An Industriously Wordy 2014

[bourbonneat]

2014 was going to be the year I finally started a) finishing writing projects, instead of just falling out of love with them and consigning them to electronic purgatory, and b) actually sharing a few things. And, yay! I think I did well on both counts, for which, in addition to patting my own back, I owe huge thank yous to the TGS comm for being extremely kind and encouraging.

My 2014 Totals
(This was a good exercise, because it’s also encouraging.)

Secret Santa fic
Learning to Fly
Series J - Jeremy Jocularity and Just What the Hell Is Going On Here
Missing
Reading Between the Lines
With a Heave and a Ho
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31,715 words

Misc. challenge and comment dribble/drabble/drouble-y things
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9,397

Grand Total = 41,112 words, and one pleased and completely flabbergasted fic writing newbie


And there is one more thing – 59,869 words on a highly problematic WIP. It is…well, it’s the first thing I started writing in fandom (Yes, ambitious and rubbish. Highly appropriate.) and I put it down about 40K in to write With a Heave and a Ho, something I had more of a hope of finishing. As a result, I am insanely proud of With a Heave and a Ho, even with all of its first effort flaws, for being that first thing I was dedicated enough to finish and brave enough to share. But, that also means that the gargantu-WIP is truly my first effort and it is pretty much all of my flaws and weaknesses as a writer, distilled and concentrated.

I want to finish it, partly because I feel guilty over starting yet one more thing I’ve never finished, but more because there are parts of it that I like…okay, that and I still find myself writing scenes in my head. However, finishing it definitely means rewriting a lot of what I have – in fact, I was a few thousand words, plus notes into rewriting the first two chapters when life kind of laughed in my face and got a bit cranky and overwhelming several months ago – so I’m counting the original, unfinished draft words towards my final total, in my head at least, because, hey, I spent the first six months of the year scribbling on it.

So my final (head cannon, if you will ;) ) total is: 100,981 words.*

Fuck. I guess, maybe, I haven’t procrastinated quite as much this year as I thought? So, continuing to write, writing better, and hopefully re-writing and finishing this turkey, are all goals for 2015.


*Don’t ask me to speculate on what percentage of that is redundant, meandering exposition – I’m working on that particular issue for 2015. ;)

Comments

[sistersophie.livejournal.com]

I absolutely adored With a Heave and a Ho; it was one of my favorite reads of the entire year.

As far as that big WIP -- I'm still willing to do more beta work on it with you if you'd like. I feel like I've dropped the ball on that recently, and I apologize. Once I can get some RL crap in order, I should be able to open some time up.

[bourbonneat.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! That is a huge compliment.

Regarding the WIP, no worries, no balls were dropped. I started on the re-write I had planned, with your helpful input, and then life just kind of blew up on me. I don't think I wrote anything that wasn't for work for at least three months there and then I worked on other fics. (And then life blew up again. There's another goal for 2015 - less pyrotechnics.:) ) I would love it if you would do more beta work on this for me - would be thrilled, in fact - but when I have a bit more to give you. I'm afraid that the chapters beyond what you've read have the same issues, and I need to focus things a lot more in the rewrite.

[daemonwildcat]

Congrats on your wordcounts this year, you've done fantastically well! Good luck finishing your monster-wip too :D

[bourbonneat.livejournal.com]

Thank you very, very much!

[marginaliana]

What a great wordcount! I'm so thrilled to have you writing in TGS.

[bourbonneat.livejournal.com]

Thank you very, very much!! It's great to be writing with you all - a lovely group of very talented people.

[liz-mo.livejournal.com]

Not to mention all the wonderful and WORDY comments you leave.
I Agree with sistersophie. With a heave and a ho might actually be my favourite fic of the year and you have every right to be proud of it. Especially if that was the first (second) effort.
I would LOVE to read that WIP if only 40,000 words sounds like heaven, because my craving for looong fic is too seldom satisfied in this fandom. Seeing a 10,000 word story being posted already makes my day!
If you need another pair of eyes/a fresh perspective/etc. I'm willing to give it a go, too.
I'm not good at grammar (not native speaker) but can usually tell when something doesn't sit right with me and why.

[bourbonneat.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks! Yeah, I wouldn't want to do a word count on my comments. When people write lovely things to share, I tend to gush. :)

Thank you for the compliment to With a Heave and a Ho and the encouragement on the WIP. Writing about it has kind of kicked my butt again (which is what I'd hoped) and we'll see. I might take you up on the extra pair of eyes offer if I get stuck again, thanks.