Hi friends. Today we will write 1000 words. Because we have momentum. We are on the fifth day of this project. Words are piling up, new ideas are making themselves known to us, demanding our attention. If we just keep building on what we we have started, we will arrive somewhere new.
Accidentally forgot my phone at home when I went to grab a quick cup of coffee and so I sat down and wrote my 1000 lightning quick while I was free of distraction!
1050 today. I feel like I'm kind of cheating with these character freewrites; there's a lot of chaff among the wheat. But I've learned so much by picking a scene and writing an interior monologue about it from the perspective of a secondary character. Makes me realize how much about my characters I haven't explored. Loving the freedom to just play around without an agenda and see what happens.
Done with 1095 words on yet another personal essay! By the end of this, I think I'll have three or four personal essays in need of some (serious) editing.
Without reading the letter ahead of time, I managed to follow its advice.
We have momentum – I started in right onto my MOMS stories without the upfront distraction of my mischief managed diary (writing journal).
You’ve done this before; you remember what this feels like – yes, it feels like success when I make a plan and make a small sacrifice to juggle my time constraints around – grrr
Keep writing, doing the damn work – I know! This is exciting!
1252 words - very happy with that. Hang in there everyone! We can do this!
I started early this morning! A new semester is upon us, so I wanted to get in my writing before my paid gig took up all my time and focus. This morning I wrote 1110 words, most of it journaling, but a good portion of it a map for the revisions of my (academic) book. I'm hopeful that at some point I can use this momentum we've built towards a future creative writing project.
Went back to a story I began on day 3 and finished it today with 1045 words. This now being my clarion call: Just finish it. Not worrying about the details or whether it is the dullest tale of all times. Just getting practice showing up. What an act of faith this is and also, simply / not so simply a habit. These 1000 word days have really buoyed me.
I am having a hard day, but forcing myself to work/write was helpful, at least up to a point. I only got 443 new words written, but also chipped away at and tightened up the chapters I have so far, plus I revised a poem (about my book) pretty heavily, so still proud of myself. Taking the mini-1000 seriously today with the mini-word count, I guess.
Today's message resonated so much as this mini1000 has reintroduced me to my morning journal writing. I'd thought this week would hold work on my fiction/draft, yet that's not what's transpired. And I'm fine with that (although it took a minute) as I understand that however the flow of words comes, the propulsion and momentum are in fact in action. Feeling/reading about everyone's movement as seen in these comments is inspiring!
I started a comment and lost it... to say, it's been hard for me but I've stayed the course so far. Hard because I just got a slew of final edits back from the publisher of my debut novel, of which I'm so proud. I'm 65, folks, and it's coming out with a super publisher too. Hard because of the usual colds and jetlag and house stuff and family stuff. But I have learned two really important things this week. I can write, sort of, in the evenings (I'm a strict morning person). And, I already know more clearly what themes are pulling me onwards, in this and in my poetry and fiction. And I can see that those themes are enough for my remaining years. It's like getting a glimpse of a map. Plus, somewhere in the 6,000 new words there have to be 600 worth saving, right? xxxx
another PS, it's a neurology institute of course not a neurological one, and THAT's the kind of editorial perfectionism that has cost me a few decades of writing fiction! xxxx
PS I did medical writing and editing too. Not as you probably did, but amongst many other things I wrote cases for big philanthropic gifts for medical research. Ironically my last job was for a large neurological institute here in the UK -- I helped them raise a few million for research into Parkinson's Disease. What they didn't know - but I did - was that my husband was about to be diagnosed with PD. Life can be cruel at every stage, and I am proud that my writing helped people to help others. I hope you feel the same pride in a good career and wish you all luck with your novel. We all need all the support we can get!
