Hello humans! So, after a very successful week last week (I hit 25k!) I’m starting my daily updates post for the week beginning 12/11/18. I’m a little nervous as to how this is going to go as I can feel the potential for a loss of motivation as other people start winning and I feel like I’m not going anywhere. That being said, I’m writing towards the ending this week, while week 4 will be filling in any gaps I’ve left as I go, so this shouldn’t be too difficult…right?
Monday 12 November
Not a great start this morning, I came in and stupidly opened my work emails before I opened my doc and I ended up working in the slot that would normally be reserved for writing. SIGH. But I’m determined to write the requisite 1667 words today, come hell or high water, so I don’t lose that lead I won for myself over the weekend. I also remembered that I have to win before the end of November as I’m away on the 30th and there won’t be much, if any writing time, so this is a lead I must maintain.
Words written: 1871 Total: 27292
Favourite line written:
“It’s not enough to just walk into parliament, or wherever, and tell them all there’s been some big conspiracy if we don’t know what it is.”
That’s right. Things are hotting up.
Tuesday 13 November
My morning routine keeps being derailed! In fairness, this morning it was a quest to get a flu jab, which I have been putting off for an age, so it was for a good cause. Going to write at lunch to make up for it, that and I’m home alone tonight so should have time to not only write some words but also organise my ridiculously huge document into my Scrivener project (I can’t do this daily because I’ve only got 13 days left on my trial).
Update: powered through to the evening and managed to get to over 30K!
Words written: 2921. Total: 30,213
Favourite line written:
Maybe comfort was enough of a trade-off to stop you asking questions.
Wednesday 14 November
Shhh, today was a writing fail, we don’t talk about today. 100 words.
Thursday 15 November
Going to try to write yesterday’s words and today’s. But also there are reviews to write. All shall be fine. There are enough hours in the day.
I have caught up on yesterday’s words, and I’m planning on writing today’s a little later. I’m in another one of those weird transitional periods of the story, the kind of thing that might be a montage if this were a film. I need to work out how these characters get back into the action. I won’t lie, it’s a little disheartening because, while I need to write this bit to let my head work out what is actually happening and what is going to happen next, I’m pretty sure this will be cut to shreds in my edits. Ah well. They’re still words and they still count.
Words Written: 2546. Total: 32,869
Friday 16 November
Now, ok, I didn’t write double the words, but I wrote yesterday’s words and then a few more, so it’s all fine. Today is a day for trying to point these characters back into the action. One thing I have realised is that the pacing of this book is going to be weird (or it’ll be quite long) and I need to go back and balance out the beginning or it’ll feel like a composite of two books. But that’s a job for future Judith! Today there is the new Mumford & Sons album, and I have MOTIVATION.
Saturday 17 November
Today was another off day, I went to a lovely wedding and honestly, I can’t think when I could have done any more writing than the 100 words I managed. But Sunday is my catch up day for this whole week.
Sunday 18 November
Ok so, catch up day. Looking back over these updates, this week has not been great, but today is my chance to turn that around. I’m going to set myself the challenge of writing up to 40k today (around 7000 words). I think that sets me on the right track for winning next week, which is good as the end of November is rather busy for me. I plan on doing a ‘write for 30 minutes, clean for 15 minutes’ technique – wish me luck.
Update, I’m halfway there and things are getting interesting. When I do have time to go back and revise this I will need to do some serious research into smelting…not exactly sure how that’s going to go. But at present, I’m having to make a lot of it up and I’m not sure how close to real life I’m being. Add it to the list of research needed.
UPDATE: I DID IT! I’m at 40,162 words and I could not be happier. I’ve managed to get to a point where there’s exciting exposition and plot to happen and I’m really looking forward to writing it in the coming week. I need to give my brain a little time to ruminate on it though because there are some loose threads that need to come together. So I’m calling it a day, nicely caught up. I’ll see you all next week – who knows, maybe I’ll have written the end?
Favourite line written:
Cal took in a deep breath, feeling the dust catch at the back of her throat, the tickle threatening to turn into a cough, she breathed past that discomfort and she screamed.
Sorry for the lack of favourite lines this week, I haven’t loved all of my words (it’s been a lot of ‘they went from a to b’ stuff so it’s less easy to pick things out. Have no fear, there shall be many dramatic moments to come!
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