Adrian D. Roberts's Blog, page 10
August 28, 2014
Return For Vengeance
I survived karate last night. Only felt a little light headed during the warm ups. Not recommended though and next time I give blood is a Friday so I won't have the same problem again.
The thing I love about writing is the creativity and spontaneity. I'd roughed a plan of the next few scences and I was happy with them. A little boring to write as they are the bits you need to get the story from M to R say. I was writing my way through O and wondering how I am going to get everyone to R when a couple of hundred words before the end it comes to me and P changes completely. Now I at the start of a nice little action sequence that builds on some very 2D characters and adds more colour to the world. Hopefully it will turn out as well as the initial promise shows.
As a days writing, it went very well and I managed 6,400 words.
Total now at 68,000 (I'm rounding up slightly).
The thing I love about writing is the creativity and spontaneity. I'd roughed a plan of the next few scences and I was happy with them. A little boring to write as they are the bits you need to get the story from M to R say. I was writing my way through O and wondering how I am going to get everyone to R when a couple of hundred words before the end it comes to me and P changes completely. Now I at the start of a nice little action sequence that builds on some very 2D characters and adds more colour to the world. Hopefully it will turn out as well as the initial promise shows.
As a days writing, it went very well and I managed 6,400 words.
Total now at 68,000 (I'm rounding up slightly).
August 27, 2014
Return For Vengeance
Bother, I just realised something. I went and gave blood this afternoon and I meant to get a sticker for my daughter but I forgot. That's annoying.
Due to giving blood I had written this afternoon off for writing and budgeted 2,000 words for this morning. It always takes me a while to get into the flow so I've never managed more than 2,500. As it turns out I did 3,000 words which pleased me a lot.
I was actually home from giving blood by 3.30pm so I did consider carrying on but I felt I had already written the afternoon off and I really wanted to catch up with my reading. I'm glad I did as well, it gave me an excellent idea how to structure the second half of the book. Not copying, just inspired by what I was reading.
Time for some dinner now and then off to Karate. Hopefully that won't be as bad an idea after giving blood as I think it might be. We'll see.
Total now at 61,500 words.
Due to giving blood I had written this afternoon off for writing and budgeted 2,000 words for this morning. It always takes me a while to get into the flow so I've never managed more than 2,500. As it turns out I did 3,000 words which pleased me a lot.
I was actually home from giving blood by 3.30pm so I did consider carrying on but I felt I had already written the afternoon off and I really wanted to catch up with my reading. I'm glad I did as well, it gave me an excellent idea how to structure the second half of the book. Not copying, just inspired by what I was reading.
Time for some dinner now and then off to Karate. Hopefully that won't be as bad an idea after giving blood as I think it might be. We'll see.
Total now at 61,500 words.
August 26, 2014
Return For Vengeance
I had a nice weekend. I saw my daughter for a couple of hours, the Grandprix was excellent, well done to Bottas but what happened to Massa? I'm not sure we even saw his car once. The BTCC was very good as well. It was quite a sight to see 31 cars on the Knockhill circuit and another strong performance for Colin Turkington and Jason Plato.
I had planned to be working all day yesterday and treat it as a normal day instead of a bank holiday but I had too good a night out with an old mate on Sunday. Three pints of beer and a whole bottle of red wine is not a good combination. I was rough as old boots and my stomach still doesn't feel right. Oh well, I only have myself to blame.
I'm off to see Expendables 3 shortly so I finished my day an hour and a half early and I had a short half hour break earlier. Due to this I thought I was only going to be able to get about 5,000 words done and struggle to do that. As it turns out I did 6,000 and that has really made my day.
Total now at 58,500.
I had planned to be working all day yesterday and treat it as a normal day instead of a bank holiday but I had too good a night out with an old mate on Sunday. Three pints of beer and a whole bottle of red wine is not a good combination. I was rough as old boots and my stomach still doesn't feel right. Oh well, I only have myself to blame.
I'm off to see Expendables 3 shortly so I finished my day an hour and a half early and I had a short half hour break earlier. Due to this I thought I was only going to be able to get about 5,000 words done and struggle to do that. As it turns out I did 6,000 and that has really made my day.
Total now at 58,500.
August 22, 2014
Reason and Return for Vengeance
I launched Reason For Vengeance officially and I got a really good response from my friends. It was very encouraging how many were willing to support me in this. I've seen the sales go through on Amazon and hopefully, if they like the book, there will be some good reviews as well.
I also e-mailed Matt Hubel, the guy who did such an excellent job of the cover for Reason. He has agreed to do Return as well which I am very pleased about. Now I just need to work out what spec to give him!
I lost a bit of writing time this morning returning e-mails from my friends. That certainly isn't a complaint, their supporting me and it was important that I did that. It just made my day a little harder. I pushed through though and I made my 6,000 word target.