I haven't written any of the 1,000 words I thought I would. On day one, I spent the day in the ER with my 88-year-old Dad. He's fine, but it was scary. Day two I spent with a friend whose mother died. On day three, I wrote 2,000 words for the publication I manage, but that doesn't count. On day four, I learned that a close friend of mine is losing her battle with cancer and putting her affairs in order and the unexpectedness of the announcement knocked me flat. I thought she was getting better. On Days five, six, and seven I'm working on finalizing the details for publishing a book for my friend's husband. Seeing it in print is something that will make her happy. It's been a hard week for writing, and even for using words because so many of them have been words I don't want to hear or say. No one has to reply to this. I just wanted to share because I feel bad for not writing my 1,000 words and I thought this would help. Thank you to this community!
Don't feel bad for not writing! The words are going to be waiting for you when you're ready to get back to them. Good luck with all that you need to do. <3
There are times when we absolutely mustn't expect so much of ourselves, and this is one of those times. Be gentle with yourself. For me it helps to write goals down for another week, and put them in my diary for that week. For now, let yourself breathe and stretch and sleep as you can, because you are absorbing a lot of grief and shock.
I remember visits to the ER with my elderly mom. They take a lot of energy even when things turn out alright. I hope you will find the space you need to write what you'd like when things ease up a bit.
1511 today -- the first day I'm certain I wouldn't have broken 1000 without this group's momentum. Long day, bad headache, ideas were hard to grasp...but what endurance task isn't hardest 5/7ths of the way through? Solidarity to all!
Another 1000 words written. Today, a personal essay i've been putting off for too long. Stream of conscisouness as a first draft. It's funny that I even want to have refernces in my stream of consciosuness writing. I hope eveyone finds their momentum and rythym. It's the hard days where just that little bit of extra assist can help. It helped me today.
"You know how to keep going and listen to what the writer part of yourself has to say." So many gifts this week. But the clarity of this has been the best. Another day. Another 1000. DO THE DAMN WORK. Let's go!
Accidentally forgot my phone at home when I went to grab a quick cup of coffee and so I sat down and wrote my 1000 lightning quick while I was free of distraction!
Clutch
So true! I've done the morning free-write every day. I set a timer and the past two days, I've ignored it when it went off and kept going
1050 today. I feel like I'm kind of cheating with these character freewrites; there's a lot of chaff among the wheat. But I've learned so much by picking a scene and writing an interior monologue about it from the perspective of a secondary character. Makes me realize how much about my characters I haven't explored. Loving the freedom to just play around without an agenda and see what happens.
Done with 1095 words on yet another personal essay! By the end of this, I think I'll have three or four personal essays in need of some (serious) editing.
That's a gift your giving yourself. Great work!
Without reading the letter ahead of time, I managed to follow its advice.
We have momentum – I started in right onto my MOMS stories without the upfront distraction of my mischief managed diary (writing journal).
You’ve done this before; you remember what this feels like – yes, it feels like success when I make a plan and make a small sacrifice to juggle my time constraints around – grrr
Keep writing, doing the damn work – I know! This is exciting!
1252 words - very happy with that. Hang in there everyone! We can do this!
I started early this morning! A new semester is upon us, so I wanted to get in my writing before my paid gig took up all my time and focus. This morning I wrote 1110 words, most of it journaling, but a good portion of it a map for the revisions of my (academic) book. I'm hopeful that at some point I can use this momentum we've built towards a future creative writing project.
Went back to a story I began on day 3 and finished it today with 1045 words. This now being my clarion call: Just finish it. Not worrying about the details or whether it is the dullest tale of all times. Just getting practice showing up. What an act of faith this is and also, simply / not so simply a habit. These 1000 word days have really buoyed me.
Propulsion! Let’s go!
I am having a hard day, but forcing myself to work/write was helpful, at least up to a point. I only got 443 new words written, but also chipped away at and tightened up the chapters I have so far, plus I revised a poem (about my book) pretty heavily, so still proud of myself. Taking the mini-1000 seriously today with the mini-word count, I guess.
Today's message resonated so much as this mini1000 has reintroduced me to my morning journal writing. I'd thought this week would hold work on my fiction/draft, yet that's not what's transpired. And I'm fine with that (although it took a minute) as I understand that however the flow of words comes, the propulsion and momentum are in fact in action. Feeling/reading about everyone's movement as seen in these comments is inspiring!
