February 2016

I haven't had too much time to write in this blog, but for a great reason: I've been writing, instead! I finished two short stories in the past few weeks, and I've worked consistently. Because of that, I haven't wanted to stop my mojo and post here.

Which brings me to a conundrum: I initially started this blog so that I would write more consistently, the whole point being that I had to write every day so that I could post the number of words written every day.

But now I'm way beyond that. I don't need this blog anymore to get my writing done. And as it hasn't been a stop for other writers to post their word count, I'm wondering if it serves a purpose at all anymore.

Maybe I'll post here once a month, or once every few weeks, instead. Or maybe I'll just delete the blog altogether. We'll see.

At any rate:

The word count for those two short stories, plus my WIP, for the last few weeks:

Approximately 20K-25K, at a guess. Not bad for me, for the past five weeks or so.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Spent about three hours re-writing, editing, and polishing (such as it is) 29 poems I'd written in various guises over the past 17 years.  I wanted to see which ones were good enough to send out.

More than I thought, is the answer.

About 2,456 total words, my word count says.  With all of the writing, re-writing, editing and polishing, I'll say...

Approximately 1,200 words.

And I've got some good poems to send out, too.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Struggling through an obviously-oncoming cold:

Chapter 20 of novel.

670 words.

Three finished pages.  Short chapter.

Not much, but not bad, through congesting sinuses and sinus pressure, especially behind my cheeks, my eyes and my forehead.  Hopefully I'm all right by Thanksgiving.

Feel free to leave your word count or page count below.

May we all write well, and often.

Introduction and Explanation

Hello, my name is Steve Belanger.  I have a job I like that is a huge part of me, and that pays The Man.  I'm very fortunate to have a job I like.  I know many people are not so blessed.

I'm also a writer.  I've had short stories and poems published (and paid for) in magazines and in books.  But I struggle to produce every day, as I'm sure many writers do.  The day gets away from you.  Stresses from work or home get into your psyche and you can't produce.  You know you have to anyway, but you can't.

Lately I've been in a rut.  I wrote and finished a short story in two days recently, but overall my production has been inconsistent and low.  And I have so much to do: one novel-in-progress, about one third done.  A few more waiting impatiently in the wings.  A memoir.  A nonfiction work.  Some short stories.

These things don't write themselves.  And I haven't been writing them consistently, either.

So what I've decided to do is very simple.  I figure it'll impel me to write everyday--even a little bit is better than nothing, right?--and I figure that it may even benefit other inconsistently-producing writers as well.

The premise is very simple.  Starting today, or tomorrow, I'll simply publish my word count.  I may mention a page count.  I might mention I've just finished a short story, or a novel chapter.  I probably won't mention any titles because I don't want to take the chance and slip, so that someone would consider that writing "published."

And I want you to join in.  Just post a comment that lists your word count, or page count, or summary of work done, like "finished chapter three" or "completed six-page short story."  You get the idea.  Maybe this will compel you to write every day as well.  If not, if it's just me, that's okay, too.  After all, if I may be so bold, I initially thought of this for me, anyway. 

If this works, I'll keep it going.  If it doesn't, I won't.  But I think it's worth a try.  Join in if you agree.