Oct 9, 2024
The Last Outpost is slower going than Sisterhood, but I’m enjoying it a lot more. Not completely sure where it’s going, but I have a rough idea and that might be helping.
Today I officially crossed the threshold to having being a day ahead of schedule. That has happened a bit slower than I was expecting, but it’s nice to know that if something comes up one morning, and I can’t write, I won’t lose my daily average or have to catch up later.
Tomorrow I am going to be starting the post-production process on Sisterhood and it’s going to be interesting to see what it’s really like when I look at it critically. I don’t think it’s really possible to judge a story while you’re writing it, and I know it’s a mistake to try. I’m hoping I can turn the story around quickly so it’s available to buy by the time The Last Outpost is ready to be edited and I am onto the next first draft.
Feeling a lot more possitive about everything today and enjoying things again.
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Words written today: 1,062
Words written total: 11,058
Plus / Minus target: +1,058
Currently writing: The Last Outpost
Currently publishing: Sisterhood
Latest release: n/a
Oct 8, 2024
Started the second story of the challenge today, and it went well. It Starts on a spaceship at some point in the future, so completely different to Sisterhood. Which I like. The main character is also quite different. At the moment it feels like it’s going to be a bit shorter as well, which might get me back on track for writing a story every week.
Tuesdays are always busy so going to keep this short. Almost a full day ahead of my goal for word count.
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Words written today: 1,141
Words written total: 9,996
Plus / Minus target: +996
Currently writing: The Last Outpost
Currently publishing: Sisterhood
Latest release: n/a
Oct 7, 2024
It took a little longer than expected, but the first draft of the first story is now done. Tomorrow I will be starting a new story and I am looking forward to that.
I would say that Sisterhood had been a real learning experience for me. There were some mistakes that I made that I hope I can avoid in future stories. I went into this one completely blind, and that might not be the best way to do it for me.
In the past I have usually planned what I am going to write, and I think there are definite advantages to that. Even if I don’t end up sticking to the plan, having one can be useful. So I think I am going to try that for the next story. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, just a sense of what the ending is going to be, but having that will, I think, make a big difference.
The publishing of Sisterhood will start on Thursday. I am not sure how long that’s going to take, but probably not long. That’s when I will work on the cover and things like that.
Tomorrow then, it’s a new story and at this point I have no idea what that is going to be. Looking forward to finding out later when I sit down and try to come up with a plan.
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Words written today: 1,067
Words written total: 8,855
Plus / Minus target: 855
Currently writing: Sisterhood
Currently publishing: n/a
Latest release: n/a
Oct 5, 2024
Went to start writing this morning and found my computer stuck in a software update. Fortunately I have access to my writing on my phone so I ended up writing half my morning words that way. It was surprisingly comfortable to work on my phone, although it’s not something I want to make a habit of.
I ended up having to troubleshoot my computer because the update got stuck. Then I had to take a break to make breakfast for Oscar and watch a video of a new computer game he wanted to show me. So by the time I got back to writing I didn’t feel up for doing much more. I still ended up with an additional 101 words for the day, and that all helps.
I think I should finish the story tomorrow, it feels as if it’s near the end now. Then it’s onto the next one.
Going to spend the morning doing some decorating, which I really don’t enjoy but want to get done.
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Words written today: 1,101
Words written total: 6,742
Plus / Minus target: 742
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Currently writing: Sisterhood
Currently publishing: n/a
Latest release: n/a
Oct 4, 2024
Last night and this morning I got into the state of mind where everything I have written this week seems stupid and I was trying to think of ways I could quit the story and still continue the challenge.
If I’m honest, I’m surprised it has come so quickly, but this is the point where in the past couple of years I have stopped. Maybe it came sooner because I’m writing something short and the point isn’t related to the amount of time I’ve spent working on the story, but to the percentage of the story I have written?
I was pretty close to stopping, but then I realised that this was the whole point of this challenge: to reach that point over and over again in quick succession and keep going anyway, like I used to. In doing so, I hope to take away the power of that feeling.
It helps that it is a short story because there are only a few days where I have to deal with feeling like I’m wasting my time on a rubbish story. In a couple of days I will be working on something new.
In that sense, I count today as a big success and when I finish the story tomorrow or Sunday I will be very pleased.
I’m 641 words ahead of schedule now. So averaging 134 words extra per day. Tomorrow is Saturday, so time won’t be as tight and I might get some additional words, but we shall see. As long as I get my 1,000 words I’m happy.
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Words written today: 1,103
Words written total: 5,641
Plus / Minus target: +641
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Currently writing: Sisterhood
Currently publishing: n/a
Latest release: n/a
