What's working for you?

How's NaNo going? Are you learning creative new techniques to get your word count done? Or, are you finding your creativity is geared toward getting out of writing?

To keep my word count on track, I've been employing a series of writing sprints. I write for 20 minutes then break for a period of time and go back for another 20 minutes. It seems to be working. Telling myself I don't have to write for more than 20 minutes seems to take the pressure off when I look at my word count for the day and see that I still have 1500 to go, or 700, or even 200.

Sunday, I didn't look at the computer at all. Monday, I made up for the lack by writing over 2800 words and getting myself back on pace.

I've got a spreadsheet and a chart that helps me track my progress as often as I want. Sometimes it's a couple hundred words, sometimes a mere 50. Anything to feel as if I'm making a little progress.

Wouldn't it be great to be able to keep up this pace all the time? If I wrote full time, I'd probably be able to do it. The challenge is a little more daunting when you add in the 40 hours a week I work, the 1-1/2 drive time to and from, my daughter's after school activities. And don't even get me started with the whole cooking dinner and grocery shopping thing.

So, what's working for you?

Still working out my characterization

Something about my heroine's GMC was bothering me. I started her out too sweet, too sheltered, and too self-aware.

This is the first of a series about 3 princes. It was originally supposed to be the second book, but after working on Bound By Duty, I realized that the plot wasn't working because I was trying to make the hero something he wasn't.

When I decided to create the series, I decided the over-arching story line would revolve around these three brothers needing to produce their heir to the throne.

The first book is about the eldest brother who will one day be king. He needs a wife who can have children. So, naturally, my heroine is having trouble in that respect. She has fertility issues, but she's in denial. Or at least, now she's in denial. At first I was going to start the book knowing she can't have children. Then I decided it would be a great character arc if she had to deal with the loss of her fertility and what impact that will have on her relationship with the man she by then has come to love.

Pair that with a guy who needs an heir and is afraid to fall in love and lose control again.

Mix in his illegitimate twin daughters who have just lost their mother.

I think it's going to be a challenge to balance sexy with all that angst.

So, how are your conflicts coming?

NaNo isn't a sprint, it's a marathon

Plugging along.

Liking the story better and better.

Characters are gaining some dimension.

I just keep telling myself to move forward, one step at a time.

What needs fixing I can do in the next draft.

10% in and I don't hate it.

But it's not quite love yet, either.

Started a little rough. I knew the basics of what I wanted to do, but couldn't really get into the characters. And I had an idea about their conflict, but wasn't quite settled on exactly how I was going to go about.

It felt flat.

It was boring back story.

And my characters had no chemistry.

It's getting better, and I keep reminding myself that it's a first draft.

How's everyone else doing?

No NaNo

Ack! It's 1:19 and I've not even started.

How's everyone else doing?

Saw the Michael Jackson movie and it was great! I took my daughter. She seemed to like it too.

2:42 - 600 words

6:20 - 1500 words

8:00 - 2200

I just hit send on my Presents entry

Whoohoo!

Don't know if it's any good. Don't really care. I figure the numbers are going to be too high to have a shot.

Anyone want to take bets on how many entries they receive this time?

The first contest it was 650 or so. The next one was Modern Heat only and 150. They've limited it to one entry per person so that should lower the numbers somewhat.

I'm going to guess 595.

Anyone else?

Oh, Synopsis, how we loathe thee!

Well, that's not exactly true.

If I'm in the right groove, I enjoy the challenge of distilling the story down into about 600 words. There's something beautiful about a well crafted synopsis that gets the story across, but also shows off a little of my writing personality.

But at the moment, I'm struggling. Not with the story or the characters, but with the length. It's a true art to pack 50,000 words worth of conflict, characterization, plot and romance into 600 words and make it so you want to read the story.

How much do you tell? What do you leave out?

It's truly a balancing act.

I usually start with too much plot detail and end up cutting that out. Eventually I get to where I'm only focusing on the inner conflict and the romance between the hero and heroine, but some days that takes longer than other.

How about you? What's your secret for working out the synopsis and how many words do you take to tell the story?