Anyway, my goal for finishing my first draft before my birthday is just not going to happen. 56k in 11 days? Not going to happen with this lady behind the keyboard. That's over 5000 a day. And even on a good day, I can't manage that much. My peak has been just over 3000. Some people are maniacs and can whip out chapters like nobodies business. They can crank out a first draft in a month. But that's just not me.
Whether I'd like to be fast or not, doesn't really make a difference. I've learned that while yes, people can change it's about as easy as sawing off your own arm. And not all of us have the balls of steel like Aron Ralston. (Would you be able to amputate your arm to save your life like he did? I don't think I'd be able to.) So I've learned to accept the fact that I like to take certain things slow.
Which in this world, just doesn't cut it. Everything needs to be done right now. If you don't cram enough into your day or work at the speed of sound (cause if you work at the speed of light, you're a busybody.) then you're just lazy. If you don't want to finish your book within three months, then do you even really want to get published?
I know I've felt that sort of pressure. If you aren't doing it as quick as you can, then do you really want it? Is your dream of becoming an author really true? Yes. It damn well is true.
My favorite teacher in high school instilled this saying that I've kept with me: Quality, not quantity. Of course, he was talking about plants... but I've found that it can be applied everywhere in life. He should be proud, because three years out of high school I'm still abiding by that motto--even though it's the opposite of the world at large.
So yeah, it's taken me six plots to reach one I'm happy with. And it's taken me about two months to write five chapters. I'm just going to keep at it and when I finish my first draft, I'm going to celebrate because I completed it. Not because I did it before some date.
Not that I'm not going to try to finish it soon, I'd like to, but I'm not going to beat myself up for being a bit of a turtle. Sometimes slow and steady really does win the race.
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| And even the slowpoke gets a prize at the end. |
What type of person are you? Do you like to go, go, go? Or are you the take it easy type?
56K in two days seems totally doable. LOL by superwoman maybe. BEst of luck to your writing. Love the pic of the turtle.
ReplyDeleteLife happens. No one can fault you for doing things the best way you know how even if that involves taking more time. Patience is something learned, you're just teaching it to yourself.
ReplyDeleteI'm slow and predictable. 1000 words per day give or take 200. Whenever I try to do more, I end up not writing for a few days. I like quality over quantity. :)
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