My Biggest Writing Weakness + Warfare Days 17-21

Quick lesson of Writing 101, a non-existent strictly pictorial series by yours truly.

^ Writing expectation.

^ Other writers’ writing reality.

^ Madi’s writing reality.

AND BIGGEST WEAKNESS.

Did you catch what my biggest writing weakness is?

FOOD.

In all its gloriousness.

The moment I know I have to do something hard, anything and everything besides that thing becomes more appealing. I suddenly become hungry.

And despite that misleading picture, I usually use eating as an excuse to push whatever I’m supposed to be doing until later instead of eating during it.

“I can’t do that until I finish eating!” I say. I just want to eat more and more and push what I’m supposed to be doing, in this case writing, back until I’m finished.

But you know me. I believe in writing undefeated. So how do I defeat this writing weakness of mine?

*insert sloppy eating gif ’cause I don’t have one*

I destroy the food. Any and all food that stands in my way. I MURDER IT. WITH MY MOUTH.

It’s a very enjoyable experience. Not so much for the food as it is for me, but nobody cares what food thinks unless they’re weird.

Once the food is successfully demolished, I can defeat the rest of my writing. Like so:

January 17, 2018

I gently stretch my trembling fingers to his hand. “I’m so sorry.”

Daily Word Count: 1709
Total Word Count: 27,329

Without a word, Hinoki leads me to the east section of the dorm room halls. When we arrive at one he deems empty, he turns to me. “This is locked from the outside.” He holds up a small key. “And only I can let you go.”

A new, more feminine voice speaks up beside him. “No, I can let you go, too.” I turn to see a young samurai woman holding up her own key. She doesn’t bow, but she doesn’t glare at me. “I’m Yimata Tairan. I’m your keeper.” She pulls back her short black hair and directs a teasing smile in Hinoki’s direction. “Hinoki’s just dramatic.”

He doesn’t even seem dramatic. But then you hear Yimata say that and realize… right in the context, he is kinda dramatic. XD

January 18, 2018

“Are you going to let him kill you are or are you going to do more than defend yourself?”

Daily Word Count: 1201
Total Word Count: 28,530

By the time blood blinds my vision, Hinoki throws me to the floor, panting. Tears no longer run down his cheeks, but they glisten in his blazing dark eyes. “I hate you. I—hate you. I want to kill you so bad right now.”

Gee, I dunno, but you better do something, Ari.

I claw at Hinoki’s wrist, but he squeezes my throat tighter, and that’s when my screaming lungs decide they have finally had enough. I pass out and slump against him, sliding down his side to the floor.

January 19, 2018

Hinoki grabs my clothing again and slams me into the wall. “You thought that was trying to kill you?” His dark eyes stab mine with a fury I can feel through the heat of his breath on my neck. “That was nothing.”

Daily Word Count: 861
Total Word Count: 29,391

He really is going to kill me. Tears and blood blind my flashing vision, and I only realize Hinoki has thrust a round kick to my skull when the force propels me into the wood floor once again.

Right in front of Seishin’s path.

Master Seishin glances at Hinoki, then down at me. He clasps his hands together with a little smile. “Just the people I wanted to talk to.”

XD Sometimes Seishin just seems so positive. He has a really freaking-out moment in chapter 3 or 4, though.

January 20, 2018

Seishin catches Hinoki’s gaze. “You are to train her like I’ve trained you.”

Behind his back, I spot Hinoki curl his hand into a fist shaking with no doubt anger. “Yes, master.”

Daily Word Count: 1264
Total Word Count: 30,655

NOT MY GREATEST WEAKNESS AGAIN OH NO. SOMEONE HIDE THE COCOA FROM ME.

Today was epic. I wrote 600 words in 15 minutes. Had I kept the pace, I would’ve been able to get back to my normal 1k a half-hour. (I can do 2k a half-hour for insane word sprints, but those 1k half-hours are my very favorite. They’re how I did my 20k day back in July.)

I was eating (shocker) while writing this time, so I wrote 1.2k in 45 minutes instead of 30, but that’s still my fastest writing time for this book yet.

Hinoki stares down at me and doesn’t give me an answer for a few uneasy moments. “The—the garb fits.”

“Yes.” Heat rises to my cheeks at his gaze. “Yimata made sure.”

“The garb fits” AHAHA YOU JUST THINK SHE’S PRETTY.