That is 31,500 words this week. I think that is the most I have done in that amount of time - checks calendar - yep, previous record of 28,000. Wow.
Grand total of 52,500 words. What can I manage next week?
I also e-mailed Matt Hubel, the guy who did such an excellent job of the cover for Reason. He has agreed to do Return as well which I am very pleased about. Now I just need to work out what spec to give him!
I lost a bit of writing time this morning returning e-mails from my friends. That certainly isn't a complaint, their supporting me and it was important that I did that. It just made my day a little harder. I pushed through though and I made my 6,000 word target.
That is 31,500 words this week. I think that is the most I have done in that amount of time - checks calendar - yep, previous record of 28,000. Wow.
Grand total of 52,500 words. What can I manage next week?
August 21, 2014
Return For Vengeance
These are long days. I was up at seven this morning, shave, brush my teeth, ten minutes of calisthenics, breakfast, shower and then off to do the weekly food shop. By 8.30 am I was at my desk and on to work. 30 mins of social media, 60 mins running through yesterdays writing and then I start today's writing. Hour break for lunch at 1.00 pm.
It is now just gone 6.00 pm and I've done 6,000 words so I've called it a day. The oven is on for dinner and while it warms up I'm writing this. I'll have dinner and then I'll be back at my desk by around 8.00 pm to do an hour of telling people about Reason.
That is not unusual for me when I'm in the zone editing or writing. Of course there have been days where I have done nothing but play Settlers all day. Those where when I let the pressure off. Now I'm determined to have the first draft at approx 150,000 words done by the end of September. To do that I have to write a minimum of 5,000 words a day, Monday to Friday. I'm trying to do more than that to give myself a buffer. Also the quicker I finish the quicker it gets published.
By the way, I'm not complaining. I really don't mind doing all the work. If people like what I'm writing, then I will reap all the benefit. In my previous life I saved the company £1,000,000 and yet I saw none of that.
So anyway, onwards! 6,000 words written today and the total is now at 46,500 words!
It is now just gone 6.00 pm and I've done 6,000 words so I've called it a day. The oven is on for dinner and while it warms up I'm writing this. I'll have dinner and then I'll be back at my desk by around 8.00 pm to do an hour of telling people about Reason.
That is not unusual for me when I'm in the zone editing or writing. Of course there have been days where I have done nothing but play Settlers all day. Those where when I let the pressure off. Now I'm determined to have the first draft at approx 150,000 words done by the end of September. To do that I have to write a minimum of 5,000 words a day, Monday to Friday. I'm trying to do more than that to give myself a buffer. Also the quicker I finish the quicker it gets published.
By the way, I'm not complaining. I really don't mind doing all the work. If people like what I'm writing, then I will reap all the benefit. In my previous life I saved the company £1,000,000 and yet I saw none of that.
So anyway, onwards! 6,000 words written today and the total is now at 46,500 words!
August 20, 2014
Return For Vengeance
I tried to by exercise routine and a run on Monday morning but I felt ill halfway through the a weights rep so I stopped. I left it yesterday to give whatever was in my system a chance to clear. It might just be me not doing any regular exercise for the last couple of months.
Anyway. I started my routine with a bit of trepidation this morning and I certainly didn't feel right but not as bad as Monday so I pushed on. Got through the entire set and went for my run. It was good, both my legs and cardio felt fine. I actually worked out when I got back that it was the furthest I had run since doing the 10K round Silverstone more than two years ago. I was pleased with that, now I just need to do it more regularly.
Nookpress have finally published Reason so I need to get out e-mails to everyone who said they were interested and get the word out. Now it is crunch time to see what people think.
It has been a good day of writing. I'm off to karate in a bit so I couldn't keep going until 7 pm, as I have been the last couple of days. I was still determined to do the 5,000 and push as far past as I could. Ended at 5,500 which I'm happy with.
Total now at 40,500 words.
Anyway. I started my routine with a bit of trepidation this morning and I certainly didn't feel right but not as bad as Monday so I pushed on. Got through the entire set and went for my run. It was good, both my legs and cardio felt fine. I actually worked out when I got back that it was the furthest I had run since doing the 10K round Silverstone more than two years ago. I was pleased with that, now I just need to do it more regularly.
Nookpress have finally published Reason so I need to get out e-mails to everyone who said they were interested and get the word out. Now it is crunch time to see what people think.
It has been a good day of writing. I'm off to karate in a bit so I couldn't keep going until 7 pm, as I have been the last couple of days. I was still determined to do the 5,000 and push as far past as I could. Ended at 5,500 which I'm happy with.
Total now at 40,500 words.
August 19, 2014
Return for Vengeance
I'm still not happy with the title. I'm feeling a creativity night coming on Friday, booze is required and I still have whisky! Also nice perry (pear cider) and berry cider but that would be a very bad idea to mix with whisky.
