600 words at this point today, although that's a little deceptive. It's actually about 1,800, but that's a rewrite, so I'm only counting it as 1/3. I am estimating that I'm cutting about a quarter and adding about a third. So it's really hard to calculate word count.

Word count is about the least useful indicator of amount of work EVER. Productivity can't be measured that way. However, it gives me something to indicate to myself that I've parked in the chair and done something. (Precise words, neh? You can tell I'm a writer.) Really, that's the most important thing I can do as a writer. Pick up the pen, turn the page, put some words there.

How many? Doesn't matter.

How good? Probably abysmal on the first write, but no one will see those words. They are the playdough version of the model of the real thing. Pink playdough, most likely. But they are the most necessary ones, because they are the ones that I turn into the real thing.

Sometimes I cross them all out and start again, but the second version is much better for having written the "wrong" words.

So. How do I measure it?

600 words at this point today.