And I’m at 30k now! I kinda wanna pick up the pace and try to get 50k before the end of the month, but we’ll see. I’m trying to remember quantity over quality. XD

The writing days are getting easier and easier now. I’m no longer dreading my writing times, but they still take up an hour or two out of my crazy busy days. Having to put my devices away at nights now really cuts back on my productivity, but since I’ve been taking melatonin, I’m sleeping more.

I don’t think it’s doing much to help my insanity, though. I believe we’ve left sanity behind forever by now.

I don’t know how I’m going to stand being Hinoki’s personal pupil.

But I’m going to make it so he can’t stand it, either.

THAT’S THE SPIRIT.

January 21, 2018

Daily Word Count: 0
Total Word Count: 30,655

I didn’t write on Sunday ’cause I was busy with church, which means I have to double up today even though I have church tonight TIME TO DEFEAT SOME WORDS. >:)



Days 17-21 Overview

  • Things are getting better. That’s actually the name of a song I more or less illegally stripped a section of from an American Girl movie trailer. It’s actually a song on my phone now. XD

The first two weeks were pretty rocky, but undefeat prevails! I’m heading into week 4 now, which will be my busiest because I can’t do anything in the evenings due to an 8-day campmeeting. So it’ll be quite the feat to see me keep up the work. I’ve got the drive—let’s see if I’ve got the time!

What I’ve Learned and Will Do for the Upcoming Days:

  • I wasn’t the best at scheduling writing time meaning I didn’t schedule any time at all? XD I’m going to actually schedule time this week to ensure it doesn’t get lost within the busyness of campmeeting.
  • Hot cocoa actually helps! Okay, maybe it doesn’t. But writing feels extra special when I make hot cocoa and only let myself drink it when I’m writing. Only I’m using up all the milk. Oops.

What’s your biggest writing weakness? How do you defeat it?

By | 2019-05-28T14:16:48-04:00 January 22nd, 2018|Warfare, Writing|46 Comments

About the Author:

Hey! I'm Madi, a blogger, writer, doll collector, & minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You can learn more about me by clicking here and more about this blog by clicking here.

46 Comments

  1. Julia January 22, 2018 at 3:48 pm - Reply

    YES! I LOVE DAY 20’s SNIPPETS!!! ? And you’re not alone in your weekness; I write better with coffee by my side in the morning. 😛
    I can’t wait to read this book; I’m already shipping the characters, and I love Hinoki’s sarcasm and sass and stuff.

    (And just so you know, there was a small typo; you put ‘quanity over quality’, instead of ‘quality over quanity’. 😛

    • Madison Grace January 24, 2018 at 6:49 pm - Reply

      AHAHA THANK YOU! ?? Ooh, coffee and writing. Haven’t considered that yet. >:)

      I can’t wait for you to read it! I’m doing a little dance of excitement in my seat, actually. XD Thank you sooo much!

      (OOPSIE. Thanks for catching that! ?)

  2. kirstyntodd January 22, 2018 at 3:51 pm - Reply

    HEHE SNIPPETS ARE AWESOME I CAN’T GET ENOUGH

  3. ?Hope? @agdolldreams January 22, 2018 at 3:52 pm - Reply

    AHAHA FOOD. THE ENEMY BUT BEST FRIEND OF EVERY WRITER. ITS SO GOOD BUT SO EVIL. IT LOOKS INNOCENT BUT IS ACTUALLY VERY BAD. ???? OH WELL AT LEAST YOU GOT SOMEWHERE!!!! XD AHHH THE SNIPPETS ARE TOO MUCH! *dies from snippet overload* JK JK XDDD

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:13 am - Reply

      IT IS QUITE DECEIVING. ?? And ahh thank you so much!! XD

  4. Chloë January 22, 2018 at 3:54 pm - Reply

    FOOD. Ahem. SNIPPETSSSSSSSSS. Ahem. Sorry, enough of that. Ahem. You are SO productive, Madi! I’ve written… less than 5k this month…. MUST CATCH UP. Ahem. Anyways, great job!!!

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:14 am - Reply

      FOOD AND SNIPPETS HEH HEH. Aww, thank you so much, Chloe! Hey, 5k is better than nothin’. You rock!

  5. blackiesunshine January 22, 2018 at 4:25 pm - Reply

    I just love these awesome snippets! And these recaps! If I ever write something outside of Nano, I’ll do posts like these cuz they’re awesome!!
    HINOKI ACK YOU’RE SOOOO CUTE WHY
    And did your leather jacket come in?

