A Post in which I Can Actually Put Some Effort

Final word Count: November 8, 2011- 1,191 (4 pages); TTC 2,079 (7 pages)

I’m getting better. Still far, far from my goal, Heaven help me but I’m chipping away at it. If it’s any consolation to myself, Sunday is the 13th, I’m aiming for 25,000 and if I achieve that, I’ll be ahead of my required word count by a whole 3,329 words. That’s quite a bit. It also means that if I’m that many short I’m still on track. Silver linings in blue skies! I’m taking advantage of the all day write-in on Friday and then the write-in on Sunday so I remain optimistic about my performance this month.

Things are kind of bumpy right now. I’m so super happy that I have my writing, I just have to be better behaved with the other goodies in my life at the moment. Remember, my friends, moderation is the key to happiness and a long life. A rich and fulfilling life has many components and a wide variety of successes and failures but life should move forward, not backwards. Right now, I’m fighting the snowball of disaster that is currently barreling down the proverbial hill into my adorable little life. Growing pains are essential for life but they should ease up at some point and DEFINITELY not revert to the initial stage. Afterall, they’re called GROWING pains- not grow, then shrink, then grow a bit more pains.

It’s frustrating when things happen and you’re forced back to square 4 when you’ve tasted the offerings of square 18. This can’t be karmic retribution because I haven’t done anything bad enough to deserve this kick in the pants. Ah well. Perhaps its reiteration of an extremely important life/writer’s lesson and not punishment. I promise, I’m paying close attention now!

With that off my chest, my writing progressed pretty well last night. I might be writing myself into a corner because I have a character who I have no idea what’s going to happen with her and my point of view is not 1st person even though it’s a flashback. I’m just not sure what the main character’s relationship is to this part. Is the story about him? Or is it establishing the main conflict for my character? I just don’t know. On one hand it makes writing this story exciting because I don’t know what’s going to happen but at the same time it’s tough because I want to understand what’s happening a little better. It’ll be what it’s destined to be so as long as I’m enjoying the writing process, I’ll be happy.

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Not Quite My Daily Word Quota, I’m Afraid

Final word Count: November 7, 2011- 656 (1 page); Total to Date (TTD) 889 words; 4 pages

As you can see, I have a lot of work ahead of me. I forgot that it takes me close to 1,000 words to hit my writing groove as it is so I’ve lost a lot of potential writing sessions because I end up doing 50 words here, a paragraph there, rather than sitting down and free writing for a significant chunk of time.

I really do prefer working in the evenings so I can’t keep coming home and setting in to watch a movie or finish the book I started (although Tina Fey’s BossyPants was totally worth the low word count last night!). I’ve really lost my self-discipline regarding this routine. I have to start getting back in the habit of using books, movies, walkies, etc. as incentives and rewards for achieving specific word counts rather than excuses to get started.

The story isn’t really clear in my head. I’m having trouble seeing the detail I’m usually so good at picturing. I think I’m less focused now on the details this time than I am on the emotional, philosophical and sociological aspects. Perhaps this will turn into a commentary on society, technology and the consequences of crossing the natural boundary for science. Who knows. It not a common direction for me so I think I’m learning on the fly how to sustain this perspective and how to express what needs to be said. At the end of the day, aren’t most Sci Fi stories something along those lines?

I’ve finished the prologue and now I  can start writing “my” (remember, it’s 1st person narrative) flashback. I think the most confusing part for me is that I’ve picked names for organizations and groups of people that significantly reduces their individuality. I’m not sure how I’ll handle names so we’ll have to play it by ear (like I normally do). Like I said, this approach is going to be a steep learning curve. I’m hoping once I get into the Flashback it’ll take off.

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