Reader mail

AmbImb asks,

How do you do 6,000 words/day!? I think my best day ever in nearly four years of trying is about that. Maybe I still have too many filters between brain and fingers...

First off, I should note that he was the one who turned me on to NaNoWriMo in the first place, so if I do reach the 50,000 word mark and "win," then AmbImb gets credit for the assist. Also, after my prodigious start, my average words per day have continued to drop, and currently hover at 4,389. So the question I will answer is, "how do you write an average of 4,000 words per day?"

After all, 1,667 words per day will get you to 50,000 words after 30 days. A veteran writer suggested that I aim for 2,000 words per day, which is an easier goal to visualize and provides more wiggle room in case I fall short once or twice. Without too much effort, I have managed to double that. Here's what works for me: I set aside two hours at the end of the night (when I am usually most creative), and during that time, I write. I don't edit, proofread, or analyze... I just write. I don't go back and read what I have written, either; I just write until I'm done, hit save, and go to bed. The next day I do the same thing.

So, that's how I do it, and it's working so far. I have removed all filters between brain and fingers- I just put words down as soon as I come up with them. If I think it, it's going in the novel. Make this your mantra: "I can always fix it in the rewrite." The only thing you have to do for now is produce words. My novel isn't even in chronological order any more, but that's okay. If I feel like typing a particular scene, I write that scene where I am. If I get stuck, I insert a page break and start on something new. I do not delete. Ever.

That's it for today's writing workshop! Good luck all you novelists out there! Keep on writing!

words: 3,950

Categories: writing