Wednesday 4 May 2011

May - You Write Your Novel

OK, so now the A - Z blog challenge is out of the way and I don't have to post daily or wrack my brains for alphabet related posts you'd think I'd take a step back, have a breather, gather my thoughts and see what I have and what needs to be done. Ha! You thought wrong. Or maybe I'm thinking wrong. That's always up for debate.

No, Instead of putting my feet up for a couple of weeks I'm now rushing headlong into another challenge. The, May - you write your novel challenge. It's a challenge that starts in May where we have 80 days to write 80,000 words and hopefully complete a novel. You will find Quillers, the creator of this challenge over at the May - you write your novel, blog.



It seems like a good idea. I was trundling along at my own pace with my novel and this looks like a great opportunity to give myself a kick up the backside. I was about 28,000 words in when it started a couple of days ago. 80,000 words in 80 days is obviously equivalent to 1,000 words a day. That may seem like a reasonable figure, but actually finding time and energy to sit down and create isn't always an easy task. I get tired through the week. Throwing most of my low reserves of energy into work because that's what pays the bills. So coming home and putting on my creative head isn't always what I want to do.

I am going to give this a bash though. By the end of the challenge I should have completed my first draft. I can't wait for that point. To see I have a story from beginning to end and including a middle! I know I will have a lot of work from there on in, but the novel will be there. The bare bones. A full manuscript to work with.

Will I make this challenge? I don't know. I love writing. I love the novel and the characters within that novel but I'm not sure I have that pace in me. Even if it's not completed by then it will be well on it way so it's worth attempting. I will try to let you know how I'm getting on with it as time progresses.

Is anyone joining me? If you write, at what pace do you manage it?

7 comments:

  1. Cool. Sounds like a good idea. That pace is a nice pace too. Not too crazy like NaNoWirMo. I'm currently revising my wip. Good luck on your goal.

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  2. I should be able to manage 1000 words a day, but I can't. Sigh. My edits start in June.

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  3. Carrie - It's not a bad pace, but it far outweighs the pace I'm used to, but Im going to do my best to keep up with it :)

    Misha - Best of luck with the edits. I'm sure this will be around next year if it's a success for people.

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  4. I'm doing it, and managing to do over 1000 words each day so far. I hope the momentum will last!

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  5. All the best with this new challenge. like you say even if you don't quite manage the 80k, you'll still have been spurred on. Normally I aim for 3k a week - but with house selling and buying I'm a bit distracted at the moment.

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  6. Clare - I'm doing, but not quite doing quite 1,000 words a day. I'm hoping to get some catch up day. But what ever happens I will be week on my way to getting completed and this will give me the opportunity

    Anne - It;s really not easy is it. Im stall already, but any push to compete this slow wip I'm running, has to be worth a try huh?

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  7. Hi, Rebecca! Thanks for coming by my blog. Now that I've read about this I think it sounds much better for me than the June 30 day challenge, 80 days sounds like a great pace. I think I might try this one instead, even if I'm a little late getting started.
    I'm really glad to have found your blog!

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