Chris Fox's Blog, page 26
March 4, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 11- Serious Research
One more day to go and this puppy is DONE! I had some fun in the Day 11 video, hope you do too =)
March 3, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 10- 50,000 Words in 10 days
I’m just floored. I wrote 50,000 words in ten days, and I feel like these are GOOD words. 80% of what I’ve generated will make it in to the final draft.
March 2, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge 9-Dreaming of Writing
My life has become a blur of typing, recording video, and dreaming about those things. It’s definitely paying off, with high dividends. I’ll be done with this novel by Friday.
Here’s day nine’s video. On to day 10!
March 1, 2016
21 Day Novel Day 8- Going a little Tony Robbins
Woohoo, eight days and 40,000 words. Two more days of the same progress and I’ll have completed 50,000 words in 10 days. Not too shabby.
Today’s video talks a lot about motivation, time management, and accomplishing big things.
February 29, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 7- Quotes
Woohoo! Half way through the novel.
Today’s video talks a little about the prep work I’m doing for the one pass edit. There will be a lot of more of that in days to come.
February 28, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 6- Changing a Name
Day 6, down! I’ve passed 30,000 words, which feels wonderful. I’m now deep enough in that I’m beginning to prepare for the editing phase, and over the next few videos you’ll see me building the scaffolding needed to prepare for a single pass edit.
February 27, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 5- My Hair is Awesome
Day 5 was by far the toughest so far. The take away? Get enough sleep, or the writing suffers.
I still cannot believe I get to do this for a living. Anyway, here’s the next video. Please enjoy my incredible hair.
February 26, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 4- Modifying Your Plot
Today’s video delves into how I modify an outline after I start writing the book. No plan survives contact with the enemy, and my outline doesn’t either.
February 25, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 3- Write, or Write Not. There is no Edit.
This challenge has taken off to a much greater degree than I’d have expected. Hundreds of people are signing up to the mailing list, and dozens are shadowing me. The one who seems to be faring the best is Kevin McGlaughlin, a recent friend of mine who continues to impress me.
Kevin is hitting the same word counts I am, but here’s the interesting kicker. Kevin edits as he goes, and just put out a blog post called The Myth of the First Draft.
Those of you who’ve read 5,000 Words Per Hour know my stance on that. When you are sprinting, I don’t think you should go back and edit. There are strong neurological reasons why this is the case.
Going back to edit often breaks flow state, which is why I don’t do it. It’s really easy to get lost on prose when you intended to focus on story. You were humming along on your epic space battle, but are now spending the next twenty minutes tinkering on a single explosion.
This is especially common among newer writers. I know, because I was that guy. Learning to write without stopping has been incredibly freeing, and it is the reason why I can consistently crank out 5,000 words a day, every day, month after month.
I’ve released five books in the last five months, and I have a book planned every month between now and the end of the year.
Obviously, my system works. You know what though? So does Kevin’s. This challenge is proof. Kevin is kicking ass and taking names, and he’s using his own method. I think you should too.
Among other things I am a Zen Buddhist. In a nutshell, that means it’s every person’s responsibility to figure out their own philosophy. You listen to what other people have to say, but you make the decision that is best for your life.
It’s the same way with writing. Write the way you need to write. Experiment, but don’t be afraid to stick with a particular method just because someone says you shouldn’t write that way. You should write the way you can actually write.
If you need to go back and edit while you write, go back and do it. But before you decide that, try doing it both ways. Which feels more natural? Which did you enjoy more?
Do that one.
February 24, 2016
21 Day Novel Challenge Day 2- 10,337 words
Okay, here’s the day 2 video. I’m on track thus far!
