I have a lot to write

Britt wrote: "I'm barely in the middle of my story :( I have a lot to write"

That's fine! We are all at different stages here. I have 53k, but am just nearing the halfway point so still have a ways to go.

I have a dumb question ... I do all my reading on ebook, found it far more comfortable and convenient. I run android, so it lets me use many different readers... I noticed that some books are several hundred pages, but read ridiculously fast for say 400-600 page book. Now before anyone says its about font, margin and line space - no shit. With .epub, that's all adjustable ... but I see the page numbers to content for some reason, not consistent from book to book (with similar font, margin and line space settings).

Now my question isn't formatting ... what I'd like to know, or at least get an idea of is ... in say 6"x9" paperback form, how many pages should say a 100K word novel be? I've written three novels, all over 100K (100-125K) words - in the printed format above - they range from 350ppg - 475ppg. Does that sound right?

RabidReader wrote: "I have a dumb question ... I do all my reading on ebook, found it far more comfortable and convenient. I run android, so it lets me use many different readers... I noticed that some books are seve..."

Okay, first off I don't know that this question is really answerable (at least not here, you may want to check another thread). From what I understand EVERYTHING depends on formatting and every aspect of the formatting. Now, what I also have been told, when "pages" are being referred to, the official literary standard is 250 words per page. SO, based on that a 100K-125K novel is going to be 'officially' 400-500 page novel. As to whether your 6"x"9 paperback novel of 100K words really is 400 pages I have no idea, I believe it depends on the publisher.

Irene wrote: "RabidReader wrote: "I have a dumb question ... I do all my reading on ebook, found it far more comfortable and convenient. I run android, so it lets me use many different readers... I noticed that..."

Irene, Thank you. That is exactly what I was looking for. I've written purely to see if I could actually do it. I don't have any formal training, or expectations. So, I'm pretty naive about the whole publishing part of this. If it wasn't for Lulu my stories would be simply something sitting on my computer. These forums are very helpful, even if I mistakenly use the thread for the wrong purpose.

Hey guys! How is everyone doing? I need to sit down and really write....

I'm good!

I do, too, Irene. :)

Britt wrote: "I'm good!"

Fantastic! Did you make your word count goal for today?

♪ Tara ♪ wrote: "I do, too, Irene. :)"

Well, I spent yesterday getting to know my book (as I planned) and have made my word count for today!

Really? I haven't. Yet... There's still time to finish up. I guess once NaNo ended I started slacking a bit. Hmmm... Well I need to get back to my writing. :)

♪ Tara ♪ wrote: "Really? I haven't. Yet... There's still time to finish up. I guess once NaNo ended I started slacking a bit. Hmmm... Well I need to get back to my writing. :)"

Yes, thus the point of having an area of just for noveling stuff!

I actually surpassed my word count goal today! Yay! (I don't know exactly how far I got as I'm handwriting and didn't bother to count once I got past.) :)

So, for you ... what's a good word count when writing?

Most people believe that 750 is a good goal. It's pretty manageable and still gets you into the flow of writing. Different people work at different paces, though. :)

Have you ever had really crazy days of writing?

I'm scared to write. I keep putting it off because of the fear it will be horrible. So I have 0 words at the moment :(

You know what. I had never had any inclination to write, loved to read, but write no. Probably due to being horrible in English/grammar.

About two years ago a marketing professor friend, I'd actually just met through the company I was working, made a wild statement about me. Not even sure entirely where it came from ... basically something to do with how I picked up things I saw/experienced really fast. After reading a few really popular series I wondered if I could write a book. Here's the thing, I didn't actually have any ideas ... I just said ..."What's one more crappy writer in the world." No pressure there. So instead of writing down an idea, I wrote down the things it liked and didn't like about the stories I read. The list was ... surprising.

One day, a month or so later I was mowing the lawn (great time to think about stuff), and I was thinking about the list, which actually became more of a framework. In that hour and a half, I came up with a story line. Started writing that night ... I wrote 100K words in six-weeks ... and it SUCKED. Best story I wish someone else wrote (had everything, great characters, tight plot, twists and turns). But I was a lousy writer, really didn't even know what I was doing. But that's when it got interesting, I started reading other really popular writers, mostly current (Rawlings, Mead, Clare, Brown, Jenkins, Collins) and Jack London. I started paying more attention to the writing styles, POV, sentence structure, rhythm and cadence. I also got on goodreads and really listened to other readers (what they liked and didn't) Thank you Stacia and Kira (those two taught me a lot just by listening to what they said). Here's the thing I stuck with it, I kept revising, and reading and revising until it sounded right. I wrote the book for me, never any intent to do anything with it. I wrote two more books at the same time, just to complete the series. As I said, it was the story I wanted to read ... wish someone else wrote, but hey what the hell. Don't be scared to write. I never wanted to, but turns out ... I really love it (and I'm most definitely not what you'd expect a writer to be). And once you get it written, publish it yourself on Lulu.com (cool as hell to have an actual book with your name on it sitting in your office at work,or in my case three books.)

