Photo credit: toddwendy via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

I barely made the word count to win. Writing 50,000 words in 30 days was challenging and something I had never done before. Everything considered, I am happy with just making the goal. I don’t know of anyone who would attempt a marathon without doing some training and conditioning to prepare for the race. And yet, that is exactly what I didn’t do, I didn’t train for this event. Over the past thirty days, I have learned some valuable lessons I will apply in my writing.

1. Some days are going to be a wonderful. On these golden days, I will be able to write 3,800 words (my best day). The words fly from my fingertips, the story progresses and when I re-read the next day, I am thrilled with what I have written.
2. Some days will be fraught with issues. My research didn’t cover some detail that I need in the story and I can’t seem to find the information. Or I don’t know where the story needs to go next, or I end up fighting with my characters, all of which result in only a few hundred words. (my worst day 500 words). The next day’s re-read will then, of course, reveal numerous typos, skipped words, or something that just doesn’t make sense and needs to be deleted or re-written.
3. Sit, Stay, Write. Writing every day keeps the wheels turning. There were days when the very act of sitting down to write got me past the section I was worried about. This happened on more than one occasion and lead to some days with decent output.
4. It is ok to abandon a section to come back to later. This happened early in the month. I was slogging thru a part that was heavy in research and validatiaon. I got so far and just could not force myself to continue. I knew where the story was going next, and I wanted to get to it. I pretended that part was written and skipped ahead to the next section. Viola, I was on my way and I can go back and finish that section this month.
5. It is important to leave time for fun. During the month, three were a few days where I had the urge to write something a little different from my novel. The characters in my loft was a good example. I knew if I didn’t write it, the story would lose the spontaneity that I felt. The very act of getting that story out of my head, cleared the way to a productive writing session.
6. There is nothing that I would rather do. I love the process of writing and the ability to tell the stories that have been cluttering my mind. Not only do I feel like I am creating something, I feel like I am finally going to be able to put down the load I have been carrying with me for so long. Until I started this process, I thought my story was one book. Now, I know it is three. That is some load.
7. To write you must be courageous. Writing is a part of me that I have been carrying around and nurturing for a long time. Now I am putting it down and plan to send it out into the world. What if no one likes it? So far, the few sections that I have shared have been well received. I know I still have a lot to face in this department.
8. Having goals is a good thing. Now that I am this far, I can’t wait to finish this story. I am anxious to finish and move on to the editing. Besides, I have two more books I need to get written. That means that I still need some writing goals. I will be setting my goals for December keeping the Christmas holiday season in mind. Don’t think I will shooting for anything like 50,000 words this month.

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer