Something occurred to me yesterday. Two somethings, actually. First, my daily word-count seems to be all over the place. One day I’ll write four thousand words, the next I barely scrape past seven hundred, the next I write thirteen hundred. All of the place.
My next realization was: I’m ahead in my goal. In order to get to a total of 35k at the end of the month, I’m about 3-4 thousand words ahead. And because of it, I’m getting lazy. I don’t need to write as much each day because I’m ahead! And yet, at the same time, if I don’t write much that day, I feel incredibly guilty.
So, simple solution. Increase my goal. Now I have reason to write more and I’m not so far ahead, so I’m not so lazy. Great!
With my new goal of 37,500 words by the end of the month, I have to have an average of 1,210 words per day. My current average is 1,315 per day, so I’m still a little ahead, but not enough to (hopefully) let me feel lazy and fall behind.
It occurred to me, I’ll bet there aren’t very many people participating in Camp NaNo who are increasing their end goal. Probably, those changing theirs are lowering them. Hmm.
Meanwhile, I haven’t written a single word yet today. I think I’ll wait until after breakfast… Assuming my aunt actually makes enough food to be classified as “breakfast”. She never seems to remember how much of an appetite my brother and I have.
Sketches and Scribbles 
You wrote today 🙂 You wrote a blog.
I do know what you mean. I tend to set the next days goal no matter what I wrote the day before, that way I don’t get complacent about the total goal. You are doing really well.
Good point. 🙂
Thank you!
*nods* I wrote like 3500 words the first day of Nano, then I had days with 100. Increasing your word count’s a good idea, and I’m sure you’ll do as well as you have been. (Gee, that sounds cheesy) 🙂
Thanks, Kiwi! I seem to keep going up and down, up and down, up and down… Yesterday was pretty good, but today’s not very productive at all… Hopefully that means tomorrow will be better. 🙂
Hehe yes. I’m sure it will. 🙂
Sounds like you’ve stumbled across a great way to motivate yourself. The only thing I can say is “go for it”. :).
I’m about 4000 words behind on my goal at the moment, but I’m not yet at the point of reducing my target. The way I see, as long as I keep getting something done on the WIP each day then it doesn’t matter too much if I don’t quite hit the goal.
Oh, and I’d hardly consider a 1315 daily average to be “lazy”, personally 😉
Thank you!
Yes. I keep trying to see it that way as well, but it’s hard, for whatever reason. There’s a saying, “It’s not about winning, it’s about getting there”, or something to that effect.
Perhaps. I think the thing that’s really getting to me is the fact that July is a busy month for me, so I can’t write as much as normal. Before, I’ve had an average of 2-3 thousand words per day. Thirteen hundred is nothing to scoff at, I know, but it almost feels like I’m not putting much effort into it—which I am.
The middle seems like a good place to be! I cannot seem to quit feeling sorry for myself. I have reached the end. 51,437 words and I shall write no more. 😛
Seriously, (I did reach 51,437 though!) I will keep writing. My book isn’t finished, I just cannot seem to write without feeling bad. I have reached the climax and it is all about to go downhill (for my characters, that is) So what shall I do? Down an aspirin, make myself a big cup of coffee (or crystal light, depending on what time I start writing) and make myself finish the 20 thousand words I have to finish!
Good Luck, and I hope you aren’t having as hard a time with your story as I!
-Jordan
51 thousand words? Wow. I’m still at about 27k.
Certainly sounds…problematic. I wish you luck, though! I think I might steal the idea of some crystal light. Sounds good….
I sure hope not, but I do seem to be having some problems. I hope I can just sit down and DO something, though, and then hopefully I’ll be past the probelm.
Opps, that was supposed to be on the other post!
-Jordan
Hehe, that’s okay. I almost posted a comment on the wrong blog earlier… It was embarrassing, until I realized it didn’t actually go through. Phew. 🙂
not the wrong blog, just the wrong post on your blog!
Hehe, I know. 😛