This month many writers, including myself, are focused on NaNoWriMo and that makes the question Sandra picked totally perfect.
During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), writers attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Do you set daily writing goals for yourself, either a certain word count or time spent on writing? Does this include other writing-related activities, like research, plotting, or revising? Do you focus on reaching the end of the journey (such as finishing your current project), or do you enjoy the writing process along the way?
So, as I mentioned above, I am taking part in NaNoWriMo this year. With that in mind I am going to keep this short.
I don't usually set word goals for myself because I am terrible at keeping them. In fact, this is my third time doing NaNoWriMo and I have never actually won. However, when I am writing a first draft, I do try to make myself sit down in front of the computer, pull up the Word document with my WIP in it, and get some words down. Just to give myself some sort of goal I usually aim for 1,000. Sometimes I meet that, sometimes I don't. Either way, though, if I get any amount of words down, I usually count my time spent writing as successful.
As for enjoying the writing process along the way or only focusing on the reaching "the end"...
Well, it always feels good to finish. There is a sense of accomplishment at telling your story from beginning to end. But I don't think I would continue writing if all the enjoyment was saved for the finish line.
So yes, there is definitely joy in the journey. At times there is also agony, when the words aren't flowing and nothing seems to be working. But the good days - when a plot point from earlier suddenly connects with another plot point fifty pages later, or when a character's voice is crystal clear in my head, or when I find the totally perfect words to describe something - they are what fuel me to reach the end of writing one book, and then after a short rest, they are what make me get excited about starting another.
Okay, back to getting those words down. But there's lots more to be said about writing goals - this question will be answered by the rest of the blog chain members throughout the next two weeks. And the next person up is the questioner herself - Sandra. Make sure to check that out tomorrow.
During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), writers attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Do you set daily writing goals for yourself, either a certain word count or time spent on writing? Does this include other writing-related activities, like research, plotting, or revising? Do you focus on reaching the end of the journey (such as finishing your current project), or do you enjoy the writing process along the way?
So, as I mentioned above, I am taking part in NaNoWriMo this year. With that in mind I am going to keep this short.
I don't usually set word goals for myself because I am terrible at keeping them. In fact, this is my third time doing NaNoWriMo and I have never actually won. However, when I am writing a first draft, I do try to make myself sit down in front of the computer, pull up the Word document with my WIP in it, and get some words down. Just to give myself some sort of goal I usually aim for 1,000. Sometimes I meet that, sometimes I don't. Either way, though, if I get any amount of words down, I usually count my time spent writing as successful.
As for enjoying the writing process along the way or only focusing on the reaching "the end"...
Well, it always feels good to finish. There is a sense of accomplishment at telling your story from beginning to end. But I don't think I would continue writing if all the enjoyment was saved for the finish line.
So yes, there is definitely joy in the journey. At times there is also agony, when the words aren't flowing and nothing seems to be working. But the good days - when a plot point from earlier suddenly connects with another plot point fifty pages later, or when a character's voice is crystal clear in my head, or when I find the totally perfect words to describe something - they are what fuel me to reach the end of writing one book, and then after a short rest, they are what make me get excited about starting another.
Okay, back to getting those words down. But there's lots more to be said about writing goals - this question will be answered by the rest of the blog chain members throughout the next two weeks. And the next person up is the questioner herself - Sandra. Make sure to check that out tomorrow.
