1724 words tonight. I’m not proud of this number since my word counts were increasing over the last two days, but it is what it is.
I was in the middle of pretty important scene and I wrote myself into a corner not once, but twice. I had to scrap around 250 words each time. So my word count might have been higher, but I still made progress with the story. I’m at 30 chapters already, so the novel has a lot of heft.
I still can’t see the end yet, which is crazy. The section I wrote today took me down a path that will probably be the penultimate “section” before the final battle. No idea how long that will be.
As long as I’m making progress, I’ll just keep surfing this wave and see where we end up. Even at a meager 2000 words per day I’ll hit 50K by end of the weekend, so all’s good. I just need that final “oomph” and this book might be done well before that.
I also ended my last writing session tonight needing to do some minor research, which took away from my word count further. This might be the last piece of research I have to do for the novel, so that’s a good thing, too.
My consultants should have feedback to me by end of weekend. My cover designer will have the next iteration of my cover likely on Monday. So if I finish by then, things will start coming together nicely, especially if I can get a jump on Book 2 next week.
OTHER STUFF
We got 6 inches of snow last night and now have about 2 feet of snow on the ground in Des Moines. Really fun! And there’s a coyote roaming the neighborhood. Just another Friday night…
In other news, I learned that the special project I worked on last week was approved and I should be able to share very soon! Super exciting, and it made the entire “non-productive” week last week worth it, in a big way. So even though my week last week didn’t hit my fiction goals, it served another area of my writing.
SOME WRITING STUFF…
At the recommendation of a YouTube subscriber, I checked out Dragon Anywhere again today. I tried it a few years ago and wasn’t crazy about it. The accuracy wasn’t very good and the usability of the app left a lot to be desired.
I signed up for a free trial today and was super impressed with it. I left my phone on my desk in the basement and walked all throughout the levels of my house, dictating a sample chapter, just to see what would happen. I dictated using my Amazon Echo Buds.
The accuracy was pretty good for not being able to see what was going on the page. There were more errors, but not by much. So it’s definitely a viable writing option, like if I’m walking my dog or just want to go on a walk and make progress toward a novel.
Dragon Anywhere makes it easy to export your work back to Scrivener as well, so no worries there.
Huge thanks to WMH9286 for the tip!
DIFFERENT WAYS TO WRITE
That got me thinking about the various ways you can write a novel, which is quite expansive. Imagine each of these as a weapon you can arm yourself with depending on the situation in which you need to write. Mastering all of them means that there will never be a situation in which you can’t write.
#1: Desktop/laptop. This requires you to be tethered to a desk, but it is the most traditional way of writing, and probably how 99% of writers get most of their words.
#2: Pen and paper. Old school, but it has its benefits. The trick is getting the novel onto your computer with as few errors as possible, which is best done by hiring a typist.
#3: Mobile phone. Writing on the go. Whip out your phone whenever you have a few spare minutes, or if you just want to write on the couch without your laptop.
#4: Dictation. Speak your novel. Helpful because you can speak faster than you type. It has a learning curve and requires an investment to purchase (good) software and a good microphone, but if you do podcast guest interviews, you can justify the cost of a microphone. Maybe you already have one.
#5: Transcription. Speak into a voice recorder (either a digital one, or an app on your phone) while you’re out and about. Then, upload the audio to an app like Dragon or pay a transcriptionist to turn the audio into text so that you can edit it on your computer. In my mind, this is the holy grail of writing methods and the hardest by far because you’re completely writing by voice and you can’t erase mistakes easily. Not for the faint of heart. I read about a writer who spoke an entire short story off the top of his head at a writing conference in front of a crowd, and then had a transcriptionist type the story. He then sent the story to the audience—nearly word for word. That’s “I’m shaking in my boots” kinda stuff right there. If you’re willing to write this way, you’re stepping into an entire universe. I’m not ready for that yet but maybe someday…
#6: Hybrid. You mix and match some of the methods above according to your comfort level and ability.
Take the methods above, and then consider the different mediums in which you can write:
#1: On your computer
#2: On your phone
#3: In a browser (so you’re not stuck in an ecosystem)
#4: By voice
Lots of opportunities for the modern writer and the writer of the future to write. No method is right or wrong. Some methods have their place. There are times when pen and paper are quite appealing, for example, like during a power outage.
HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS
The next Writing Power Hour will be NEXT Saturday, Jan 23 at 10AM Central Time. I’ll be dictating live. Depending on where I’m at project-wise, I may let you guys see my work on the screen (it’ll be a writing book, not a novel). The link is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqXovG9feBY
Starting in Feb, we’ll go live the first Saturday of the month. Looking forward to it!
Also, I’m participating in a FREE writing event called Indie Author Prosperity, geared toward helping you become a better, more productive writer. Check it out: https://rahelduncan.com/michael
Have a good Friday night.
PROGRESS TRACKER
Words: 1724
Calories: 0
Miles: 0
Time on bike: 0
TOTAL
Words: 44,348
Calories: 1050
Miles: 31.5
Time on bike: 630 minutes (10.5 hours)
Pounds lost: 4