The best part, my 10-year daughter, prolific reader and overachiever wants to write a book with me, just so she can donate it to her grade school library.

Thanks Rabid Reader. That really helped me. Today, I will write. Thank you so much.

That was inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

And for me, sometimes I do have crazy days, yes. Sometimes a crazy day is when I'm so busy/unmotivated that I don't make the word count, but other times, crazy days are GOOD days. Like yesterday. I've sort of been easing back into the writing habit, but yesterday I wrote 1,100 words on one piece and about 300 while revising another, and it felt really good to know that I was making up for days when I didn't meet the goal. :)

♪ Tara ♪ wrote: "I actually surpassed my word count goal today! Yay! (I don't know exactly how far I got as I'm handwriting and didn't bother to count once I got past.) :)"

Fantastic! I am doing terribly and have eked out my bare minimum each day...I feel that my pace should pick up once I'm back in school though.

RabidReader wrote: "So, for you ... what's a good word count when writing?"

Like Tara said, most people say that 750 is a good daily goal. In addition to what she mentioned, you don't "burn out" on writing (like say if you set your goal to write 3k every day and aren't used to that much you would start to hate writing).

RabidReader wrote: "You know what. I had never had any inclination to write, loved to read, but write no. Probably due to being horrible in English/grammar.

About two years ago a marketing professor friend, I'd act..."

Awesome! (Would you mind taking this an posting it over in the Pep talk area too so people looking specifically for this can see it?)

Bridget wrote: "I'm scared to write. I keep putting it off because of the fear it will be horrible. So I have 0 words at the moment :("

Aw! Power on and write, it doesn't have to be good writing, just string some words together so they go along with your story line :)

You can ALWAYS come back and edit!

RabidReader wrote: "Have you ever had really crazy days of writing?"

Yes! I will just find my groove and go and go and go :)

Irene, school helps you? For me, although I feel more productive, it takes so much time up that it actually harms my word count. :)

Thanks for the feedback. Let me know if you're looking for something a little different. As I said, after around 40-rereads, I feel pretty good about the first book.

Irene wrote: "RabidReader wrote: "You know what. I had never had any inclination to write, loved to read, but write no. Probably due to being horrible in English/grammar.

About two years ago a marketing profe..."

Can you send me the link. I've never been in that blog.

Hi, RabidReader. I'm on my phone right now so I can't get a link, but if you go to the "Into The Noveling Realm" folder, you might have to scroll down a bit, but you'll eventually see a post entitled "Pep Talks." If you could post it there, that would be great. :)

♪ Tara ♪ wrote: "Irene, school helps you? For me, although I feel more productive, it takes so much time up that it actually harms my word count. :)"

Yes, I do better with a crazy schedule than I do a relaxed one (I think it's because that is what I am used to having to function on and so I don't know what to do with my self when I have huge chunks of free time). I also probably have more freedom in my schedule than you do though...I mean if I was still in middle school/high school I think it would be a little more complicated and the busyness would harm my word count.

True. I didn't make my count yesterday- I was about 100 words off, because school just started back, I had homework, and church. Today will be worse- I have to write an analytical essay tonight.

♪ Tara ♪ wrote: "True. I didn't make my count yesterday- I was about 100 words off, because school just started back, I had homework, and church. Today will be worse- I have to write an analytical essay tonight."

Oh joy...I have to read three short stories and write a rhetorical analysis on each and have it submitted by noon Monday.

I didn't make my word count today, like at all, but I knew that I wouldn't because of school so I've figured out how much I need to write this weekend.

Yes, I'm dipping into the little cushion room I got from going over the other day. I actually finished the essay pretty quickly because we just need to turn in a rough draft. He says that he doesn't recommend not editing at all, but I normally don't need to when he calls for rough drafts, and there isn't much I can edit about my analysis of a Norman Rockwell painting.

I have a little time to actually write. I think I'm going to try incorporating a poem into the novel. (Because I have a character who's a poet.) Of course, I now have to write it. I've got several solid ideas though.

