When your days don't have a set schedule, it's easy to rearrange time slots and shift priorities when it comes to writing activities. In fact, some days there seems to be more "activities" and less "writing" than you intended when you woke up and kickstarted the coffeemaker.
So I'm intrigued by something I saw on Twitter (my latest addiction "boundless resource of writerly information"). A writer by the name of Patrick Alan has a writing method called "1k1h", a challenge designed to get your word count accomplished.
He describes it on his blog this way:
The object is simple. Sit down and write until you have one thousand words and one hour has passed. You have to accomplish both. The challenge isn’t to write 1,000 words in an hour. It’s to write for at least an hour and at least 1,000 words.
I haven't tried this yet, but I plan to very soon. The reason I find this so interesting is how much actually gets accomplished in a short timeframe. In fact, he says he does this three to five times each day. Other folks have commented how they get so caught up in the writing that they go longer than the one hour.
All of us have at least one hour a day that we waste. It just vaporizes without us really doing anything of substance. (Some folks *cough* me *cough* are overachievers and can burn up even more than one hour a day in suspect activities.)
But if we took that hour and set a goal of doing nothing but writing. . .AND challenged ourselves to getting in 1000 words at the same time? I think it would recharge our writing skills, and our confidence, in a big way.
So I'm going to give it a try. (And forget what Yoda says about "there is no try". Who's gonna listen to a creature who can't even get a handle on correct sentence structure?) I'll be glad to hear if anyone else likes this method, or if it didn't cut it, or even if you have some different strategies that work.
Let's get those words flying!
I've tried things like this before, though usually kept it to a word count and not a time thing. Because I like to bounce around between things so much while on my computer. But hey, if it works for you, give it a shot and let us all know how it goes!
I had an actual productive bit of HOA yesterday and got so much done in the house! I'm not going to regret the not writing at all!
Posted by: Maureen | July 02, 2010 at 12:34 PM
I've found that I can aim for the word count, but not the timeframe. Once I get going on a scene and it's pouring onto the page, there is no sense of time in my head. While I was churning out the rough draft, I'd start writing at 7:30 or 8 at night, next thing I knew, it was well after 11. It's like I blinked and the night was gone. But I always had substantial word count. Maybe not the target, but real progress.
I tend to write from scene to scene, so I'd be better off setting the goal of "three scenes a day" or something. That is, if I didn't have this dang day job getting in the way.
I desperately need to find a schedule for the revisions. This new life development I through in out of nowhere is sucking the life out of me!
Posted by: Terri Osburn | July 02, 2010 at 12:45 PM
*wipes a tear of joy away*
Maureen, I'm so glad to hear your HOA was so productive! It makes me proud how you pirate wenches just took to that Hierarchy of Avoidance concept and embraced it wholeheartedly. :)
I'm still "fixin' to" try this 1k1h thing. Today seems to have a lot of other activities pushing to the front of the To Do line, but I'll definitely report back!
Posted by: Donna Cummings | July 02, 2010 at 01:20 PM
Terri, I generally shoot for the word count too. I love that losing sense of time like you describe, and when I'm in that zone I don't care about wordcount goals or timeframes.
This seemed like more of a "kickstart" kind of thing -- like a jolt of caffeine to get you going when your energy is flagging. LOL
And you get a MAJOR exemption because you're living at least FOUR people's lives right now. LOL The thought of everything you're doing is a major motivator for me -- because now I feel guilty at doing so much less! LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | July 02, 2010 at 01:26 PM
Don - Don't ya hate people who make you feel like that? I have on good day of housework and then I chat with Terri and feel like I did NOTHING!
Let's kill her.
Posted by: Maureen | July 02, 2010 at 03:26 PM
LOL, Maureen. But then WE would have to do all the work SHE is doing right now.
At least I managed to make some productive use of my guilt. I just did the 1k1h thing, and I managed to get 1700 words in during that one hour. I was actually brainstorming the start of a new story, so I could probably get more words in if I was working on an actual scene. But I'm happy with what I devised, and I like doing a burst like this.
Only now I have to do some housework. LOL
Posted by: Donna Cummings | July 02, 2010 at 03:35 PM
Nah, I live on the other side of the continent and you're to the north...let someone else do all her work. I did all my grunt work when I put the DH thru school and spent three centuries in servitude to the phone company...
And ya all wonder why I prefer fiction...
Posted by: Maureen | July 02, 2010 at 05:43 PM
I don't wonder at all! I love fiction for a lot of the same types of reasons. :)
Make sure you celebrate your independence from drudgery this weekend!
Posted by: Donna Cummings | July 02, 2010 at 08:03 PM
I'm still here, you know! Technically, I'm only doing the work of THREE people right now, seeing as kiddo is three states away. So the mom thing is getting a break for the next two months. I just decided to replace the mom thing with the packing thing.
Which, believe it or not, is easier. :)
Posted by: Terri Osburn | July 02, 2010 at 10:06 PM
Terri, you slacker! Only doing the work of THREE people. LOL I'm glad you're getting a "mom break" for a bit, although you did manage to add another chore with the packing! Maybe you can brainstorm some writing while you're filling boxes. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | July 03, 2010 at 11:25 AM
*ROTF* Yoda does have poor sentence structure. I guess he practices Yobonics. *pauses* Never mind.
I like this strategy--and yes, I practiced lots of time wasting today in fact!! 1k1hr. I'll give it a whirl. I used to be able to do 4 pages in an hour. Once upon a time.
Posted by: Hellion | July 03, 2010 at 07:59 PM
What a great idea. Thanks for sharing. I just discovered your blog today. It looks great!
Posted by: Clarissa Southwick | July 03, 2010 at 09:46 PM
Hellion, I think I like Yobonics. LOL At least it would explain whatever it is that Yodo is "trying" to do!
I've done the 1k1h twice now and I am really accomplishing a lot. In fact, the second time, I got so caught up in what I was writing that I went for another half hour, and another 700 words. It may not be how I always do things, but it really is a great motivator right now.
Posted by: Donna Cummings | July 04, 2010 at 07:45 AM
Clarissa, thanks for stopping by! It's great to see a fellow "BC Babe" around here. :) The Friday Fave posts are based on things I find that I hope will be helpful to others, so I'll be interested to see if it worked for you. Thanks again for saying hello!
Posted by: Donna Cummings | July 04, 2010 at 07:48 AM