I started a comment and lost it... to say, it's been hard for me but I've stayed the course so far. Hard because I just got a slew of final edits back from the publisher of my debut novel, of which I'm so proud. I'm 65, folks, and it's coming out with a super publisher too. Hard because of the usual colds and jetlag and house stuff and family stuff. But I have learned two really important things this week. I can write, sort of, in the evenings (I'm a strict morning person). And, I already know more clearly what themes are pulling me onwards, in this and in my poetry and fiction. And I can see that those themes are enough for my remaining years. It's like getting a glimpse of a map. Plus, somewhere in the 6,000 new words there have to be 600 worth saving, right? xxxx
Exciting to get those final edits! Congratulations!
SO exciting! Congratulations! I'm 68, so thanks for sharing your exciting news!
We have so much to say, so much to share. I hope your own writing is helping you to keep growing, too, as mine does me. xxxx
Definitely. And when you say, "all I am is persistent," well, it me. ;)
Congratulations on your debut novel. You inspire me.
Do it. All I am is persistent. Xxx
Crucial
another PS, it's a neurology institute of course not a neurological one, and THAT's the kind of editorial perfectionism that has cost me a few decades of writing fiction! xxxx
PS I did medical writing and editing too. Not as you probably did, but amongst many other things I wrote cases for big philanthropic gifts for medical research. Ironically my last job was for a large neurological institute here in the UK -- I helped them raise a few million for research into Parkinson's Disease. What they didn't know - but I did - was that my husband was about to be diagnosed with PD. Life can be cruel at every stage, and I am proud that my writing helped people to help others. I hope you feel the same pride in a good career and wish you all luck with your novel. We all need all the support we can get!
I haven't written any of the 1,000 words I thought I would. On day one, I spent the day in the ER with my 88-year-old Dad. He's fine, but it was scary. Day two I spent with a friend whose mother died. On day three, I wrote 2,000 words for the publication I manage, but that doesn't count. On day four, I learned that a close friend of mine is losing her battle with cancer and putting her affairs in order and the unexpectedness of the announcement knocked me flat. I thought she was getting better. On Days five, six, and seven I'm working on finalizing the details for publishing a book for my friend's husband. Seeing it in print is something that will make her happy. It's been a hard week for writing, and even for using words because so many of them have been words I don't want to hear or say. No one has to reply to this. I just wanted to share because I feel bad for not writing my 1,000 words and I thought this would help. Thank you to this community!
Don't feel bad for not writing! The words are going to be waiting for you when you're ready to get back to them. Good luck with all that you need to do. <3
There are times when we absolutely mustn't expect so much of ourselves, and this is one of those times. Be gentle with yourself. For me it helps to write goals down for another week, and put them in my diary for that week. For now, let yourself breathe and stretch and sleep as you can, because you are absorbing a lot of grief and shock.
I remember visits to the ER with my elderly mom. They take a lot of energy even when things turn out alright. I hope you will find the space you need to write what you'd like when things ease up a bit.
I hope writing this down does help. Thank you for putting it out there.
1511 today -- the first day I'm certain I wouldn't have broken 1000 without this group's momentum. Long day, bad headache, ideas were hard to grasp...but what endurance task isn't hardest 5/7ths of the way through? Solidarity to all!
Another 1000 words written. Today, a personal essay i've been putting off for too long. Stream of conscisouness as a first draft. It's funny that I even want to have refernces in my stream of consciosuness writing. I hope eveyone finds their momentum and rythym. It's the hard days where just that little bit of extra assist can help. It helped me today.
I believe I have arrived someplace new. As of this morning, I had never written a query letter. Now I have. ;)
"You know how to keep going and listen to what the writer part of yourself has to say." So many gifts this week. But the clarity of this has been the best. Another day. Another 1000. DO THE DAMN WORK. Let's go!