Thank you, Dawn Kinzer and the Seriously Write Team for having me on their blog today. Enjoy my post," Prayer, Patience, and Planning Your Word Count."
Do
you ever struggle with comparing yourself to what other writers are
accomplishing on a daily basis? Author Lynn Hobbs
offers encouragement on how to deal with those often challenging word
counts. ~ Dawn
Prayer,
Patience, and Planning Your Word
Each
author enjoys a sense of accomplishment when numbers rise on their word count.
Have you ever noticed someone on social media announce an addition of one
thousand or more words to their manuscript in a day? How exciting! I quickly
congratulate whoever is making progress. Our situations and routines are
different, though. Don’t get discouraged if you only write a few paragraphs
daily. Go at your own speed. Quality outranks numbers, and numbers will grow in
time.
After
attending numerous workshops over the years, the consensus is still the same.
They all teach to write your story while ideas flow, not stopping to edit,
correct punctuation, or refrain from using the same adjective. Simply write and
focus on the story. I follow several proven methods and continue learning tons
of information from writers and speakers at workshops or conferences.
My
steps are:
1. Pray
for direction. As a Christian, I want God’s will in whatever I write
as well as whatever I do.
2. Have
patience with interruptions. They will happen. Stop if they are
important, and address the problem. I type one more thought concerning my story
before leaving it. This prevents returning, and staring at the page, lost.
3. Plan a
set time and place to write daily. This applies to all age groups. I
met a young woman at a conference who had two children of preschool age. She
was frustrated with her word count and ready to stop all attempts at writing.
Upon discussing what her typical 24 hour day involved, it was apparent she had
too many tasks to complete. Writing while her children took an afternoon nap
wasn’t an option. What worked for her? A simple notebook. Ideas were recorded
as she spoon fed the baby three times a day. At night, after the children were
in bed and as laundry sloshed in the washer and clothes spun in the dryer, she
constructed sentences. It was ‘her time’ and proved to not only be relaxing for
her, but a workable method to write her novel.
After completing several pages or a first chapter, I
print each page and read them out loud. Often, I have omitted a word I thought
I typed. Next, I ‘tighten up’ the story by removing all unnecessary words such
as that, etc. Explore the find button on your Microsoft 10 word doc, enter and
track down excess words to delete. How many times did you use the same word on
the same page? How many times did you have someone smiling, or
coughing? Change the repetition. Is someone sad? Show action, don’t
tell it. This pulls a more detailed description from you. Keep polishing in
this manner, and have it critiqued. With suggested edits, stay true to your
style. It is your own unique voice.
Practice
what works best for you, and never give up. My favorite scripture is
Philippians 4:13; “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
 |
The
true, life story of Lillie Fritsche; one of sixteen siblings, born in the
depression era. Lillie’s mother passed away when she was seven years old.
Follow her journey from a motherless child to an inspiring woman of faith.
As
per many reader requests, the printed version is available in a Large Print
Paperback, or a handy on the go Digital Download for your Kindle device in
regular print.
Book
includes treasured family photos, and some of her favorite, handed-down German
recipes. I hope you will enjoy this glimpse of her life narrowed down to 430
pages in the large print paperback.
Lynn Hobbs,
author: Running Forward Series; a powerful faith and family saga.
#1: Sin,
Secrets, and Salvation, awarded 1st place, Religious Fiction, 2013, Texas
Association of Authors #2: River Town, 1st place, Religious
Fiction, 2014,TAA.#3: Hidden Creek, 1st place, Religious Fiction,
2015, TAA. New release, 10/2/2015; Lillie, A Motherless Child.
(A Christian biography)
To
learn more or connect with Lynn, please visit:
No comments:
Post a Comment