Nov 1, 2024
Today has been a bit rushed, but I managed to find the time to sit down and do some editing. Maybe not as much as I would have liked, but I hit my target and got six minutes ahead.
I have never really loved the process of editing a story. I love planning stories and I love writing the first draft, but going back over it to look for spelling mistakes and things has always been a bit of a struggle. That’s why I have so many stories that only exist as a first draft. But I need to do it before I can start publishing them.
As you can see below, there is a new section to my daily roundup of work done. I am aiming to average 20 minutes of editing every day. I got a decent chunk done on Sisterhood, but don’t know how long it will take before that is actually published. Once the editing is done I still need to make a cover, format the book, and put it up for sale.
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Pre-Production
Stories planned (total): 17
Production
Words written today: 1,049
Words written total: 35,991
Plus / Minus target: +2,991
Currently writing: The Lottery
Post-Production
Minutes today: 26
Minutes total: 26
Plus / Minus target: +6
Currently publishing: Sisterhood
Oct 31, 2024
I love Halloween, despite not being allowed to celebrate it as a child, or maybe because of it. Of all the holidays it’s unique in the community aspect: we put decorations up and invite strangers to come to our doors where we give them food. We dress in costumes and talk to other people doing the same.
When I was a kid, I was told it was begging to go to peoples houses asking for sweets, but I don’t see it like that at all.
Of course I love the spooky nature of everything, and this year was especially spooky as a thick mist had fallen when we went out to trick-or-treat. We also saw two black cats and a bat.
I think more holidays should be like Halloween though: imagine if at Easter you gave chocolate eggs out to people dressed like bunnies, or if at Christmas you invited people into your house to share your food. Those holidays, especially Christmas, have become so bloated and insular that it’s almost a shock when they’re over and you have to go out and interact with people who aren’t your family.
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The writing went well today. Tomorrow is the start of my editing challenge and I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully you will start seeing some stories published during November.
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Pre-Production
Stories planned (total): 16
Production
Words written today: 1,051
Words written total: 34,942
Plus / Minus target: +2,942
Currently writing: The Lottery
Oct 30, 2024
I finished the first draft of Son of Mars this morning and moved straight onto The Lottery. It’s a horror story, so very different to the three stories I’ve written so far.
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Pre-Production
Stories planned (total): 15
Production
Words written today: 1,057
Words written total: 33,891
Plus / Minus target: +2,891
Currently writing: The Lottery
Oct 29, 2024
Super busy day and evening. Should finish Son of Mars tomorrow and move onto the next story, I have plenty to pick from now.
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Pre-Production
Stories planned (total): 14
Production
Words written today: 1,047
Words written total: 32,834
Plus / Minus target: +2,834
Currently writing: Son of Mars
Oct 28, 2024
Most people probably wouldn’t think it to look at me, but I suffer from an all or nothing personality. No idea where I got it from, but it’s mine to deal with.
It comes out at times like when I try to improve my relationship with the internet. A sensible approach would be to reduce the amount of time I spend online, but I find myself jumping straight to not using the internet at all.
And it snowballs. I go from not using the internet at all to trying to reduce all my technology useage, until I’m ready to sell my phone and computer and go and live off the land.
This writing challenge is a good example of me trying to do the opposite of that. But it wasn’t until yesterday that I realised it.
The first writing challenge I set out to do was a million words in a year. Which I failed. To be fair, I got something like 800,000 so I failed well, but even if I’d managed it, I couldn’t have sustained it. This time things are different. 1,000 words a day is a goal I can hit pretty much every day. It’s not an impressive number, but it’s something I can do consistently. And that’s what I’m looking for.
The same is true for the planning (one story plan a day) and the editing I’m going to be starting on Friday. And now that I’ve realised it, I’m looking at other areas of my life where I can apply this simple goal of being a bit better.
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Pre-Production
Stories planned (total): 13
Production
Words written today: 1,048
Words written total: 31,787
Plus / Minus target: +2,787
Currently writing: Son of Mars
