Welcome to week 3 of September’s #wipmadness! First off, the #wipmadness prize from the lucky Sox cap last week goes to:
Alissa!
Just let me know which of the remaining books you want (The Forest for the Trees, Circle 9, or The Breakup Bible), and I’ll get it off to you this week.
Who else is surprised that we’re starting week 3 already? I personally can’t believe how fast the days go by when I’m drafting. I managed to hit 10K new words on the WIP this month so far, and should be hitting 40K total on the WIP any day now. Even so, my head’s spinning a little at the thought that we’ve just hit the halfway point of the month. Craziness!
Like a manuscript, the middle point of a writing month can potentially get a little droopy–when you’re well past the inspiration of the beginning and far from the other end of the tunnel. At this auspicious point in the month, I thought I’d share something else that keeps me motivated while drafting: WIP-music.
I’m probably one of the only people I know without an iPod! Am I right? Do you all have one? I haven’t felt the need because we have a cool system set up at home. I buy CDs and then my husband rips and compress them into an OGG-Vorbis fomat, which compresses audio files much smaller than the typical .mp3 or .aiff formats, and then he loads them up on our “Squeeze Box” music server that holds our whole collection.
I treated myself earlier this month to the latest CD by Sigur Rós (Valtari), one of my favorite Icelandic bands.
Part of the reason I’ve loved the Icelandic setting of my WIP so much is because of the music that goes along with it. Sigur Rós and múm are two of my favorite bands, and I’ve been playing their albums pretty much every day for a little extra inspiration. I know some people need silence to write, but I often have to work with other people around me (my teeny desk is in our living room), so I’ve found the extra creativity surge from related music to be just the thing I need to help pull me into the WIP.
Anyone other wipsters find inspiration in WIP-related music? What’s on your playlist for your current WIP?
In the meantime, hope you all made some progress last week and that the coming week treats you well, too!
I love it that you have favorite Icelandic bands, Kip. I will have to check them out! I’m afraid I’m the silent type. However, there’s always music playing in my brain and when I’m not writing, there’s always music playing on my iPod (yes, I have two.)
All settled into my new home and ready to get back to my writing. But the big news is that I had to break up with my lovely agent, even though we still love each other. If you’ve been reading my recent blog posts, you already knew something was up.
I’m confident that I’ve made the right decision, but now I have a lot more to do than just work on my WIPs. I appreciate all your support and will keep you updated. ^_^
Congrats on 10K, Kip. I hope all you Wipsters are whipping it out.
Special hugs for Ghost Girl.
Thanks, Angelina. And good luck with all the unpacking and craziness!
So proud of you for your big decision, Angelina–and so happy that you still love each other. Most of all, SO GLAD you get to start over in your new home!
I totally respect that need to write in silence. May you get many words in this week!
Breakups are tough… *hugs* …but knowing you made the right decision is a great feeling. Good luck with whatever comes next on this journey!
I’m a silence girl, but I’ve been listening to The XX, The Black Keys, and Florence and the Machine in the art room. It’s what my MC listens to when she drives. I’m finally closing in on 30K – I’ve stopped, restarted, gone backwards, restarted, but am moving forward again. Very uncertain with this WIP.
Hugs to Ghost Girl for her sorrows this week. And hugs to Angelina for tough decisions and new surroundings.
Y’all keep your fingers crossed for me. There’s stuff on the wind.
Thanks, JRo…my fingers are turning blue from crossing them so tightly! Can’t wait to hear some good news from that wind!
Awesome. Love the idea of listening to what your MC would as she would. My fingers are tripple-crossed for you, my friend!
Oooh, I love listening to music while I work. In fact, I work better while doing so. So my tastes are varied, from hard rap to indie bands to geek/comedy musicians like Jonathan Coulton and Paul and Storm. Anything that gets me moving and the words flowing. 😀
After being a bit stalled this past week (still), I finally made some progress last night. A whole 500 words (which for me is big). But last week was awesome in other ways. Beta-feedback has started trickling in on SOTS, and some of it is painful but I’m going to wait for some more before I make any (hopefully final) changes. Okay, that’s mixed-awesome. But last week I had a major shift in thinking that I hope sticks. It’s more related to my waistline than my writing, but it still matters, and maybe it has other applications, too. So with that in mind, I’ve been at the gym a total of four times this past week. I really, really hope this sticks.
Wow, getting to the gym 4 times in a week is awesome, and I hope you can keep it up! I’m convinced that a healthy body does wonders for the creative mind, and I try to make exercise a regular habit, too–although the only exercise I do is yoga, walking, and ballet. Congrats on your new words and best of luck sifting through that beta feedback!
YAY, Alyssa!
Thanks for the love, JRo and Angelina. It has been a tough week, especially for Ghost Hunk. Family and friends in crisis. We’ll be doing a lot of praying.
Oh, Kip! I am always inspired by music. I do have an iPod and I have created specific playlists for my projects. But I don’t listen to those while I write. I listen to them as I’m driving to my office to write or preparing to write or running errands and thinking about writing.
When I do write, I either work in silence or I tend to listen to instrumental stuff…often soundtracks. Right now, my favorite mood music is the soundtrack to The Secret of Kells It sets just the right tone and doesn’t mess up my writing with a bunch of words that I can’t stop singing!
I am now tearing about chapter 16 and reworking some plot points. I hope the magic happens…
Write on, Wipsters!
First off, so glad to see your update on twitter that your BIL is doing better. I’ll keep sending good thoughts though and hope your writing can be a good distraction for you this week.
I really want to see THE SECRET OF THE KELLS. I imagine the music must be awesome for that.
Good luck with that chapter!
