50,000.

That’s the number of words I’ve written since Jan. 3. Yep, I have cranked out 50,000 words in less than a week. Heck, I wrote about 20,000 of them last weekend alone.

Why, you ask? Because I have foolishly decided that I need to write two, 50,000-ish rough drafts this month. This way, I can revise the spy book I hope to sell and then focus on promoting Karma Girl this winter/spring without trying to write something new in the middle of all the craziness. 

I finished one draft (clocking in at 40,000 words), and I’ve just started the second one (10,000 words and counting).

It sounds really impressive — until you go back and actually read what I wrote. Because believe me, these are some craptastic drafts we’re talking about. They’re not even really drafts, just more of detailed outlines. I try to get the basic story down with the scenes, characters, etc., and go back and fill in the details later. Usually, I have to do about four drafts, adding more detail every time, before I’m satisfied enough to send it to my agent.

My significant other jokingly calls me a word hurter. Well, I’m certainly hurting them now, with lines in my rough drafts like And then they have sex or my personal favorite at the moment, And then stuff happens. Seriously. And then stuff happens is as brilliant as I am right now.

And my wrist is absolutely killing me. But that’s another story …

What about you? What’s your writing process? Inquiring minds want to know …