An Update on my Writing

Hello, blog. It's me again. Not dead from sun poisoning or whatever.

I took a break from writing some time during the summer, and when I slowly started back up, I only managed between 1000 and 1500 words a day. That was my goal, sure, but it was pretty pitiful. I felt like I was back to where I started this journey. Still, I kept on target in terms of wordcount for all of July.

Now, we're about halfway through August, and things are going -much- better. I have rediscovered my love for and remade my writing schedule, and as a result I am now able to crank out 4-6000 words a day. A day. A month ago, that was what I'd write in a week.

I have gotten to this point by using a very simple technique. I struggle to call it a technique, really, but I believe it's called the Pomedoro technique. Basically, you set a timer to 25 minutes and work on your task, then take a 5 minute break. You repeat this as many times as the task needs you to, and then you're done.

Previously, I'd just sit down to write. That pretty much ended up as nebulous as it sounds. I'd write for a while, then end up surfing the net, playing a game or watching TV as my brain stopped being able to concentrate. I'd waste large amounts of time on this, because you don't "just" check the news, or check imgur.com, or whatever.

Now, with this new technique, I write for 25 minutes, then give my brain a break for 5 minutes, then repeat. This has meant that I have easily been able to write for 3 hours. That is the amount of time I have in the mornings. From 9-12. In that, I'll usually end up at around 4500 words. In other words, a pace of about 1500 words an hour. This, again, is up from around 1000 when I "just" wrote.

As it stands right now, I am 5 days ahead of my 1000 words a day schedule, and I predict that I'll blow it away easily.

All of this is very exciting to me, because I realize that I have been very quiet on the publishing front. Only 1 book released in the last 2 months. -Not- good. I have a novella being proof-read, though, as well as 2 short stories almost finished and ready to be sent off to proofing as well. Best of all, I have the covers for them already!

I spent 75$ on some professional-looking covers. The reason I can afford that at all is because I've been spending time working on some commission work for a game called Trials in Tainted Space (Yes, T.i.T.S). Rather than blow the money from the commission on dope and booze, I've been spending it on staying alive, having a roof over my head, and book covers. Ah, yes. Adulthood! Sensibility! (It sucks)

That was my unscheduled update for the time being. See you around!