Semi-author-ized L.J. on Nostr: This isn't to discourage anyone from participating in writing challenges that are a ...
This isn't to discourage anyone from participating in writing challenges that are a hallmark of this time of year, of course. I have a complicated relationship with word count tracking--NaNoWriMo burned me out, https://ljwrites.blog/posts/nanowrimo-experience/ but daily tracking also helped me write through to the end of a first draft that had plagued me for over a decade. Getting to the end of that draft revealed paths forward.
Writing a freaking 250K+ word first draft did make me wonder if I should be setting goals based on things other than word count because the method may have contributed to bloat, as I reflected in the midst of my daily writing period. https://ljwrites.blog/posts/2022-writing-review/#numbers-for-what-they-re-worth At the time, though, I think I did need to make myself write through to the end and if daily word counts was what got me there, so be it.
A variety of tools and processes are necessary for different styles and needs, and sometimes the best method can be a daily word count, other times it can be a long break and everything in between. And maybe that actually is something meaningful to remember at this time of year, that word count can be a useful tool but not proof of self-worth or "work ethic."
Writing a freaking 250K+ word first draft did make me wonder if I should be setting goals based on things other than word count because the method may have contributed to bloat, as I reflected in the midst of my daily writing period. https://ljwrites.blog/posts/2022-writing-review/#numbers-for-what-they-re-worth At the time, though, I think I did need to make myself write through to the end and if daily word counts was what got me there, so be it.
A variety of tools and processes are necessary for different styles and needs, and sometimes the best method can be a daily word count, other times it can be a long break and everything in between. And maybe that actually is something meaningful to remember at this time of year, that word count can be a useful tool but not proof of self-worth or "work ethic."