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| Lynn Hobbs |
Do you
ever struggle with comparing yourself to what other writers are accomplishing
on a daily basis? Author Lynn Hobbs
offers encouragement on how to deal with those often challenging word counts. ~
Dawn
Prayer,
Patience, and Planning Your Word
Each author enjoys a sense of accomplishment when numbers
rise on their word count. Have you ever noticed someone on social media
announce an addition ofone thousand or more words to their manuscript in a day?
How exciting! I quickly congratulate whoever is making progress. Our situations
and routines are different, though. Don’t get discouraged if you only write a
few paragraphs daily. Go at your own speed. Quality outranks numbers, and
numbers will grow in time.
After attending numerous workshops over the years, the
consensus is still the same. They all teach to write your story while ideas
flow, not stopping to edit, correct punctuation, or refrain from using the same
adjective. Simply write and focus on the story. I follow several proven methods
and continue learning tons of information from writers and speakers at
workshops or conferences.
My steps are:
1.
Pray
for direction. As a Christian, I want God’s will in whatever I
write as well as whatever I do.
2.
Have
patience with interruptions. They will happen. Stop if they
are important, and address the problem. I type one more thought concerning my
story before leaving it. This prevents returning, and staring at the page,
lost.
3.
Plan a
set time and place to write daily. This applies to all age
groups. I met a young woman at a conference who had two children of preschool
age. She was frustrated with her word count and ready to stop all attempts at
writing. Upon discussing what her typical 24 hour day involved, it was apparent
she had too many tasks to complete. Writing while her children took an
afternoon nap wasn’t an option. What worked for her? A simple notebook. Ideas
were recorded as she spoon fed the baby three times a day. At night, after the
children were in bed and as laundry sloshed in the washer and clothes spun in
the dryer, she constructed sentences. It was ‘her time’ and proved to not only
be relaxing for her, but a workable method to write her novel.
After completing several pages or a first chapter, I print
each page and read them out loud. Often, I have omitted a word I thought I
typed. Next, I ‘tighten up’ the story by removing all unnecessary words such as
that, etc. Explore the find button on your Microsoft 10 word doc, enter and
track down excess words to delete. How many times did you use the same word on
the same page? How many times did you have someone smiling, or coughing? Change the repetition. Is someone sad? Show
action, don’t tell it. This pulls a more detailed description from you. Keep
polishing in this manner,and have it critiqued. With suggested edits, stay true
to your style. It is your own unique voice.
Practice what works best for you, and never give up. My
favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13; “I can do all things through Christ who
strengthens me.”
The
true, life story of Lillie Fritsche; one of sixteen siblings, born in the
depression era. Lillie’s mother passed away when she was seven years old.
Follow her journey from a motherless child to an inspiring woman of faith.
As per many reader requests, the printed
version is available in a Large Print Paperback, or a handy on the go Digital
Download for your Kindle device in regular print.
Book
includes treasured family photos, and some of her favorite, handed-down German
recipes. I hope you will enjoy this glimpse of her life narrowed down to 430
pages in the large print paperback.
Lynn Hobbs,
author: Running Forward Series; a powerful faith and family saga.
#1: Sin, Secrets, and
Salvation, awarded 1st place, Religious Fiction, 2013, Texas Association of
Authors #2: River Town, 1st place,
Religious Fiction, 2014,TAA.#3: Hidden
Creek, 1st place, Religious Fiction, 2015, TAA. New release, 10/2/2015; Lillie,
A Motherless Child. (A Christian biography)
To learn more or connect with Lynn, please visit:
