Thursday, July 17, 2008

First Week

So late this week at the ad agency having sat, uninterrupted by external invasions of the cat, the washing and moody teens on eternal school holidays, I have averaged 3000 words a day.
Is this normal I ask myself? Am I just a very slow typist (yes I am) or am I actually doing quite well? I’d be interested in your thoughts. Given that I have to think, plot and devise as I write, I’m assuming this is progress. The people around me are intrigued and possibly a little disturbed as I make faces, shuffle playing cards and silently mouth dialogue. There is a reason why writing is done largely by oneself. It is so other people watching don’t think you are mad.
The playing cards are a full set that I made to help me work through the plot. They are based on a set my Scottish aunty had, a fortune assigned to each one.
Today I shuffled, cut the deck five times and turned up ‘a dark man’ (exciting), a ‘fortunate win’ (not CNZ funding) and ‘a surprise.’
I am wondering if I might be gifted with tickets to Lenny Henry’s show in Wellington later this month. That would tick all the boxes and make me laugh to boot; always a good thing. 22,857 words down and the more I write, the more that needs writing. I’m thinking a novel in a week may be a tad ambitious….

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Have been inspired by your previous post and downloaded the snowflake method. Have reattacked the novel that keeps getting rejected but the one I've received funding for (years ago) and the writer's residency (years ago).

No quiet place for me. Am at the dinner table while youngest watches inspector gadget and the dog barks to be let in.

Still, am warm.

blessings
Tania

Mary McCallum said...

Bloody Norah! Three-thousand words a day?! Fi, you are on fire. And in the school holidays. Astonishing stuff. Had a quick look at the snowflake method as espoused in your previous post and it looks fascinating. Structure is one of those things that I find very tricky and time-consuming.

Good luck with the novel (how's Gargoyles going?)

Fifi Colston said...

'Gargoyles' is waiting patiently in the wings until I can get this one off my chest/head/hard drive. And then it is full steam ahead into chic lit! x

Anonymous said...

Thats not natural. 3,000 words a day? I'm lucky if I do 3,000 words a week. I've been at my new YA novel for about six weeks now and its only 10,000 words so far. School holidays have been a word desert. 'sigh'. I guess it might take me around 9 months all up. Better then 10 years like Donna Tartt though.

Good luck for the Text Pulishing comp, Fifi

cheers
Melinda

Anonymous said...

just checked text publishers web site
how are you going to get it there?...
only snail mail entries...
i know- you want to go to melbourne
and hand deliver it so the trip counts as postage!
cunning plan!
maureen

Johanna Knox said...

HI Fifi - those cards are beautiful! What a cool idea.

All the best with the novel-in-a-week! can't wait to hear how it goes.