“Writing”, 22 November 2008 (Photo credit: ed_needs_a_bicycle)
I’ve been disappointing myself lately. After a great creative start to my revised life as a working mother, my novel has been suffering a little of late. This isn’t because I haven’t had time to work on it – as I wrote a few weeks back, I have lunch hours and the like which have me already sitting at a computer and which give me ready-made writing time. No, I’ve found myself faffing about during that time instead, checking the newsfeeds on the internet or looking at my blog stats or whatever. Basically, anything that doesn’t involve actual writing, I’ve been doing it.
Because of this, my word count has stagnated a little. I hit 90K last week, but since then my total count has actually gone down rather than up. Sure, I’ve been writing (a little), but I’ve been more active doing minor line edits than actually being creative; cutting things rather than adding them. I’m sure the manuscript is all the better for it, but that doesn’t really make up for the fact that I’ve been neglecting the creative side of it.
In order to slap myself into submission, I’ve decided to give myself word count goals – a minimum of 1000 words each day that I have time to sit down and write for an hour or more, and preferably 2000. I know I can do this (I’ve knocked up a 1200-word short story in about 15 minutes on occasion), I just need to be motivated.
I know that word count targets can be counter-productive. Writing just for the sake of writing often produces substandard results. However, this for me isn’t a long-term solution, more of a kick start (or a kick up the rear end). To finish my first draft I’ve got a lot of scenes that need to be written, but which I know will be dull to write. This is my way of making myself write them. If the quality is bad I can edit them later on; for now, I just need them done.
Naturally, simple goals often aren’t enough. I could be sitting at my workstation faffing around as usual, without paying attention to my goals and not feeling guilty in the slightest. However, if I use the carrot and stick method, it’s more likely to be effective.
The answer, for me at least, is chocolate. I will buy myself one or two chocolate bars each day, and leave them sitting on my desk. When it gets to lunch time, if I don’t get to 1000 words I don’t get the chocolate bar. I have to leave it sitting there, of course, as recognition that I didn’t do it, and as motivation for the next day. As someone who has trouble leaving a good Crunchie bar just sitting there uneaten, this is bound to motivate me. (If I manage 2000 words, I get two chocolate bars. Extra reward for extra effort.)
Will it work? Time alone will tell. But I have enough prompts in my WIP to give me the inspiration to write the missing scenes, so that shouldn’t be an issue. The question is whether I want the chocolate enough.
So, that’s my goal. 1000 words per day that I’m able to write for an hour or more. With any luck this dratted first draft will be finished in no time, and then I’ll be able to really go through and do a thorough edit. In the meantime, I was wondering – what motivations work for you? What have you tried to make you get your story finished? And did it work? Because, if my Crunchie bar method isn’t successful, I’m sure as hell going to need all the ideas I can get! 
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Don’t be too hard on yourself. Sometimes when you think the writing isn’t coming, your mind is actually working things out behind the scenes. You may just need a little break. Not that setting a goal isn’t a good thing, but you also need to allow yourself time to think so that when you do start writing again, it works.
Thanks Tracey! But I feel like I’ve had the break. I know what needs to be written, I know what happens in the scenes, I just haven’t bothered to write them yet. If I don’t spur myself on then I’ll never get this book finished. (Besides, I’ve promised myself a manicure for when the draft is finally done, hahaha.) It’s not that the writing isn’t coming, it’s that I’m not even trying. Hence, I am now going to really put an effort in and see where it gets me. If it doesn’t work, then so be it, but at least I’ll have given it my best shot. Thanks for the pep talk though!
As you admit, there’s more to writing than writing(!). When the juices aren’t flowing, editing or marketing is fine; it has to be done sometime.
I don’t set goals in terms of word limits but scenes, and this can mean planning a scene, producing a profile for its setting or characters, etc. This lets me make progress in chunks that better align with the structure, and seem to make it easier for me to start and stop.
I am blessed and cursed with self-discipline. I work until I’ve reached my goal. No reach, no stop. Perhaps this means that my carrot is not writing and my stick is writing. :/
Ah, self-discipline. Unfortunately I’m like (I suspect) most people in that, at the start, I can’t help but write write write, but as it gets to the less interesting bits I lose that urge. I wish I was as disciplined as you, but then again as you say it’s a bit of a two-edged sword at times. Like you, I work in scenes, but rather than plan it I just tend to jump in and write the thing. Sure, sometimes it goes in a direction I wasn’t anticipating, but generally it works for me. Now I just have to make myself do it. *goes in search of Crunchie bars* And yes, there’s always editing, but I’m trying not to do too much of that as I just want to get this first draft finished. Once that’s done, I can edit to my heart’s content.
Thanks for the comment!
Hmmm, no daily word counts would help me Emily, I am far too undisciplined. I suspect that writing narrative non- fiction helped in my case as my story was there to be told and I was so engaged by the whole ghastly saga! That said, I guess the carrot and stick approach is as good as any. I wouldn’t worry about the word count making your standard drop as you will be editing many times .Let’s face it, getting it all down in some form is the priority!
Precisely. It’s much easier to edit what’s already there than to write it in the first place. Hence, I figure that if I have the scenes there in some vaguely readable format, I’ll be able to work on the quality later on. And yes, it’s as good an approach as any, as you say – and it’s worth a try. If it works, fantastic. If not, I’m no worse off than I was when I started.
Thanks for the comment!
“To finish my first draft I’ve got a lot of scenes that need to be written, but which I know will be dull to write.” Hmmmm, maybe you should rethink these scenes. Usually if you think a scene is going to be dull to write it also means it’ll be dull to read. You might try approaching these scenes in a more creative way. Why not make them more fun for you to write? There’s usually a good reason that is stopping a writer from writing. If you’ve written 90K words already, that’s great. Pat yourself on the back and take another look at those scenes that are blocking you from finishing your story.
Good advice, as always, Darlene. Thank you! It’s not so much the scenes, though, as my lack of enthusiasm for the subplots they represent. The subplots are going to stay, though, so I have been working my way through these scenes and guess what? My sense of humour is coming back and finding its way into them, so they’re not turning out too badly after all. Who knew?
Yeah!!!!! Sense of humour always makes things better.
Thank you for the ping! – Great incentive here – but watch out you don’t get dependent upon the caffeine hit and also think of the calories! Might need to think of a few more rewards as well.
Ah, two chocolate bars aren’t going to kill my caffeine levels. I’m pretty careful about that anyway (caffeine can have some nasty effects on me) but hey, if my novel is getting finished it’s a price I’m prepared to pay. As for the calories, well I’ve been having very healthy lunches this week to compensate. It seems to be working. Thanks for the comment and you’re most welcome for the ping.
Thanks for the ping
And good luck with reaching your daily word count – but like others have said, don’t be too hard on yourself if you dont reach it. Any words are better than no words so whether you manage 1,000 words or 10 words its still more than you had to begin with 
Thanks Virginia! I must say, though, my carrot/stick method has been working this week. I broke 95K yesterday so clearly my muse can be bought by chocolate. *files this knowledge away for next time*
95K – WOW thats great! Congratulations! Chocolate is always good. Always