A very good day. I targeted 5,000 words and actually wrote 6,000. More importantly I mapped out the next seven chapters. One was so real in my head I got that down even if it is skipping ahead about three chapters. With the seven I'm not entirely sure what order they should be in but they are mostly self-contained so I can pick them up and move them about, once they are written or during the editing process.
I did promise myself that I would right linearly this time. Oh well, if it's in the head it is best to get it on the page while fresh.
Total now at 35,000 words. Wow, that means by lunch time tomorrow I could be a quarter through the book. Hmm, story is about at that point as well. Cor, it's almost like it's been planned (it really hasn't).
Also total of 23 sales of Reason For Vengeance - Woohoo. Of course now I am really nervous wondering if people like it or not. Hoo boy, there is a cliff out there and it is called confidence...
A very good day. I targeted 5,000 words and actually wrote 6,000. More importantly I mapped out the next seven chapters. One was so real in my head I got that down even if it is skipping ahead about three chapters. With the seven I'm not entirely sure what order they should be in but they are mostly self-contained so I can pick them up and move them about, once they are written or during the editing process.
I did promise myself that I would right linearly this time. Oh well, if it's in the head it is best to get it on the page while fresh.
Total now at 35,000 words. Wow, that means by lunch time tomorrow I could be a quarter through the book. Hmm, story is about at that point as well. Cor, it's almost like it's been planned (it really hasn't).
Also total of 23 sales of Reason For Vengeance - Woohoo. Of course now I am really nervous wondering if people like it or not. Hoo boy, there is a cliff out there and it is called confidence...
August 18, 2014
Return For Vengeance
First day of the new full-time work on the second book and going well. Bit of a slow start but that is normal. I wanted to do 5,000 as a minimum but push to 6,000 if I could and I managed the 6,000.
There were more than a few times in the day that I wasn't sure. I was losing time to plot points as I tried to work things out. I had to tell myself a couple of times that there is nothing wrong with that. As long as I am actually working on the book, which includes staring at a whiteboard and not procrastinating by looking up my sales for Reason or checking web forums it is fine.
A good day. Now if only Nook can pull their finger out and get Reason published then I launch that officially.
There were more than a few times in the day that I wasn't sure. I was losing time to plot points as I tried to work things out. I had to tell myself a couple of times that there is nothing wrong with that. As long as I am actually working on the book, which includes staring at a whiteboard and not procrastinating by looking up my sales for Reason or checking web forums it is fine.
A good day. Now if only Nook can pull their finger out and get Reason published then I launch that officially.
August 17, 2014
Reason For Vengeance & Return
Three more books sold yesterday, which is good. None today yet but they tend to happen overnight and it is much harder to find it the older it gets.
The good news is that it is now out on Kobo so that is four out of five of my sales streams up and running. I'm just waiting for Nookpress to go live and I can start sending out e-mails.
I've decided that I am going to go full on as of tomorrow for Return. I was at 21,000 words this morning and I want to get to 50,000 but close of play Friday. That means about 6,000 words a day. To start me off and to be kind to my tomorrow self, I've done 1,500 today.
The deadline for first draft of Return is 150,000 words by the 26th of September. I don't know if the story is going to need that but that way I aim for 5,000 a day as I did for Reason and it gives me clear daily goals. I find I work a lot better when I know exactly what I need to do.
The good news is that it is now out on Kobo so that is four out of five of my sales streams up and running. I'm just waiting for Nookpress to go live and I can start sending out e-mails.
I've decided that I am going to go full on as of tomorrow for Return. I was at 21,000 words this morning and I want to get to 50,000 but close of play Friday. That means about 6,000 words a day. To start me off and to be kind to my tomorrow self, I've done 1,500 today.
The deadline for first draft of Return is 150,000 words by the 26th of September. I don't know if the story is going to need that but that way I aim for 5,000 a day as I did for Reason and it gives me clear daily goals. I find I work a lot better when I know exactly what I need to do.
August 15, 2014
Reason For Vengeance
Very hectic week this week. In the process of all my formatting nightmare's I actuallly managed to save over my master file of book two and then to top it off I did the back up as well. Very, very luckly I had made a back, back up for all my Dark Vengeance files before I started the Publication process. Fortunately I hadn't written any more on book two so it was a 100% up to date back up. Whew.
Anyway after all that I had decided to take today off. I spent this afternoon traveling to visit my parents anyway so I thought it would be nice to have the morning to re-charge my batteries. I still managed to do about three hours work today. Oh well, I enjoy it.
Now off to the pub for a few beers.
Anyway after all that I had decided to take today off. I spent this afternoon traveling to visit my parents anyway so I thought it would be nice to have the morning to re-charge my batteries. I still managed to do about three hours work today. Oh well, I enjoy it.
Now off to the pub for a few beers.
