Word Count Wednesday!

Image Courtesy of jdurham /Morguefile.com



This blog serves many functions—it encourages, examines, enlightens, and entertains (I hope).

But its core purpose, the impetus for its conception, is singular: To chart my journey to publishing my first novel.

And as such, I must begin with the book itself, one I have yet to complete since deciding to revise it.

And the need for completion gave me an idea.

To stay honest and tether myself to the goal of completing a very rough first draft by July 1st, I hereby institute Word Count Wednesday. On this day every week, I will reveal my word count on this project from the previous Wednesday until the end of a writing session started on Tuesday—that final caveat allowing me to include Tuesday evening activities that roll on past midnight—and the word count for the entire story.

“Oh, aren’t you the brave one?” my Moo Sister Jess remarked when I shared my idea.

“Am I?” I wondered. “We’re about to find out...”
Note: The manuscript I submitted in December had 91,615 words. This revision is massive enough to warrant starting from scratch, adapting and borrowing from the original text as desired.

So…

Wednesday, May 15: 7,182 words

Wednesday, May 22: 11,157 words

Weekly tally: 3,975 words

I wrote Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, yielding an average daily count of 1,325 words and surpassing my daily quota of 1,000 words.

I skipped four days: one to extreme weariness from staying awake 23 hours on Monday (don’t ask) and three to mutant crankiness and uncertainty. The latter shall not happen again.

Goal for next week: 20,000 words

What about you? How are you keeping yourself on track to meet your personal deadlines? Any strategies you find helpful... or decidely not? Let me know!

See you Friday with Reflections on the Week!


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