I actually started writing on a new idea a couple days ago (Call me crazy; I am.) As it is, it definitely needs more elaboration, but I want to get the whole thing written and developed before editing too much. :)

I have two hours before bed to write- I can definitely make the goal. :)

How is everyone been doing? I can say that am a little behind (about three days) but between yesterday and today I should get most of that made up!

I've fallen a little behind, too, mainly because I'm having a little trouble with the time-span. (I wrote five or six chapters for one Sunday, and I don't really have anything else "important" to the book to write until almost a week later. I guess I'll just skip around a bit, although I hate to do that, because it can sometimes make the book... I don't know... It just feels choppy sometimes.)

Lately I've been having very poor word count. This is probably because it was the end of the quarter and I had SO MUCH homework and studying to do.
But I should be getting back on track soon!!!

Just finished an excellent few days over the weekend working on the sequel to my first book over 15k written and now sitting at 87k. Have some fill-ins to do and some scenes I want to add and expand. Aiming for 100k before I cut it down to about 95k, Already changed huge chunks of it following a screw up with the plot line.

Going to be the weekend before I can look at it again, have to work during the week.

♪ Tara ♪ wrote: "I've fallen a little behind, too, mainly because I'm having a little trouble with the time-span. (I wrote five or six chapters for one Sunday, and I don't really have anything else "important" to t..."

Yeah, that's my issue and then I have gotten sick (like to the point where writing was completely out of the question). I am ridiculously behind in my word count now....However! I pledge to prevail and start writing once I catch up my missed work from school (don't get me started on how much work I have from only missing two days of class).

Selina wrote: "Lately I've been having very poor word count. This is probably because it was the end of the quarter and I had SO MUCH homework and studying to do.
But I should be getting back on track soon!!!"

Fabulous! I wish you luck :)

Philip wrote: "Just finished an excellent few days over the weekend working on the sequel to my first book over 15k written and now sitting at 87k. Have some fill-ins to do and some scenes I want to add and expa..."

Well then *stands off to the side and feels meager in her writing goals*...Congratulations! I hope your writing streak continues :)

Hey, how is everyone doing? I found out about a writing contest closing in a week and have decided to enter two categories so have knocked my word count down so I can get my pieces ready in time.

Sandy wrote: "Hey guys :),

Finished my first day of ten pages yesterday! I usually don't give myself word-count goals, but I gotta say, it feels really satisfying having one. :D Well, that is, it feels satisfyi..."

That's great to hear! I very much like having my goal for each day.

As for the "Flash Fiction Block Party" it seems you had to submit your pieces by the 28 of January though...

Sandy wrote: "Whooops, overlooked that part. :P

Ah, well, there's always that Calliope "Fair and Square" short story contest. :)"

It's okay! How is your word count for today? I nailed mine and caught up from yesterday.

Sandy wrote: "Unfortunately, I only got halfway yesterday. :P I made the mistake of working too long on a cover idea.

Kudos to you though! That's great. :) Maybe I can catch up, too."

I am sure you can catch up! I am officially done for today, but will probably go back in and write a smidgen more because tomorrow will be crazy!

Well I have a little under 30k more I'd say before the finish line. I want to be done by the end of February/Early March so my goal is at a daily 1k.

Today so far a no go but I usually write after work, dinner, etc. so so I still have hope!!

I have a habit of writing binges and droughts so the word count goal has helped for me!

I don't set a word count, per se. I have an idea count. If I try to write when the ideas aren't flowing, what I do write turns into penguin poop. So I don't pressure myself to write daily. However, when an idea does hit me, I don't want to stop until it is fully explored. In one sitting, I could end up writing 200 words or, as happened with one of the chapters in my first novel, over 20 pages. I don't know if this is the correct or incorrect way of writing (I haven't taken any formal training), but it works for me.

With the current MS I'm working on, I found the ideas just flowed effortlessly for the first 60k words. Alas, they seemed to have dried up and I have been that way since mid-December -- only going in to tweak what has already been written in hopes it will tweak something in me.

Andrea wrote: "Well I have a little under 30k more I'd say before the finish line. I want to be done by the end of February/Early March so my goal is at a daily 1k.

Today so far a no go but I usually write afte..."

I will add you to the list. I have written my word count for today but yesterday was an absolute flop!

Sandy wrote: "I have not been keeping up with my goal. :P I've been writing and re-writing, of course, but I never quite make it to ten pages a day...not since the first day, anyway. :P I think I might have bit ..."

That sounds better, I will change yours! It is easy to burn out if you have a really big goal and aren't used to writing that much.

I am at almost 34,000 words with the massive headache I had today not much writing has been done