Wednesday 16 November 2011

Wednesday 16th November ROW80 Check-in

Since NaNo began I usually go to my word counts straight away but if you have seen any of my recent tweets you will know I have been having some issues in this area. Not with the writing, oh no, with my software moving my writing and then missing words! I started using Scrivener a few days before NaNo and I really like lots of features but over the last 24 hours it has stressed me out!!! I am sure half of it is my inexperience coupled with my tiredness but yesterday it all went a bit...barmy! Lauren make sure you use this in a sentence this week!
It was all going beautifully and I wrote 2,201 words yesterday. I know this because I painstakingly write all my word counts down in my little NaNo notebook and even on an A4 NaNo word count grid so I can keep track. Yesterday randomly one of my sections seemed to be moved to another section. Well, I didn't want this so my tired brain logically made a new file (with the same name) copied the words from the weirdly moved file and pasted them in the new one. Now I deleted the old file and as soon as I pressed the button I realised I may have made a mistake. The deleting was entirely my fault as it deleted the contents of both files (I am guessing because they were named the same thing?). Now in my tired state of mind I got in a flap, sent SOS tweets specifically to Lauren as she often helps me with computer related things.

Then I remembered, I had backed everything up on Word the night before so I went and retrieved the missing section and thought all would be fine. However when I added up my word counts they didn't tally. My totals were 30,012 on Monday and 30,914 on Tuesday but I KNOW I had written over 2000 words on Tuesday. After crunching the numbers over and over again I just accepted (with a sulk on my face) that some of my words had been lost and I just needed to get on with it. As Lyndsay reminded me 'Fun not fear!' so I went to bed and decided today was a new day.

This morning I woke up and decided to go over my word counts again (I know, glutton for punishment) but miraculously they were reading a total of 32,116. HOW? WHAT? HOW? I didn't manage to do any writing before work as I was too busy checking this and double checking this but I have managed to be productive tonight.

Just because I love them here are my word counts since Monday but without the messed up daily totals.

Monday
752 words before work
1,324 during hour sprint
218 words after sprint
THIS WAS THE DAY I REACHED 30,000!!!

Tuesday
713 words before work
1,490 words during hour sprint

Wednesday
1,675 words during hour sprint
523 in 20 minutes after sprint

So, my grand total (with missing words now back) is 34,313!!!!

The last days have been tainted with my word count issues as the whole thing about NaNo is trying to reach a certain word count. The number is important to stay on track, to be motivated and most importantly to count down! Since reaching 30,000 I haven't celebrated too much but I hope to make over 35,000 tomorrow and then I will have less than 15,000 to go!!!

On Friday me and Lena will check-in over at Fun not Fear! and we would love to know how you are doing.

From here on out the plan is write, back up, write, back up!

Hope everyone is having a great week!

7 comments:

  1. Woot! That's amazing! You're kicking NaNo's butt!
    Keep it up ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your word count is amazing, but I'm exhausted already! I think I'm still old school and just cut & paste my scenes from word files and emails to myself. I'm afraid of writing programs :) Great job!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, what a ride with your word count! I'm glad it all worked out in the end but now I need to go check my own again and make sure it isn't drifting about.

    Hope the rest of the week goes smoother and congrats on reaching 30k (although it will be 35k today, too awesome!).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awww I'm glad the counts are adding up now!! If we can recall the events of the week, we're doing good. Check ins are more of a run down right now, but that's all I have in me lol! You're well on your way to 40k :D I'll have to do a digital dance when you reach it!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow. Your word counts are crazy impressive! Whatever you're doing seems to be working! I'm behind on NaNo (no surprise there.) But I'm trying to plug along.... maybe catch up with some big-number days this weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Congrats on your amazing wordcounts, but so sorry about the mess. I want to try Scrivener, but I'm so rooted in Word.

    Sounds like you are having a great NaNo. Can't wait to hear more about what results.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hope your software issues are at an end this week!
    Great word count. I am finishing up Her Dark Baron - so my word count is suffering this weekend. I'll have to write like the wind come Monday...lol.
    Yeah...Crossfit. I'm gimpy this weekend...I hope I'm ready for tomorrow. But I am getting stronger without a doubt.

    ReplyDelete