I wrote 20K words in 3 days so I could finish my Cozy Mystery before August! | WRITING VLOG

[@terencejohnson4502]

Love: "Had a cozy mystery idea that just would not shut up." Kudos on the pushing through. For me "Why done it?" = Murder Motive Mystery. Writing for fun here, 100% discovery writer, never a deadline, always fine to half finish and return.

[@victoriatalkswriting8352]

The 24 to 10k relay was my first 10k day ever! I'm still reflecting on everything I learned from it, so it's nice to hear thoughts from someone who has done it a bunch. Congrats!

[@KateCavanaugh]

AHHHH! Congratulations on your first 10K day!! That's incredible, I'm in awe. Maybe I'll be able to hit it again one day bahaha. (And that was such a fun relay!)

[@dreamscxpee]

Random question, how do you get motivation? I’ve had NONE lately but I still want to write my book.

[@dreamscxpee]

@Anna Brown thank you!

[@herothebard]

Sometimes it not about motivation but the work you put into it. I haven't been motivated either but I will sit down and look over my writing even if I just read a few lines and change some words and add a sentence. It can be hard sometimes but if you want to write make time to write.

[@TheRonnieaj]

Agree that it becomes discipline over motivation, but when you sit down, find the nugget for that scene. What EXCITES you about it? Something should, even if it’s a slower-paced one. Set a time for 10 minutes and write to that nugget. If you feel like stopping then, stop. But if you do it repeatedly, you start finding more nuggets, then the candy bar scenes that hyped you up in the beginning. Best of luck to you!

[@victoriatalkswriting8352]

One of the things I've been doing is trying to write down what I feel about writing every time I work on my project. It's only been a month or so of doing this but I've noticed that a lot of times I don't want to start, but once I do I feel excited about my work. Knowing that this is a pattern for me has helped me work even when I don't feel motivated. Doing live writing sprints with others or just timing yourself helps me a lot too! (There's also the hack of writing for just 5 minutes or 100/200 words and then being able to say you're done. Most of the time 5 minutes is enough motivation and you'll keep writing but if not you can say you at least wrote something.

[@Ericaaaaaaaaaa]

Don't wait for a feeling of motivation - write while unmotivated!

[@MartaCanPixel]

omg those bubble tea earrings are so cute!!! This was an insane amount of work in 3 days! Also I agree with the bullet point method being helpful, I started doing that halfway through my current project and now I can no longer start writing a chapter without having bullet points first. It makes it so much easier!

[@KateCavanaugh]

THANKS MARTA! And yesssss, so much easier!! And it gives so much positive reinforcement immediately with how much easier it is bahaha. Definitely going to be using it moving forward!

[@amandarowland]

Currently trying to use August to get myself back into a desire to write after over a year of burnout... I'm hoping to be excited about it before namowrimo!

[@strdseraph2765]

Your videos are such an inspiration to me. I often shelve projects when I'm stuck or when I've lost enthusiasm for one I've been working on exclusively. I think it helps to take a break, but it also means it takes me much longer to finish, which is frustrating at times.

[@malikamaybe]

You did absolutely amazing. Holy wow. Congrats on all of your hard work! I made a mad, mad dash years ago to finish a -first- draft to enter PitchWars, attempted to write 15k in three days, and wrote 10k in two days before I got a migraine lmao.

[@elizalagonia1049]

My husband and I bought a house with land at the end of June. My Camp goal was 20k and I made it which I'm happy about, but I didn't finish the rough draft of book 2 which I wanted. The problem was I realized the "Villian" I have for the series couldn't be revieled in book 2 and I needed a different "villian." I figured out the fix quickly, but then I wanted to go back and fix the rest of the story while also trying to get the ending in. I got to 20k, but didn't finish the story. I'm almost done though. Audgust goals: Finish rough draft of book 2, Start draft 5 of book 1 doing deep edits and working on tense through chapter 7. And draft a "May/September" spicy romance. The idea popped in my head I wrote some things down and I just have the urge to write it. I'm doing okay with all the goals.

[@BarrettLaurie]

Love this idea so much!! You turned on beast mode and got it done. Keep the inspiration coming!

[@KateCavanaugh]

THANKS BARRETT.