I still own a boombox, if that’s any indication about how far in the past I’m living…hah. And it’s the same one I got as a gift on my 16th birthday, which was quite awhile ago. Needless to say, I don’t have an iPod 🙂
Ugh, I’m at that droopy point with my new WIP – I barely got anything written on it this past week. But I did get some editing done on another WIP, so that’s a good thing.
LOL, is it bad that I’m thrilled to not be the only ipodless one among us? Yeah, droopy can just mean it’s the time to turn to something else, so sounds like you made a good move hitting another WIP. Hope this week has great things in store for you!
Yeah, I have an iPod, but seriously, I hardly have any music on there. I use it primarily for AUDIOBOOKS. Which I LOVE.
I’m feeling a bit unfocused as of late. I’m hoping today to get my but back in gear outlining a new book and deciding if I have any older ones with any merit.
Ahhh, audiobooks. There’s a hint of my next week’s post in that. 😉
You know, I sometimes love that unfocused time, because of the experimentation/brainstorming factor. And since you just finished a huge project, it’s no wonder you needed a little break!
“Like a manuscript, the middle point of a writing month can potentially get a little droopy.”
Ah, yes. Middles are the bane of my existence, at least the writerly part.
LOL, all I can say is that at least I’m not the only one!
I haven’t checked out the band you mentioned, nor any Icelandic music–I’ll have to take a look (or a listen!). I love music while writing though, it totally keeps me moving!
Yaaaay! Glad to have another music-lover aboard!
I’m finally back from holiday RVing travels, finally have not one but two contest entries submitted, and am finally refocusing on my latest novelling w.i.p. I’ve missed all of you, but it sounds like you’re all staying on track and accomplishing good things.
No, I don’t have an iPod, so don’t feel too badly, Kip. I write best when it’s quiet, but have some instrumental classics on CD that I occasionally put on in the background. I’ll have to check out the Icelandic music you mention.
Yaaaay, Carol! I was wondering if you’d be aboard this month–so glad to have you!
My last ms was historical, so I was listening to lots of Bach, Mozart etc. so it’s really nice to switch gears this time around. 🙂
Oh lord, do I hate writing middles. It’s where I always bog down… happily for me, I’m still marinating in research and in the honeymoon phase of my story idea and beginning. Ah, the bliss of not forging ahead just yet. Next month will be another story entirely.
I’m blown away you’re already knocking on 40K. Fantastic!!
I’m a silent girl, but now I’m gunna look up music of the time period and see if that lends any inspiration. Great idea, Kip!
Ooooh, so happy that you’re in the honeymoon phase with your ms! Hope you find lots of great music to go along with it. 🙂
I don’t usually listen to music when first-drafting, but I do during revisions — I make playlists for my novels and find them really helpful for mood-setting. 🙂
Not writing much this month, but having some fruitful time of reflection (any of you wipmadnessers who are also blueboard “trenchmates” probably know I’ve stepped back from things temporarily…it’s proved to be a wise choice! but I look forward to jumping back in soon).
Oh! I didn’t know you had stepped back, Shari. I’m totally in the trench, but not on Verla’s or anywhere. I find querying too much of a roller coaster ride to talk about in public. My poor CP has to deal with emails from me every step of the way instead. 😉 That having been said, thanks for sharing about taking the time for reflection. I think we all need to do that at times. I find it a huge part of the creative process. Time well spent!
Yeah, it’s partly the roller coaster, and partly not. I blogged here, if you’re interested… 😉 http://sharigreen.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/transition/
Going to check it out now!
Disaster yesterday! I fell down the stairs holding my laptop in my hand.
Luckily I backed up the story on Google docs, but writing is going to be tougher until I get it repaired. 🙁
Ack! Are you okay? Was the laptop the only casualty?
What about you??? Hope you’re OK! I assume you must be if you’re more worried about your story, but please be careful! Dangerous things, those WIPs!
I’m okay, I have a few bruises but the laptop is what upset me. Luckily it’s only the screen, so everything is retrievable. Thanks for you all’s concern!
Going to pop in The Vampire Diaries soundtrack while attacking this sequel! I also used tons of Taylor Swift for NO GODDESSES ALLOWED.
Very crazy week. Our ES is coming tomorrow to go over 2 months of lesson plans plus having us go over other things. I always kind of stress as she’s here for 2 hours. But it’s good as I do have someone who’s another credentialed teacher help keep me on track with son’s educational progress.
Plus was able to finally announce I’ll be one the first panel for the Cybils! I’ll help judge the top YA fantasy/Sci-fi books of this year! Very excited!
My goal is to try to get in at least 500 words every day except Sunday.
Oooooh, love to hear what music inspires you, Kim!
And congrats on being a Cybils judge! (again, right? I feel like you’ve done this before)
Good luck on your goal this week!
YAY!! Sorry it took me so long to get here this week! It’s been a crazy couple of days. I had a little over 2K written last week, which was AWESOME because it filled in that icky transition time I had been struggling with before getting to the endgame of my novel!!!! I don’t know if the end will go faster than the rest of the story, but it is the only part that I’ve actually thought about at all, so I’m hoping so!
I, unfortunately, am not writing to music. I sing too much and the lyrics become the only words in my head…not very productive! I own an ipod nano and and iphone with music on it, but it doesn’t get played during writing times. I tried instrumental, but I follow the melody lines or the strings or whatever…yeah, that doesn’t work either. I love listening to music.
I would like The Forest for the Trees. I’m super excited about winning! Yay! I’ll email you! I am SO CLOSE to finishing my wip I can taste it! …well, maybe taste it next month, but still, SO CLOSE! I passed 125K and I’m hoping to be done by 150K…we’ll see. (I’m gonna be one of those who has to chop a lot during revisions…)
Off to write!
Alissa 🙂
So glad you won and that you’re having a good week! I’ll get the book off to you asap!