Are you obsessing about word count? I have been. So here is a tip to help you avoid that trap:
Write by hand!
The process of writing by hand, for me, has been so freeing. I can focus on what I'm writing and not have to worry about saving the file or checking how close I am to my word count goal. I can curl up on the couch or in the bed and not have to worry about the laptop battery. I can leave the family computer open for other members of the family! I can stick my novel-in-progress in my purse and have it handy wherever I go. And then, when I get to a good stopping point and I've filled a few pages, I can type it all in to my word document and see how much progress I've made. Try it. It may do wonders for you too!
I love the idea of Fiction by Longhand, but I just have terrible penmanship, and I also don't feel I'd be able to revise as easily--cutting and pasting and such.
ReplyDeleteBut it's been a long time since I've tried it.
Thanks for the reminder.
Good point, Brian! When I type my in, I leave it as it is in my notebook, for the most part, unless I think of MORE as I type. I don't bother fixing anything, though. That's for later!
ReplyDeleteI do have a couple of notebook pages that are marked with arrows, but that was from before, when I was summarizing by hand each chapter as I wrote.
It's always refreshing to try doing things a different way every once in a while!
ReplyDeleteThe friction of a pencil forming letters on a page is a wonderful feeling. Ball point pens bore me. If I am going to write longhand I reach for a pencil and have a sharpener close by. If there are no pencils I will use a thin felt tip, like a Sharpie pen. I used to be really into fountain pens. I should get back into that. That was when I was really into letter writing. That is something I should get back into too.
ReplyDeleteKelly, you are so right!
ReplyDeleteAngie, I'm not picky about the type of pen, as long as it writes smoothly! I do love writing with a pencil, though. Nice sharp ones. Mechanical if possible.