Beer + The Weekend = Bad for Writing

• Word Count: 19,500
• Completed Chapters: 10

Going out drinking on Friday, while good fun, meant I didn't get any writing done in the evening. The hangover on Saturday meant I got very little done then either. Today has been spent trying to catch up and fortunately I think I've managed it - back to daily writing with the week ahead.

I'm about a quarter of the way through the plot and things are evolving as I work. This is a good thing as I'm getting to add to what I planned, but the overall story arc is remaining the same.

So far our protagonist Jacob has mostly been the victim of events, but he's just starting to head into the darkest part of his story. This is where he's making things worse with his own decisions which is a bit uncomfortable to write at times, but it's interesting to see how these events are changing him.

One major concern I have right now is that I'm not sure how sympathetic he is, but I'm hoping his growth will change that.

Regardless I'm determined - no editing yet.

Fixing

• Word count: 12,500
• Completed Chapters: 5

It's been a while, but I'm finally back to writing and my dream of becoming a novelist. I'm determined not to be looking back at when I'm in a retirement home somewhere and wondering if I could have made it - I'm going to find out.

The novel I'm writing is about a guy named Jacob (set in the real world[ish]) . It tells the story of how his life falls apart (love, job, home) and how he puts it back together again and is tentatively called ‘Fixing’.

It’s a bit of a departure from my desire to write fantasy, but the story I'd been working on for, on an off, around eight years was more of a collection of ideas and story starts that kind of got drawn together with no idea where I was going, so I'm putting it on the back burner for the moment.

This one is mapped out in terms of plot and while I’m sure it’s going to change and develop I at least have a thumbnail sketch of where it’s headed.

Currently I’m averaging about 2,000 words a day, largely plot movement and dialogue so I’m hoping to have the bones of the story down by early May. Then my first edit will be looking into adding some muscle and flesh, deepening descriptions, then adding the skin and making sure my vision for the characters is being shown. I'm determined to have finished draft one by end of June.

After that I’ll be sending out requests to a few people to act as my test readership and to get some feedback and help with additional edits, the cosmetics. Then hopefully I'll be looking for an Agent in early August.

Right now the major challenges are:

• Trying to suppress my internal editor. He always wants every line to be perfect as I write, but thinking about the staged approach (bones, flesh, skin, cosmetics) seems to be holding him at bay.

• Writing every day. Once I start it feels natural and I really love seeing the story unfold, but those first few minutes staring at the last line I wrote trying to figure out where to go next make it very tempting to take a break.

For those of you on my facebook, apologies that most of this is a repeat of the comments I bloged there - I will be keeping my ongoing blogs at http://writefixing.blogspot.com/.

Making Progress

• Words so far: 10,500
• Chapters so far: 4 and a bit

Sticking to a pattern and writing every day is tough, but non-editing is harder.

I keep wanting to go back and improve bits, but so far I’m resisting and it’s paying off in progress.

I’ve found the little black and red notebooks that I used to carry to capture story ideas and notes that come to me at odd moments.

It was depressing to find the most recent notes, just a couple of pages, were from back around this time last year (the ones prior to that were four years old).

These books (I have about 5 full ones among my writing stuff) used to be my lifeline, something I always had with me to make sure ideas didn’t get lost.

Despite the time that’s gone by, hopefully I’m older, a little bit wiser and have some more experiences bottled up to give to my writing.

In any case the last one was only half full and it’s now back in my pocket where it belongs.

Writing Again

• Words so far: 7,000
• Chapters so far: 2 and 3/4

At last I’ve got back to writing.

I’ve started a new novel which is based in the here and now and about a guy called Jacob whose life goes to pieces after he breaks up with his fiancé. Bits of it are based in my experiences but I’m taking it to some extremes and to different places as well.

The fantasy story I was writing hasn’t been added to in a long time and I’m not sure where it’s going, so I’m putting it on the back burner for now till I can figure out what’s happening with it.

I managed to get the whole of the new novel (tentatively called ‘Fixing’) plotted out – this has always been a problem in the past as I’ve written 5 or 6 chapters then been left with no idea where I’m going.

I’m also trying to suppress my internal editor who always wants every line to be perfect as I write – that’s what editing is for!

I’m absolutely determined to have the first draft finished by end of June – enough messing about with being a novelist – I’m going for it!

So for all of you who bother to read this - please encourage, badger and nudge me to keep you updated and to keep me writing.

Once I have a first draft I’ll also be looking for some test readers, so if you’re interested and can be honest with me about where it needs improvements without tearing the whole book apart let me know – I guarantee to add you in the ‘Acknowledgements’.

I wont be sending out any of it till the first draft is done, so please don’t ask - I’d be to tempted to act on any comments.

Wish me luck!