[@gwynnathawinna]

Oh my god, senpai noticed us 😅☺️ so glad you had a good time on our 10k day lives! Thanks for the shoutout!

[@KateCavanaugh]

Bahahah!!! It was such a blast; I had a great time and y'all really helped keep my spirits up! :)

[@MLANDI-zp6lv]

Hey Kate! I just finished my First Draft today as well!! Ayyyy!!!!

[@KateCavanaugh]

AHHHH, CONGRATS CONGRATS CONGRATS!

[@MLANDI-zp6lv]

@@KateCavanaugh THANKYOU THANKYOU THANKYOU!!!!

[@aliteraryhug]

wow, you did great! I always forget those writing methods, even though I love it! Thanks for reminding me ;) Now I know what I need to do the rest of the week, haha! I would love to read your work!

[@esthermarieandujar]

Kate you rocked those three days! Wow! Definitely a plan is needed when we aim for high word counts. And break! Breaks help a lot!!! As for goals, I need to keep writing my Kindle Vella Story. I want to keep revising my young YA & finish draft zero of the romance I was writing during Camp July. Looking forward to the update as you get Project Death ready for CPs!

[@cassecorrea]

I’m making a mad dash to the end of my current draft right now! (Currently draft 2.5 because I stopped draft 2 before I could finish and reworked my entire plot haha) Hoping to get it done by Aug. 15th before the semester starts so I can have time to make big cuts/additions - hoping to get it to beta readers in September !! Super excited but super daunting because my plot needs a bit of an overhaul, but I’m looking forward to it!!

[@cassecorrea]

Also - any tips on shortening your story? I tend to write a LOT but every scene is important for character or plot development 😬 I’m currently looking at 140-150k for a sci-fi fantasy novel!

[@haleydaisy114]

I loved Book Lovers! It was super cute, easy to read and I personally related so much to the main character

[@KateCavanaugh]

Ahhhh, cannot wait to start it!

[@bodine219]

you have me feeling somewhat inspired. My goals for August were to finish my projects from July, but I have....120k left of that (50k drafting, 70k needing editing) and it is looking impossible adjacent. A mad dash to see how close to finished I can get sounds pretty wonderful though :) My next project is a very important edit that I would like to get finished in 1-2 months so I have to either finish or abandon these goals

[@rochellavanderwal9320]

Just finished my first draft and oh god 20k in 3 days??? that's at least a months work for me 😆 I did end up having 104k in my first draft and I am excited for the reading through and noting shit I did wrong... but it turns to be 381 pages and I'm not looking forward to it that much anymore. These videos pull me back into writing though, seeing you navigate goals, expectations and energy levels!

[@herothebard]

5k days are still amazing.

[@KateCavanaugh]

Absolutely! Hopefully I made that clear in the video too. :) If I get anything over 3K in a day, I am VERY content bahaha.

[@VixenOfFiction]

Congrats on the 20K. I really need to make a plan next time I attempt a big word count day! This was my first on purpose 10K day attempt. It was tough but I got it! And thank you for the shout out

[@paulmahoney5326]

Thanks for the informative post. Your method of doing 10 minute sprints seems like a good plan that I intend to do.

[@KateCavanaugh]

GOOD LUCK!

[@EmmaBennetAuthor]

Well done! Awesome stuff! You achieved a huge amount of writing

[@lakeshagadson357]

itll be great publish and put it on the shelf in the library

[@KerriB]

Congrats, Kate! I just did 10k over three days and it felt great. I wonder how much I could do if I outlined? 😂

[@snowangelnc]

I love that keyboard you've got there.

[@misquitocreates9005]

I just watched your authortube advice video and I want to start doing my own videos, I just don't know what to talk about. You get so many questions that you can answer. I don't want to blast my personal life, but I want to make interesting videos.

[@PhantomAce17]

Love your videos! Thanks for inspiring me to finish things!

[@StephanieWhitson]

I’ve always wanted to write a cozy mystery, but I am not super detailed in my outlines. What yoga routine do you do or do you just wing it? I am watching this as I get ready to write soooo many word in order to meet my deadline.

