That image in your head translated to the Page.
I know you have heard that many authors stand by a minimum number of words they must put down a day, Stephen King (A favourite on this blog) does 2000 words a day, as does Nicholas Sparks. But that is a high number and can only say I have reached such heights after the 15+ years of writing and growing the habit.
When given a chance I can accomplish a great deal, given a weekend, 6 or so hours each day, I am able to produce 10,000 words. But for the most part, I write at least 500 words a day, which is satisfactory. Ya, 500 words is not 2000, but it's a lot more than 0, and more importantly, if they are good words then it is work well done.
Practice makes perfect as they say, with your writing strength, endurance, and talent. Though, let’s be realistic, perfection is unattainable, except perhaps in the case of the trilogy Lord of the Rings both in Novel and Film or the 1999 cinematic masterpiece, The Mummy, with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz😉 So, never forget to always try and better yourself, use the Thesaurus and Dictionary, educate yourself on Grammar and Punctuation, read from every Genre, especially the one you write in. I try to learn something new each day and get as many words to paper as I can.
In the end you must be able to achieve this goal. Why? Because every day you commit the stronger you become as a writer, and the closer you are to becoming an author. Therefor it is important to set a realistic goal for yourself. Even if at the start you try for 100 words, if you find the flow, which I hope you can, you will see that 100 words turns into a great deal more.
Remember, consistency in your goals will mean they are achievable. And think of it, 250 words a day still leads to 1750 at the end of the week. And at the end of a year a book with 91,000 words. Ekk, I spent 7 years on my first novel with 132,000 words. Don’t let that year intimidate you, just remember to use the days given to you, and use them to reach closer to your dream, closer to holding a finished book in your hand.
Don’t over burden yourself, if you are at home with two kids and a pile of laundry (cough, cough) go for the 500-word mark. If you are, as they say, doom scrolling, reminder yourself of all your potential and your most gifted way to express it. Through writing.
Afton Feltham
Check out my first novel “Bloom of the Desert Rose” available now.
Comments