Author Topic: Writing Habits  (Read 2384 times)

digitalbias

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Writing Habits
« on: August 16, 2006, 06:33:27 PM »
I was reading though some "older" posts and noticed how much time EUOL had between posting chapters to Warbringer. Sometimes it was two chapters in a day while other times it was two days between chapters.

That led me to these questions for everybody:

How much do you manage to crank out in a day (word count)?

How long does that take you?

What do you do to get the "creative engine" going each time you sit down to write?

I'll start:

1. I usually write about 1000 words a day, but I take Sunday's off every week. I think there's more to writing, but I only keep track of the stuff that a possible reader may actually see on the page.

2. Anywhere from one hour to two hours (depends on how well I can visualize the scenes and how tired I am.). That's the whole time...from sitting down to typing the last word for that day.

3. I'll read through the outline, make some changes, read a bit from the last chapter and then jump into the word smithing itself. Sometimes I just read the last two paragraphs of what I last wrote and jump in.

So, what about the rest of you?

GLE

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2006, 06:41:54 PM »
I only write when i feel like it... or when ideas come to me. i dont have a pre-set anything... but then again. maybe thats why i haven't finished a book yet.  :( :P

Spriggan

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2006, 07:17:39 PM »
I'm debating moving this to the appropriate forum, it should go in writing group.  I don't want to have a sub forum culture just here in Brandon's board where his fans post things that really should go else where and we end up with two seperate forum "groups" if you will.

But the line of Brandon's board and the writing group to cross a tad so I'll leave it for now.
« Last Edit: August 16, 2006, 07:20:09 PM by Spriggan »
Screw it, I'm buying crayons and paper. I can imagineer my own adventures! Wheeee!

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Kuntrey_Pilgrum

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2006, 07:36:47 PM »
If i'm particularly inspired, I might write for a few hours, but I usually write only every other day or eight  :-/
And GLE, you've made me proud :'( no more incomprehensible writing ;D ;DYay you ;D
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Skar

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2006, 08:00:18 PM »
On a day that I write I rarely write less than a thousand words at a sitting, though that goes up significantly if I'm "feelin' it"  This is in the hour or so before I have to go to bed or be useless at work the next day.

Days that I write come more or less frequently depending entirely on outside events.  Honey dos.  Famly events.  work. etc...
So my habit is basically, write when I can and try and make it count when I do.  Wait, that would be a lack of a habit, wouldn't it?
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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2006, 08:48:59 AM »
I don't have the restraint sprig showed. I felt this belonged down here, because, y'know, it's not Brandon specific.

Anyway, I have no "habits." I usually write at work, when I have down time. I can get upwards of 4000 words done in a couple hours if i'm "in the groove." However, I don't know how to get into the groove.

When I write, I usually write at a pace of about 2000 words an hour.

I don't generally outline (i'm thinking I should start doing so). I have to be online. and I need music.

Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2006, 09:12:10 AM »
I write poetry.

(That's enough of a statement around here.)
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Spriggan

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2006, 02:09:02 PM »
I write code, I do most of my writing at work.
Screw it, I'm buying crayons and paper. I can imagineer my own adventures! Wheeee!

Chuck Norris is the reason Waldo is hiding.


GLE

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #8 on: August 17, 2006, 02:11:17 PM »
So it seems the way i write isn't so bad... other people do it! yay!  and Gemm poetry is awesome. i write little bits here and there myself...

Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #9 on: August 17, 2006, 02:12:15 PM »
I know "Gemm poetry" is awesome. You don't have to tell me this. But poetry in general is also spectacular.
“NOTHING IS TRUE. EVERYTHING IS PERMITTED.”
                William S. Burroughs

“Who needs girls when you’ve got comics?”
                Grant Morrison’s Flex Mentallo

GLE

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #10 on: August 17, 2006, 02:12:48 PM »
hahaha sprig. no offense but... i dont think we were talking about computers here....  >:(   just kidding ;D you can talk about whatever you want. 8)
« Last Edit: August 17, 2006, 02:35:30 PM by GLE »

GLE

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #11 on: August 17, 2006, 02:13:24 PM »
hahahaha... u got me Gemm ;D

Atreas

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Re: Writing Habits
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2006, 10:37:34 PM »
Generally, I write 4500 words a day on my major projects.  If I miss a day, I make it up the next day that I have time to do so.  Since I started two books, I write 3000 on one and wait a while before typing 1500 on the other.  I need the time to switch gears, I think, since they're both fantasy.

After that's done, I edit.  And edit.  And edit.  So boring.

So I write more after that, usually on short stories.  Ocasionally, I'll construct a poem.  That's really all I have time for though, or I'd write more.  It seriously takes up every ounce of my spare time between college and work.  

Come to think of it, I haven't had a good sit-down-and-write-from-dawn-to-dusk day in a while. 25-30,000 word days.  Woo!

To get the creative engine going, I usually just write.  I might have to go back and rewrite the first two paragraphs, but aside from that everything seems to fall into place pretty well.  Probably because I can't sleep otherwise.  My work is the first thing I see when I wake up and usually the last thing I see before bed, so I sleep, then pick up where I left off.