Today I mostly wrote ... the word count thread. Showing 1,701-1,750 of 4,252

[Kath]

Ah, that used to happen to me! Then I retired. I can recommend it!

[M.T.]

Yep me too. I remember thinking a while back that I'd like to write full time and then, when things were a bit grim and I was looking for a job, I realised that to fit in the stuff I have to do to look after my folks and keep my knees functioning etc I only actually have four mornings a week, at which point I'm thinking that It would be a lot of effort for about £100 a week and decided to stay retired. If I can organise my writing time well enough I should be able to earn that with my books eventually. Although it's beginning to look unlikely. Then again, my mum has insisted on paying me for the things I do for her and dad so I guess I'm officially a Carer. I earn more from my parents than from my books. Still, I'll have the cash to brief the designers for a new cover soon.

Cheers

MTM

[Benjamin]

Oh, I have a full-time day job as well - my writing doesn't pay enough yet to cover all the bills. But it's a decent contract and I'm hoping it'll lead to more.

[Will]

Fascinating talk last night from a bloke called Alistair Reynolds.

The million pound contract from Gollanz was a jaw dropping comment, although of course that's a headline sum he never actually received (or not yet, anyway)

Oh, and he's a sci fi author - and a proper scientist.

[Sarah]

Today, could not write any write-up, struggled with house chores..just breathed now as a break for it.

Though my story has come up to 1000 words now, I have to gain time for it.

:-) Sarah

[M.T.]

Sarah wrote: "Today, could not write any write-up, struggled with house chores..just breathed now as a break for it.

Though my story has come up to 1000 words now, I have to gain time for it.

:-) Sarah"

True and you have to let your brain reset in between writing sessions for a bit sometimes.

Will wrote: "Fascinating talk last night from a bloke called Alistair Reynolds.

The million pound contract from Gollanz was a jaw dropping comment, although of course that's a headline sum he never actually re..."

Fuck-o-rama. I wish. Sigh.



Benjamin wrote: "Oh, I have a full-time day job as well - my writing doesn't pay enough yet to cover all the bills. But it's a decent contract and I'm hoping it'll lead to more."
It's all writing and it all helps you find your voice and your confidence.

[Will]

Spent time this morning listening to the audio tracks.

It is very odd listening to your own voice coming out of a stereo

[M.T.]

Will wrote: "Spent time this morning listening to the audio tracks.

It is very odd listening to your own voice coming out of a stereo"

But kind of cool, I'm sure.

Just starting my 30 minute sprint now. ;-)

Cheers

MTM

[Alicia]

Will wrote: "Spent time this morning listening to the audio tracks.

It is very odd listening to your own voice coming out of a stereo"

Pretend you're someone else? Fiddle with the stereo controls until you actually sound like someone else?

Or do you get used to it after a while? Asking for the future.

[Will]

Actually you get used to it after a bit. And of course recording storytelling is different to recording a book - it is a performance rather than a recitation.

But I hadn't realised that i have a slight lisp until listening to myself for 2 hours. That was disconcerting.

[M.T.]

I really dislike listening to my own voice so fair play to you Will. :-)

Wrote very few new words yesterday. Have reached a stage where I need to tidy up what I've done and get it straight. before I move on. Must sketch out my next short as well so I have some more instant writing gratification sorted.

Cheers

MTM

[Will]

The hardest thing that I found in listening to the set was deciding which bits I disliked because I disliked myself or had heard myself deliver a line better at other times, and what would be entirely acceptable to the listeners.

[M.T.]

Will wrote: "The hardest thing that I found in listening to the set was deciding which bits I disliked because I disliked myself or had heard myself deliver a line better at other times, and what would be entir..."

Yep. I can imagine that is properly difficult.

[M.T.]

Wrote a blog post today. This morning's and next week's. https://mtmcguire.co.uk/2018/02/10/th...

[Kath]

Excellent story, and just creepy enough. You're right, most families have something like this. My dad was the one who could see things. I never have.

[M.T.]

Kath wrote: "Excellent story, and just creepy enough. You're right, most families have something like this. My dad was the one who could see things. I never have."

My lot are pre-cogs, Grandpa, Mum, me and now my son. I actually got the option to refuse my 'gift' after I dreamt about a couple of deaths and injuries in advance. I accepted with alacrity and it hasn't troubled me since although it appears to have been swapped with another, different gift which is altogether more helpful.

Cheers

MTM

[Tim]

Holy 600 words written today, Batman! I'd almost forgotten what the story was about!!

[Jim]

Tim wrote: "Holy 600 words written today, Batman! I'd almost forgotten what the story was about!!"

welcome to my world
I broke off from a story to do the blog tour for another launch, plus various stuff for work and some time off at a conference.
And came back to the story and had to read it from the beginning again to get it back in mind
On the positive side it did let my tidy up some stuff in what I've already written :-)

[Benjamin]

5000 words to date on my contract piece, but there's still a long way to go. Having the flu for a week really spiked my progress.

[Alicia]

Benjamin wrote: "5000 words to date on my contract piece, but there's still a long way to go. Having the flu for a week really spiked my progress."

Still recovering from the flu which hit hard last Saturday. I empathize. My writing has come to a halt for the duration.

[M.T.]

Lovely job everyone. It's Wednesday but even with a visit to the parents I managed 300 words today and sorted a problem which will make it easier to write more tomorrow.