[@KateCavanaugh]

I'm just winging it for now! Using exclusively Yoga with Adriene videos, usually the beginner-friendly ones. I'd love to work up to having a dedicated routine (or NOT needing a video, like just being able to guide myself) but that might be a goal in a few months time! And DO IT! I'm not sure you need to be SUPER detailed -- like maybe mysteries come easier to you than me -- but I definitely think if you write other genres, you'll find you need to be more detailed than those. (That said, my outline still wasn't too long or anything!) AND GO GO GO! You can meet this deadline, you got it!

[@StephanieWhitson]

@@KateCavanaugh I’ve written a coming of age series based on actual events and I’m also writing a small town romance series. Most of those I’ve winged it, with little outlining. I love to wrest and watch mysteries, so perhaps one day. I’ll have to check her yoga videos out. I have major Back issues which are awesome if you’re a writer and so I probably should get into some kind of routine. And thank you for your cheers!

[@melliemac5617]

Can you talk us through your Scrivener set up?

[@MistyMess]

I'd never heard of 5k in an hour. What an interesting idea.

[@johntubbs6617]

Yeah, that's compositional outlining - The Scenic Master plan works best, (Jack M Bickham) target chapter page counts as well (only allowed so many pages per chapter for total 360-page Novel (First book published- max page count allowed) etc - Account for sub-plot scenes and related Hero Goal Sequence Scenes (Eric Edison) as well in each chapter etc.. Takes about 3 weeks to 3 months to plan out a story - but you save a lot of time that way in the long run. Not all chapiters are of equal length either. Variation needed everywhere. - Great skillset to have (outlining and planning) but many others to master I'm still struggle with. Were either filling sentence slots or beat level moments or touch points on the story act level' We truly fill in the blanks as writers.

[@reginaduke7451]

Love the video, and the plan is awesome! I have also modified that 5K per hour nonsense. Okay, it's not nonsense. (But it was click bait.) No way in hell could I even speak 5000 words in an hour. But I can get the first draft done faster with dictation. I also shifted my perceptions of drafts. I have a history of calling my finalized product (pre-editor) a first draft. Nay, nay. I now emulate Kate! My first draft is a zero draft!!! My self-editing process will start later (not at the end of every chapter, what the hell was I thinking?????) And I am doing a similar push to finish the romance by the end of August. Or better said, finish dictating the zero draft. Then I will work on the clean up in September while I draft the last 20K of the horror novel. Once more, your energy and ideas inspire me and remind me of why I've been writing all my life. Hugs and love!

[@lesliemoiseauthor]

Trying new methods means you learn new ways to work more efficiently.

[@KateCavanaugh]

Absolutely!

[@Shelberz]

Ooh a recent cozy mystery I’ve enjoyed is Shady Hollow by Juneau Black (and it’s a series!) 🤩 highly recommend!

[@KateCavanaugh]

OooooH! That looks so cute (and the cover is gorgeous)!! Thank you for the rec. :)

[@RaggedPoet]

Love your set up! Are the monitors connected to the Macbook? Of so how do you do this ;) Thank you!

[@KateCavanaugh]

Yes, they're both connected to the MacBook! I have an HDMI cable for each plugged into a dock that I hook into my MacBook. :)

[@RaggedPoet]

@@KateCavanaugh Thanks so much for answering Kate, that's awesome...

[@mangaluver2010]

Does rushing to finish an essay last minute count lol? In all seriousness, I'm guilty of having left some work unfinished in fanfiction (and felt the searing guilt of it every single day lol). But as far as original works I've never left anything "unfinished" because I intend to go back to complete it... eventually. Does that make sense? But you've inspired me Kate! I have a break from school coming up and I'm going to make a mad dash to complete this story that's been bugging me in that week! Can I do it? Yes. Will I go insane while doing it? Also yes! But that's just how we writers roll.😎 Love the video as always Kate! ❤️

[@jeanadriannie2743]

Hello. Can you do a 'What's in my bag?(Authortube edition)' content,please. I'm curious.🤗

[@KateCavanaugh]

Oooh! I so rarely take a bag around anymore - since I still haven't found my dream coffee shop bahaha - but maybe a desk tour is similar??

