So, I might have overtrained.
Yesterday I crashed a bit. I could tell when I started that I wasn’t up to par. Some days I can just feel it, that the words aren’t going to flow.
I don’t want it to be a self-fulfilling prophecy, so I make myself write anyway. But I’m not sure that’s best.
For some reason, Tuesdays are often like that for me. I’m kind of considering taking Tuesdays off from writing, if they’re all going to turn out like that.
I didn’t make my 1.85 K. I wrote 1270 new words and deleted a whole bunch of stuff. Frogging again. I kind of hit a blind pocket in the story and, in brainstorming with KAK, realized I had to go back and redirect an earlier scene, which meant deleting an entire scene that now never occurs.
The upshot is I ended up 200 words down. Alas.
Now I have to stop there and acknowledge that writing 1270 new words is really good. A step up from my 1K. So not bad for a “bad” day.
Elizabeth Ryann asked me in the comments yesterday if it helps that I have a definite time to stop writing, because I switch to the day job and I cavalierly said yes. Which is true, it normally does.
However, yesterday was such a grueling day with so little accomplished, that I had Sterling up on my personal laptop for most of the day, trying to add a little more when time allowed, trying to hit that finish line.
Finally I realized I was doing the equivalent of Simon Pegg in Run Fatboy Run, dragging myself along in the middle of the night, long after the marathon has ended.
There’s something to be said for pushing yourself, for holding yourself accountable to meet the goal. But there’s also a time to realize that you’re only exhausting yourself.
And likely only putting down words that will have to be deleted anyway.
So, I’m still going for my 1.85K each day. But I’m holding myself to my stop time. If I’m feeling it and I need to, I might do another hour or so at the end of the day.
Feel the burn!
Had one of those days myself yesterday! Totally unproductive afternoon, cursing everything in my WIP as total rubbish. I kept pushing, and somehow ended up cranking out some OK copy and meeting my word count goal for the day.
That's rare for me, though. Often when I hit "the bad place" in a manuscript, there's pretty much nothing I can do to write anything decent. It's good to learn to recognize that, and go eat ice cream instead.
Great post!
Tawna
I've been feeling unproductive lately, but although I try to be the dedicated write-everyday-writer, it doesn't always work that way. So what do I do instead? I binge…I'm a binge writer. I'll go days without writing one word and then pound out 6k in one afternoon.
I wouldn't think of saying you were down 200 words…more like you were pruning 200 words and leaving your manuscript in perfect health.
1.85 … I so didn't come close to that, or even 1.25
Utter lack of endurance is probably why I will never be an athlete
Ah, it helps to know you gals are out there, working at it, too!
Tawna – I'm so impressed you managed to work through it and hit your word count! I did kind of have ice cream. David brought home chicken pot pies and brownies. Very comforting! (and thus "fat girl" is sadly true today…)
I used to be a binge writer, Danica, and it has its merits. That's great that you can do it. And yes, the novel is better and healthier now!
KAK – you have family/traveling excuse. Your vivacity wins out over any lack of endurance!