[Pam]

Well done M.T., and hope all the fluey people are feeling better by now.

[M.T.]

Got a whole hour of editing in yesterday. Really enjoyed it. Sorted another complication out which hugely simplifies the plot. Hopefully I'll get another 20 mins in today but I have a blog post to do and some friends round. :-)

[Alicia]

Pam wrote: "Well done M.T., and hope all the fluey people are feeling better by now."

This fluey person coming up on the end of week two - may actually be coming back to life.

[Alicia]

M.T. wrote: "Got a whole hour of editing in yesterday. Really enjoyed it. Sorted another complication out which hugely simplifies the plot. Hopefully I'll get another 20 mins in today but I have a blog post to ..."

Editing must be in the wind. Final editing for half another chapter, down to the nitpicky details. Hope my brain comes back from the flu ready to write.

[Benjamin]

5 days to deadline. I'm scrambling for words.

[Will]

Me, I'm rambling ideas around for the plot line of the latest (and probably final) Mister Jones Mystery.

While delighted by the latest review of Demon's Reach. especially as in a PM the chap told me that he had gone through the whole series in one hit, as he had been sucked into the stories. Need a few more like him.

[Jim]

sounds like a good one
I got an email from somebody I gifted a copy of Lambent Dreams to this morning :-)

Hello Jim,
Your slim volume is an absolute hoot. It’s the biggest send-up I’ve ever seen, and such a good laugh. Your imagination has created a multi-layered spoof that, I guess, is partly based on bitter experience with publishers and the literary world. Now I know that I’m not the only one who reads lit. crit., or who listens to a film review on R4, and thinks “what a load of tosh”.
Well done, that man!
Many thanks.

[Kath]

I must have written a couple of thousand today, but as I've deleted at least that much it doesn't feel much like progress!

[Alicia]

Got a message this morning Pride's Children is on Caleb Pirtle's 100 Indie Books to Read Before You Die. He runs a well-respected indie book and book review site.
https://calebandlindapirtle.com/five-...

[M.T.]

Nice going everyone! Top job!

[Jim]

good going Alicia

[Alicia]

Thanks, Jim.

[Kath]

I deleted the ending of the book I'm currently working on. Over the last two days I've lost four thousand words but added three and a half. I'm nearly back to where I was - but it's better!

[M.T.]

Mwahahahrgh Kath, that's kind of what I've been doing, Alicia, I too am in Awe.

Today I wrote a 1,400 word blog post. Might try and do some fiction writing in the next 30 mins before I have to go be corporate wife. Will let you know how it goes.

Update: managed a couple of hundred words on the fiction. Now I have to get ready for corporate wifeing.

Cheers

MTM

[Alicia]

Have to finish editing the chapter in progress - scary, as I've taken myself entirely somewhere else, and it took a LOT of work to make it familiar enough to write about. I thought I had written thin, and the word count shows it being about 25% longer than many of my chapters.

But I re-read the whole thing, and it scans, so on to final editing, and the next bit!

[Rita]

Just finished my next book in the Anna Davies Mystery Series - Missing in England. Now all I have to do is edit, edit, edit, then format, format, format!

[Alicia]

Rita wrote: "Just finished my next book in the Anna Davies Mystery Series - Missing in England. Now all I have to do is edit, edit, edit, then format, format, format!"

Happy editing. I don't think there's any happy formatting. You just do it.

[M.T.]

Yay! Go Rita and Alicia.

[Will]

I've added 2.5K to the sci fi this weekend. Not sure if I'l keep them though

[Alicia]

Can't be that bad.

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Will wrote: "I've added 2.5K to the sci fi this weekend. Not sure if I'l keep them though"

Why are you adding all those K's to the story? Is it set in a KKK world?

[Benjamin]

Managed 15, 000 words on my contract project this month for something that only needed to be 10. I'll see if the editors want any of them cut.

[Will]

Gingerlily - The other Stroopwafel Sister! wrote: "Will wrote: "I've added 2.5K to the sci fi this weekend. Not sure if I'l keep them though"

Why are you adding all those K's to the story? Is it set in a KKK world?"

K likes it...

[Gingerlily - The Full Wild]

Will wrote: "Gingerlily - The other Stroopwafel Sister! wrote: "Will wrote: "I've added 2.5K to the sci fi this weekend. Not sure if I'l keep them though"

Why are you adding all those K's to the story? Is it set in a KKK world?"

K likes it... "

Oh of course, I should have guessed!

[Kath]

1873 words today and I think this draft is done.

Off to start reading it from the beginning again!

[M.T.]

Did 300 or so and some work on key words to optimise my Amazon listings. It's all go.

[Alicia]

Finished editing a 13K chapter - fine tuning for language and flow.

Never thought I'd get it finished, but I just kept doing the next bit - and now it's done. That's what happens.

[Elizabeth]

Nearly bought a bottle of Irish whiskey labelled "Writers Tears" today...

[M.T.]

Elizabeth wrote: "Nearly bought a bottle of Irish whiskey labelled "Writers Tears" today..."

Mwahahahrgh! I should think there are plenty. ;-)

Alicia wrote: "Finished editing a 13K chapter - fine tuning for language and flow.

Never thought I'd get it finished, but I just kept doing the next bit - and now it's done. That's what happens."

So true. It's like baby steps. You creep along, a tiny bit at a time and suddenly it's done. Just goes to show it's worth it.