[@Avionne_Parris]

Awesome progress, Kate! I'm always pumped to see my fellow writers smash their goals. May I suggest 2 videos for that will help with murder mystery plotting / drafting? First, Michelle Schusterman's "How to Write a Multi POV Book" kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHnSpKOuiceobMk (it's for murder mysteries but you can use her method for any genre with multi-POV). And second, Jane Kalmes (aka Fiction Technician), who always has great tips for plotting / drafting murder mysteries kzbin.info. Honestly, with all the baking and adorable pet action in this video, it certainly had that cosy vibe, minus the murder (unless you count your WIP, Kate) :P

[@KateCavanaugh]

THANK YOU SIO/AVIONNE FOR THE SUGGESTIONS! (Also love Michelle's channel., excited to check out Jane's too!) These will help so much when I get around to writing my non-cozy mysteries, especially because one idea in particular does have several POVs! :) And yes, totally count my WIP, mwahaha. 😈 Thank you again.

[@elizabethdelafield7533]

You're an inspiration! Can I ask where you got your keyboard? It looks (and sounds) really cool!

[@KateCavanaugh]

My sister-in-law got it for me off Amazon! It's a Ubotie and comes in a lot of different colors!

[@elizabethdelafield7533]

Thanks!😃

[@AbiofPellinor]

Writing mysteries is such a skill

[@graysonsbookmark]

i'm trying to finish a fourth draft in august, about halfway there so far. do you have a video about the stair step method?

[@autumnambience5448]

4:35 that squirrel is me just thinking about trying to write 20k words in 3 days 😂💀 idk how u do it kate!

[@lazykid13]

I need this kind of content 😂

[@WorldAccordingtoBri]

Is there a mystery or cozy mystery craft book you recommend/used when plotting?

[@ABookIsHobSession]

Gonna be watching this in between caring for the kiddo.

[@KateCavanaugh]

Awww, hello to the kiddo!!

[@victoriamarshall5152]

What makes a mystery a cozy mystery? I'm planning out a mystery series myself, but supernatural with vampires and witches. What is the best murder mystery plotter resource you can recommend?

[@kbm9676]

4:05 that furniture is super angry

[@laurencarolina636]

Kate, I wonder if you've made any more attempts at dictation after your Chris Fox 5k writing experiment?

[@KateCavanaugh]

Not really! I want to try again now that I have some new headphones that have a better microphone so I could walk and talk. In an ideal world (meaning the dictation worked perfectly), I'd be dictating a lot! There's tons of times I want to keep writing but just cannot physically bring myself to look at a screen (or down at a notebook) any longer. Have you done much dictation??

[@laurencarolina636]

@@KateCavanaugh Yes, I've used dictation to write nonfiction. I highly suggest using an online "intelligent" AI service to convert your audio files to text. Not expensive at all and adds most of the punctuation for you. There are several services where you just prepay for credits.

[@KateCavanaugh]

Do you have a specific one you'd recommend that you use??

[@laurencarolina636]

@@KateCavanaugh I use Rev AI. All the AI services do add speaker tags, "Speaker 1", "Speaker 2," etc. But it's so much better than other apps like Speech Notes. I actually use it a lot for work for meeting minutes. I have used it for fiction too. Just writing my first novel now.

[@KateCavanaugh]

@@laurencarolina636 Thank you so much for the recommendation!! I'll test it out. And YAY for first novel!

[@Amy_Mi6]

That entrance tho 😂💜

[@KateCavanaugh]

Just rollin' on into frame!

[@gristlevonraben]

Have you published your cozy mystery yet, if so, I will buy your book, let me know where it is please.

[@lakeshagadson357]

katie collson does the same thing

[@lakeshagadson357]

if you like to work in a office doing sone typing as assitant someday

[@Heothbremel]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Bartolottazee]

I did challenge and I was able to write 20k+ within in 2 days (No video proof)

[@sarahunabridged]

I love fboy island so much lol its exactly what the little garbage raccoon living in my brain needs

[@KateCavanaugh]

YES SARAH YES. It is peak trash and I love it so much for that. So entertaining.

[@sarahunabridged]

@@KateCavanaugh I feel like it's also the least problematic dating show I've seen? The bar is kinda low tho 😂 but i really appreciate how the girls are never fighting each other over the guys

[@makeuploverjess5170]

Potentially an unpopular opinion.. try writing like Stephenie Meyer?

[@lakeshagadson357]

i know you type in a lot of words do you ever wish there was a way to go throgh the mail in a day.