I'm a definate believer in the impossible... but oh boy, I have my work cut out for me.
I only have 11k.... I haven't written in 10 days, it's the last week, and I somehow have to plug out 10k a day for the next 5 days..... Oh dear Lord help me!!!!!
I'm so unfocused.... although... I did get a taste of what it takes... which is a good representation of what it takes to accomplish anything valuable in life. I've learned that I've still got quite a bit of work to do, but that I've actually come quite far in my evolution during this life. I am proud of myself. I reminded myself that I am a writer, and that i will always be a writer. I have that natural raw talent at my core... I always have. It's there when I'm ready for it.
That said, I am still going to try to finish this novel. I'm a little intimidated because there was so much I wanted to add to it, that I'm getting the feeling I won't be able to because of the time constraints. Oh well, further development is possible during December.
I'm going to do my best to get into the groove tonight... if not (I've been on an emotional rollercoaster for a week now).... I'll just have to do what I can and start all over again tommorrow. This is a process, not an event....
Peace and happy typing....
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Peace and Love
"No man's life can be encompassed in one telling. There is no way to give each year it's allotted weight, to include each event, each person who helped shape a lifetime.... " - Ghandi
50,121 / 50,000
Nov 26, 2007 - 16 50
Not easy.
But DEFINITELY doable.
1. Don't worry about what doesn't / isn't going to go in. As you noted, that's for December.
2. Same with research. Type down what you think the facts are, highlight that phrase, confirm in December.
3. How fast do you write? Me, it's 1K/hr. So the math is easy. If this is your pace, block 10 hours a day (assuming you're writing Tues-Fri). 8am to 6pm is six hours. You're unemployed; this works in your favour, assuming you have no other commitments during the day. Wake up, do the ablutions, write. The example above is a 10-hr block. You may work better with 2 5-hour blocks, lunch in between. But do set the blocks - it shows that this is, unquestionably, doable.
4a. Ignore the phone during the writing blocks.
4b. Naturally, this goes double for email / blogs.
4c. If your emotional rollercoaster is due to other people, check no phone/email/blogs until the Daily Quota is hit. Not even first thing in the morning. (Assuming you can - I don't know the nature of the e.r..) The *last* thing you need is for someone else's stress to set you off-course first thing in the morning.
5. Reward yourself at milestones. I would choose the Daily Quota; others need them every 5 K.
6. If you're at your computer, and *nothing* is working, go for a half-hour walk. Relax, get the adrenaline flowing, think out the knots, enjoy the outdoors.
6b. Or anything else that relaxes you while stimulating the writing muscles.
7. If your evenings are free, use them to pad for the unexpected, and to ease the Big Goal anxiety. But...
8. Do NOT burn yourself out. Hit the quota, and if you're wiped, step away. You need to last four whole days. To that end -
9. Sleep. Block time for this if you have to. If you push sleep for four days, your effectiveness in the last two will be reduced; this will be frustrating, and more so because your sleep-deprived nerves will be on edge.
That's my advice.
This is, I say again, DEfinintely doable.
See you at the finish line.
t!
16,478 / 50,000
Nov 26, 2007 - 17 21
You are completely right... and all that advice is going to come in handy... I will definately be referring back to this thread to keep myself going over the next 4 days. Tonight I'm still pushing myself a little... but I've told myself that today was really rough and I'm not going to pressure myself, because I still have 4 full days to push myself.
I have always had the habit of waiting until the last minute to get things done... working with a deadline...
Thanks again... I'm glad to see that you are doing so well!!!
Take Care and push through!!
54,500 / 50,000
Nov 26, 2007 - 19 53
I'm always excited when I only have ten thousand words left, because I know for a fact that I can write that in a day without needing to keep up an impossible pace- just a normal pace over a longer than normal time.
Four days of that sounds like a marathon, but better at the end than the beginning. Just imagine how good it will feel on the 1st of December.
50,075 / 50,000
Nov 27, 2007 - 13 09
There is nothing to worry! Even if I don't have much to write to reach the 50 000 words, I am still under pressure to reach it! I am trying to pass that line for tomorrow late afternoon (won't be easy but I am trying very hard right now!)
And my unconscious mind seems to always have some good scene to suggest my conscious mind when I am under pressure to finish something. Stress and a deadline can do marvel to self-discipline and writing frenzies!
I almost am at 46 000 words by the way!