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:18 am - Reply

      Aww, thank you so much, Tess! And I know, right? I LOVE posts like these!

      AHAHA HINOKUTE HEH HEH HEH.

      AGHJFKQWFG NO. The seller won’t respond to us. We’ve been ripped off. -_- We’re gonna have to file a claim to get our money back and order it from somewhere else. *sighs sadly bc I have major projects hinging on that leather jackettt*

      • blackiesunshine January 28, 2018 at 10:49 am - Reply

        OHMAGOSH THAT’S AWFUL. BAD SELLER. GIVE MADI HER JACKET.

        Hinokute….*shakily exhales* MMMMM

  6. olivehiddenhollow January 22, 2018 at 4:41 pm - Reply

    ” I MURDER IT. WITH MY MOUTH.” BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    ahh, dramatic hinoki. XD
    no no! BAD hinoki! bad! you no hurt ari!
    AWWWW SHIPPY SHIPPY SHIP!! <3 ("the garb fits"…XD XD XD )
    good, sleep. and you can come up to NC anytime, 'cause we're all mad here, you'll fit right in. 🙂
    *snort laughs* yep, you just drive him up the wall honey. XD
    chocolate always helps. *nods*
    Most crazily, ~Olive

    p.s., uhhhggggg, i gotta go help coach cheep. yay. why did i sign up for this again?

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:19 am - Reply

      I kinda chuckled writing that, too. ??

      SHIPPY SHIP. ?

      Beautiful chocolate. *nods*

      P.S. What’s coaching cheep?

      • Olive January 27, 2018 at 6:40 am - Reply

        ?

        P.s. whoops, I was in a hurry and don’t proof read. *sigh* what I meant was cheer, not cheep.? I volunteered to help coach the little cheerleaders at church, they’re really cute and funny but sooooo hyper. It’s very tiring. ?

  7. Diamond January 22, 2018 at 5:15 pm - Reply

    Oooh snippets! 30k is really good and 600 in 15 mins is amazing. I’m really excited to start writing that story I told you about, and I really want to time myself with my word count and see what happens. You might be able to do 50k! Yes, definitely quality is better than quantity. I’m sure you’re writing an amazing, stupendous book that will be of utmost quality. The only thing that will top your book, will be the next books in the series. And the the movies and fan fictions based of your series, it’s going to be great. (And I don’t care for ninjas,)
    ❤️Diamond

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:23 am - Reply

      Thanks so much, Diamond! You should totally time yourself, you might just be surprised! And awww, thank you so much, Diamond! That means so much to me. You’re the sweetest. <3

  8. Kendall January 22, 2018 at 5:47 pm - Reply

    I use up all of the milk, too. :)) Only I make healthy chocolate milk that tastes like pure delight, but doesn’t have any sugar!!
    I seriously cannot survive the snippets!!!!!!! I want chapters, not sentences!!! *dies*
    (I die too much, help)
    :DDD Love!!

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:30 am - Reply

      My mom makes healthy chocolate milk too! AND AHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH, KIRSTYN. I’M SO GLAD YOU LIKEY THEM. XD

  9. daisypaquet January 22, 2018 at 9:09 pm - Reply

    Any time I sit down to write I’m like “I can’t write, I don’t have the right song playing, the right flavor coffee creamer, the right lighting, the right weather, I should finish my audiobook, I could go study my biology notes again, my computer is slow…”
    *rolls eyes* I relate so hard
    I note that you have a mac– how do you like it? I’m generally a Windows girl but lately I’ve been looking at trying something new… :/

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:33 am - Reply

      Right? Excuses try to take up all my writing time XD

      I love my Mac! It’s incredible. It has better protection, is better quality, and is very fast. I have minimal experience with Windows computers, so I can’t really give a great comparison, but my Macs are my favorite for sure.

