Your Work-in-Progress

[Tye Tyson]

So, how's that WIP coming along? Share with us how many words you're at, what your daily writing goals are, and any sticking points you're having with your WIP. Most of us have families and/or day jobs, how do you overcome those pleasant (and sometimes unpleasant *cough* *diaper change* *cough*) distractions?

[PK Hrezo]

Luckily for me, my kids are now both in school full time so that helps. Right now my WIP is a YA thriller at 25k words and should come out to somewhere around 70k when complete... so still got a ways to go. But if I don't get the chance to write while kids are in school ... i have to wake up at 4am. It's the only way... if I don't treat writing as a job, it doesn't get done. Some days it doesn't get done.... and that's ok. We  have to sacrifice different things sometimes and family and the dayjob come first.

How about you?

[Elodie]

I am lucky to commute. I used to see it as a curse (2h30mns in the train/bus/metro daily) but since I invested in a netbook and some better tickets, I get at least an hour of writing each day...

Good luck with your WIP and  wow on getting up at 4am (I get up around 5/5.30am and I´m quite grumpy :-))

[Elodie]

Hello :-) Well...my WIP is a Paranormal Romance YA novel. I am currently at about 38k (yay :-)) and write mostly during the week (my new goal is 1000 words/day).

 

I have a full time job which consumes a lot of my energy (I do enjoy it), a husband who asks for a lot of attention (I do love him) and I commute (which I used to hate). However, I discovered the magic of a netbook and invested in my writing. Now, I get about an hour each day of writing (I commute 2h30 daily) and it is making a big difference on how I am moving forward...:-)

[PK Hrezo]

Wow, 2.5 hours a day is awesome for writing! What a great way to make use of that time. I understand about the hubby who demands a lot of time... got one of those myself, along with two kids and a pita big dog. 

You're doing awesome at 38k!!

[Elodie]

Thanks :-) The hubby is great (but always looking for his keys for some reason...)

[Tye Tyson]

LOL...me too!

[Elodie]

I am sure there must be a theory behind this :-)

[Ash Yuhas]

I lost my job and got married in May, and I spent the three weeks of our honeymoon relaxing, taking in life, and thinking about where I wanted to go. My husband and I agreed I would be a full-time penniless writer for six months, see how it goes, and work from there. I currently have a little under a month until my deadline is up, and I've written 350-400 handwritten pages of my WIP, with only two more chapters left to go!

My goal is to finish the rough draft, type it up, and get it edited at least once before Christmas, when I send it out to beta readers. (It's a multi-pov historical fantasy based around Ireland in the 1910s, if anyone's interested in reading...)

This week, my goal is to type up at least 100 more pages, finish the last two chapters, and edit edit edit!

I feel very lucky to have so much time to write--but I STILL find myself neglecting things in this last push, like chores, my blog, and leaving the house to see the light of day...

[Elodie]

It´s wonderful that your husbant supports your writing! (mine is pretty good too I have to admit, just got married in August :-)).

Just think that if you´re actually writing/editing/thinking 8 hours a day, it is the same as a full time job and we all know that sometimes we do neglect certain chores...

Good luck with this week´s goal!

[Ash Yuhas]

Congratulations on your marriage! After planning a wedding, writing a book doesn't seem so tough, haha!

Alas, my husband broke his foot on Thanksgiving, which could account for some of those unfinished chores...I have all the respect in the world for people who manage to work a day job, write, and run a household all by themselves. It's tough finding a balance without burning yourself out.

[Elodie]

Haha :-)

The wedding planning did take a lot of time, lol...writing time suffered a bit from it I have to admit. We were planning the wedding in France from Germany with guests coming from Europe and the US. We have a blast though...Now I have more time or maybe I am more organized (my husband would disagree lol)

Hope your husband feels better! Are you still editing?

[Tye Tyson]

That's some pretty inspiring work out there. Some people up at 4am (usually when I go to bed...well, not quite). I am a late writer. I find my brain working more creatively from about 9pm to midnight, which is when I get most of my writing done. I am at 52K words on my YA Paranormal...probably finishing around 70-72K...

 

I agree with PK Hrezo that it has to be treated like a job. I posted a writing schedule on the fridge (I have a full time job and a wifey and 3 kids, so we're busy. And I can't concentrate if I know she's folding laundry. I have an illness. And it's not that I'm some great husband either, I grumble the whole time...hehe). By the way, there's a book called Writer With a Day Job by Aine Greaney that I found very helpful for time management and tips.

 

Commutinggirl is making good use of that commute. That is usually the time when I brainstorm. I have a recorder with me or my writing journal in case I think of something.

Anybody else use a writing journal to track thoughts/ideas?