Wednesday, November 19, 2008

I ♥ the Novel Racers

Just take a little sideways look over there on the left … your left, not my left … yup, that’s it … where it says 20,000 on the lovely Leigh’o’meter. Even if mine’s gone slightly wonky, with a pokey uppy border bit on the far left, it still says 20,000 big ones.

And, it’s really 20,364 words. Now I've no idea how long my book will be, but I plucked 100,000 out of the air since I'm told I should be aiming between 80,000 and 120,000. 100,000 is a pleasing, round number. So if that's so, I've done a fifth of my book. A fifth. And most of those, I've done in the last ten weeks.

I should have a bit more humility about all this and I do apologise if I sound like I am shouting, but damn it, I am shouting. I am proud of myself.

I am coming to the end of my second year with the Novel Racers, and frankly I’ve been a bit crap – no, a lot crap. I can’t understand why they didn’t throw me out long ago because I have struggled. And some of my posts have been a load of drivel with the most boring excuses – I know because I’ve been back and read some of them. Let me apologise in retrospect.

Husband says that if I come home with less than 5,000 words I have to give him the money back that I’ve spent here. So Husband, today I’ve done 1,707 words.

13 comments:

Carol said...

Oh, you are a clever cookie!!!

You should be proud of yourself...You are doing absolutely brilliantly!!

I'm proud of you too!!

C x

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

Yee-HAH!!!

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I love Novel Racers too, this year was my first year as part of the group.

Well done on the word count, I wish mine was remotely as good as that.

Jenny Beattie said...

Carol, thanks hon.

Zinnia, Yee-HAH indeed... thanks m'dear.

Debs, they are lovely, aren't they? Well, it's been a long time coming, but I finally seem to have found my way. Good luck to you.

Lane Mathias said...

A quarter done! huzzah.

That means in 30 weeks or less you'll have a first draft!

Pat Posner said...

Brilliant wordcount - you've every right to feel proud.

Chris Stovell said...

Not in the slightest bit crap and NEVER boring! Now, quick, get back to the writing !

HelenMWalters said...

That's brilliant. Well done you.

Anonymous said...

Yay! Well done, keep up the good work :)

Sue Guiney said...

First, let me say well done! You're doing great!
Now, let me say how I;ve lusted after your meter for months now. I want one, too, for my new book, and if you go look at the bottom of my blog page you'll see what I came up with when I tried to do Leigh's instructions. It looks weird. Any ideas?

Angie said...

You should be shouting and cheering, and really quite proud of yourself. Well done!
xx

Jenny Beattie said...

Golly Lane, HOW the devil have I done it? A finished first draft? Me? Do you think so?

Pat, thank you. You've missed (be grateful for it...) much of my whining so it's great to finally have worked out what it is I'm meant to be doing.

ChrisH, you are too kind (when I went back and looked, they bored ME!)

Helen, Thank you. :D

M&T, Thank you too.

Sue, thanks m'dear. Right, well you know with Leigh's meter you have to add in and then keep changing the 3 numbers, don't you?

Shall I email you? That might be easier, mightn't it?

Angie, thank you. I am proud.

Sue Guiney said...

Just saw your comment about Leigh's meter and your very kind offer to help via email. Yes, please! Thanks, I'm at: sue@guineyuk.com