  10. light4thelord January 22, 2018 at 9:23 pm - Reply

    XD XD XD You keep me dying… of laughter the whole way through. One – no, TWO pieces of advice. 😀

    1. EAT WHILE YOU WRITE. It is literally one of my biggest reasons to write – E V E R Y meal, I try to write while I eat. XD (note – chocolate and cherries are also very good inspirational snacks. And uh…. slightly healthy? The cherries balance it out. XD)

    2. *hint hint* YDuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuubs! Did you get the link to the Young Writer’s Guidebook? It’s free – I can link it for you if you haven’t seen it already. There are a whole bunch of famous authors who give advice and stuff (including a certain K.M. Weiland, I think…. 😀 AND CHUCK BLACK! *dances around happily). 😀

    Anyways, I’m *supposed* to be cleaning my room for a certain *ahem* party tomorrow night. What-ever. *rolls eyes* Too much doll stuff. WAIT. I NEVER SAID THAT. NEVER EVER CAN THERE BE TOO MANY DOLL SHOES! XD

    ~ Light4theLord
    (my blog is SO close to being launched!!!! eek!)

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:35 am - Reply

      1. But my parents don’t like us to have phones or electronics at the table so I caaan’t. XDD WAAA. What about chocolate-covered cherries? >:)

      2. You sent the link to me! Thank you so much! I was super shocked and pleasantly surprised to see Jerry B. Jenkins and Jeff Goins in there, it was really awesome!

      NEVER TOO MANY! ALWAYS NEED MORE! XD

      (GAAAASP! GIVE ME THE LINKY? PWEEEASE?)

      • light4thelord March 19, 2018 at 9:01 am - Reply

        (and whyyyy did I never see this?! ugh anyways. XD)
        1. Then don’t sit at the table. XD XD I’m kidding. Family time is great. In our fam though, we normally just eat dinner together ’cause everyone wakes up at different times and eats lunch whenevs. XD I LOVE CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES I LOVE CHERRY EVERYTHING!
        2. 😀 😀 😀 And now you know how awesome it is…..

        NEVER NEVER NEVER TOO MANY. XD XD because we must have several in every shade of color and style XD

        (and you know that now too. XD )

  11. The AG Homeschooler January 23, 2018 at 12:22 pm - Reply

    Ah, yes food. It may not be my weakness for writing, but it’s one of my weaknesses for school. ?
    “THAT’S THE SPIRIT.” ??
    “I believe we’ve left sanity behind forever now.” That’s totally me. I have two crazy brothers, how CAN I have any sanity left? ?
    Every time I read one of these, it gives me a drive for writing! Thank you! (It’s probably because of your awesome snippets. LET ME STEAL THEM.) Told you I didn’t have any sanity left.

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:36 am - Reply

      Food just might be my weakness for… everything. ?

      SANITY IS GONE FOREVER! ?

      Awwww, that means so much!! You’re the sweetest!! <3 (Yeah, being sane is overrated. Heh heh.)

      • The AG Homeschooler January 28, 2018 at 9:35 am - Reply

        I feel you.
        YES! (And I still have friends, how weird is that? ?)
        ? (It really is. ?)

  12. Amie January 23, 2018 at 2:25 pm - Reply

    Hey! Loved your post! I nominated you for this tag right here: https://crazya.blog/2018/01/23/the-new-blogger-tag/

  13. Josie January 23, 2018 at 6:19 pm - Reply

    “I don’t know how I’m going to stand being Hinoki’s personal pupil. But I’m going to make it so he can’t stand it, either.”
    HEHE I’M EXCITED TO READ THIS PART EVEN THOUGH I’M BEHIND.
    I’ve always eaten while or before writing, so I don’t think I’ve ever had that problem. XD My weakness is I go through periods, either “Wow, I’m actually pretty okay at this” or “this stinks I hate it burn it” do you see my problem this is why I can’t get stuff done O_O
    Gasp no foody gif that took me a good five seconds to find just kidding.
    Hmm. Can’t figure out how to end this comment.
    ?
    That. I’ll end with that.

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:40 am - Reply

      HEHE I HAVEN’T SENT IT OUT YET DON’T WORRY.

      XDD Okay at this? Just okay? WHAT IF YOU’RE MY FAVORITE AT THIS???

      No foody gif. Sorry. But thank you very much for taking the time to looky. ?

      ?

      This. I’ll end with this.

      • Josie January 27, 2018 at 8:38 am - Reply

        HEHE OKAY.
        Just okay. Just okay. I SHOULD NOT BE.
        Five seconds is a lot of time to looky. ☹️
        ?
        I’ll end with that.

