Jim Butcher Writing Experiment (JBWE); Round 3

This is Round 3 of the Jim Butcher Writing Experiment (JBWE) [jib-wee]

The main focus of this round is to try out Point of View.  To write the same story from the 4 main Points of View.  To get a feel for how the story works, flows, and crawls in each POV.

BEGIN! :)


Part 04: It All Depends On Your Point Of View
b.    Practice POV:

1. first person POV story of you getting gas
2. second person POV story of getting gas
3. third person POV story of getting gas
4. omniscient POV story of getting gas

I recommend no more than 2 to 3, 5-ish sentence paragraphs for each version.

Daily Word Count Goals - Your Ideas and Thoughts?

I've been going through a bunch of books on writing and publishing here lately.  Some authors say they adhere to a strict "daily word count" goal to keep their skills honed.  Others say they write when they can.  I'm considering doing the same goal-setting for myself. (*SPOILER* my 'considering' phase is as long as this post)

I like the idea of a daily goal, with maybe a break on Saturday (Super-Family-Fun-Day).  But where the hee-haw do I start?

Some of the bigger named folks I've run across have the following daily goals:

• 1,000 words a day
• 3 pages a day
• 1 section a day
• 1 chapter a day
• 1 blog post a day
• 2,000 words a day
• 300 words a day

And you know what?  The 300 words looks REAL good.  :)

But think about it.  If you don't make a goal one day, then chances are you're not going to feel great about it.  And if you are trying to work up a good habit, that wouldn't be a great way to start.  I'm pretty new to the idea of writing prolifically so I would rather start slow.  I also know a thing or two about goals and the way the mind works with them.

So, as a newbie, I think 300 words a day would be great.  I will set aside daily time to pound out 300 words. (which, with certain exercises, can be as little as 5 minutes of hardcore writing)  That way, I'll almost always continue to write beyond the 300 word goal and not be overly burdened if I have a string of rough days.  A great way to start a good habit.

Now, I don't plan to count emails, or texts, or things like that.  I mean to say 300 words focused on either a blog post, short story, or the next book.  Period.

I think this will be a good move.  This will be a good move.  I'll bump up the count when I can trade my day job for the writing jobs. :)

How about you - are writing goals part of your forward plans?

JBWE, R2, My Turn (Jim Butcher Writing Experience)

JBWE, Round 2, My Turn -- Jim Butcher Writing Experiment



Here go my answers to this round of the writing experiment.  Let's see what we can do!  Who all is talking in my head?  That's disturbing.

Part 04: It All Depends On Your Point Of View
a.    Experience the importance of having a strong char/knowing char:
       i. Pick one of your favorite shows from childhood; write about a normal day from the main character's POV
       ii. Pick one of your favorite shows from childhood; write about a normal day from a back/weak character's POV

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Here goes Part 04, a, i:


"Oh what a day it will be!  I've already done 879,000 push-ups, had 347 eggs for breakfast, and dispatched 14 legions of baddies from the lands of Grayskull.  Nothing more could top the glory achieved under this fine sun!"

I wasn't talking to anyone in particular, but sometimes I just feel the need to let it out!  Yup - here goes again.

"What's that over there?  Is that a flimsy looking cowl of one dastardly skull-faced villain I know?  Come on Battle Cat, let's ride like the wind!"

Fortunately, Battle Cat, my over sized riding cat, decided to stop his breakfast at 411 brush hens.  He strolled over and rubbed up against... well, my whole body, really and let out a comforting rumble.

"Thanks old boy.  Let's hit the roads and follow that cowl!"

I mounted the feline mercenary quickly and dashed my heels into his hind-quarters.  We were off in a flash to hunt down the thing I hate the most.  That vile skulled-man that I see in the shadows on my way to bed.  It was his time to feel the power.

I have it.  Yes, I do.

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Here goes Part 04, a, ii:

"Now where did I leave that bucket of dirt again?"

Mumbling while I dig through the castle dungeons seems to help jar my memory.  Well, it usually does when I've got nothing else to do... which is most of the time.  I mean, I'm not down-playing myself or anything, but how's a cloaked bruddah-from-another-muddah supposed to get some action around here?

Come to think of it, I'm not sure that type of thing would suit me best.  I mean, I see hens and eggs disappear like mad these days and it just spooks the heck-fire out of me!  Sure, He-man says he eats it all, and maybe Battle Cat has a piece or two... that cat can eat ...but the numbers oh the numbers are crazy. Makes me want to crawl back into my corner and shiver until tomorrow.

My knees started bouncing off each other as a bead of sweat rolled down the tip of my nose.  Or what would have been my nose if this dang cloak didn't cover it up.  Glad no one has asked me about the 'O', either.

"Not that I'd want to show anyone.  Now that's a scary thought."

Steadied in my doubt, I figure it's about time to get back to polishing the kitchen-ware.  Where am I again?

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Okay - maybe I'm a bit biased because Orco was a complete waste of space, but man his portion was boring.  Point taken.