  14. silverfoxstudios January 24, 2018 at 1:42 pm - Reply

    My biggest weakness is my laptop. When I have it around me I want to do other things on it, but I can’t or I’ll never get done. I’ve found it helps to just use my MP3 player or phone. Then it’s not as hard to focus. Or I say, I can watch a video after I outline 2 scenes or something like that. Then I have a reward at the end.
    I’m not really a fan of romance books, but this combo of romance and adventure is awesome. I can’t wait to beta read it, if I can that is. Also if you’re dreading writing, sometimes it’s best to think of the good things. Like if you never finish writing the book you can’t reach your life dream, to become a published author. That works for me when it comes to outlining scenes.

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:43 am - Reply

      Screen can be a distraction for sure! I do that sometimes too, reward myself step-by-step. It’s pretty efficient, until I get too wrapped up in one or the other. XD

      Awwww, thank you SO much, Carlye! Yes, I’d love for you to beta read it! And that’s such a good idea. AND OOH YOU’RE OUTLINING SCENES? *claps furiously* That was my favorite part of the outlining process!

  15. Emmie January 26, 2018 at 2:27 pm - Reply

    HOW DARE YOU SHOW ME HOT CHOCOLATE WHEN I AM THRISTY. *glares* Food is also my weakness. I try to use it intend as a motivation: If I finish this paragraph, then I can take this sip or this bite. I’ll also eat it as I write. But then I get distracted. XD

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 2:50 am - Reply

      MWAHAHAHA! >:D That’s what I tried to do once, too — “every 100 words, I’ll take a bite of potato.” But then I got hungry and ate all the potatoes anyway!

  16. Zielle January 27, 2018 at 1:05 am - Reply

    Oh my goodness I can’t wait to read it!! 😀 😀 😀 😀 It sounds like an awesome book!! Looks like you’re doing superb so far. 😉

    • Madison Grace January 27, 2018 at 3:00 am - Reply

      Awww, thank you SO much, Zielle! That means so much! 😀

  17. olivehiddenhollow January 27, 2018 at 9:49 am - Reply

    hey madi, so i was thinking about my story, and i realized that i had 2 awesome choises,but only one oppertunity. so here is a snippiet, with the question at the end.
    The weapon flies out of her hands and she falls to her knees, chest heaving. I’m breathing just as heavily as I slowly advance, adrenaline racing through my veins, my sword pointed at her heart. I stop a few feet in front of her, hardly daring to believe that I’ve won. She glances up at me, a smirk on her face and a glint in her eye. This can’t be good. I think. As she stays silent for a moment longer, I begin to wonder what to do next, but then she opens her mouth. “You can’t do it.” She whispers. “You can’t kill me, you’re the ‘hero’ aren’t you? You heroes are all the same. You’re too ‘pure’ to do wrong, too ‘good’ to kill, too weak do anything that needs to be done, besides stealing glory!” She was practically spitting the words out, her voice laced with mockery, and her sharp eyes were glaring at me, a dark storm of bitterness. “Look at yourself, and you’ll know. You can’t do it.” In that instant, many thoughts filled my mind.
    I’ve seen this before, the villain says something like that, the hero realises that they are right, and they lower the weapon while the vilain make a break for it.
    So cliche. Sorry lady, but I know that trick.
    Owwww, my everything hurts, and I’m hungry.
    Why does she sound triumphant? She hasn’t won yet.
    But she could, that little speech sounds a whoooole lot different when it’s being said to you, and not somebody else.
    But one thought drowned all the others out with a loud defiant
    EXCUSE ME?
    I swung the sword.

    (chapter end)

    Now, there is a choice to make. When she swings the sword, she either hits the villain with the flat of the blade on the side of the head, knocking her out and letting them lock her up, and later the villain’s top general will break her out. OR, she hits the villain in the arm, giving her a wound that’ll leave a heck of a scar, and the villain is so outraged that she gets away. And I can’t decide. So, what do you think?
    Most crazily, ~Olive

    • Madison Grace February 1, 2018 at 5:43 pm - Reply

      Hmmm. I think whichever one would be best for the plot — does the top general need to break her out? Is the top general an important character, or is he/she minor? Does the villain need to get away herself? If it doesn’t matter, you can flip a coin!

  18. Emily Justice January 28, 2018 at 12:08 pm - Reply

    Hey Madi! I just started reading your blogs at the advice of one of my good friends. I LOVE what you are doing! Although I haven’t been beta reading Warfare since the beginning, these bits and piece are killing me! I can’t wait to see what’s next. 😀

    • Madison Grace February 1, 2018 at 5:44 pm - Reply

      Aww, thank you so much, Emily! I’m so glad you came to my blog! Thanks for your awesome comment! ☺️

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