Writing Log | Week 13
Day 1 — Sunday
Last week I focused on a macro-view of my two major arc edits. This week, I’m drilling down into chapter-specific planning.
Day 2 — Monday
Writing before bed tonight. I’m trying to get to bed a little earlier these days since my (almost) ten-month-old has been waking up pretty early these days.
I did some light editing/re-reading of the last few chapters in the book… which are some of my favorites. They truly make me feel the magic of writing.
Day 3 — Tuesday
Sneaking in a little pre-work editing this morning. I forgot about one significant-ish change I’d planned to make at the mid-point of the story. It actually doesn’t change too much but it heightens the stakes significantly, and introduces some confusion to the FMC’s thoughts about the MMC, which frankly I think the story needs more of. So this morning I’m noting which chapters need to take this new direction into account!
Day 4 — Wednesday
Just writing a tiny bit before bed. Taking a couple of weeks to take stock of the big edits had been supremely helpful, because I can see that the editing lift truly won’t be too rough:
Acts I & II really amount to adjusting some backstory and foreshadowing, plus adjusting some villain machinations.
Act III requires a shift in the last couple of MMC chapters, since the new story arc changes have him going in a different direction both internally and externally in the latter half of the book.
Act IV will be the heaviest lift with several chapter rewrites — about 3 total, all for the MMC. My FMC’s arc has been blessedly consistent and I’m quite happy with her arc.
Act V needs significant edits to about 3 MMC-POV chapters as well, but I’m so glad I reread the last few chapters earlier this week to remind me how much I love my story’s ending.
Day 5 — Thursday
Lots of evening editing thoughts this week. My energy is zapped from today, but I’m thinking that over the weekend I’ll review those 6 MMC chapters that need heavy edits and make a plan of attack. It helps for me to have a strategy outlined ahead of time so that I don’t lose steam when I finally get there in my edit. I’m 100% a plotter, not a pantser (though I do LOVE leaning into spontaneous inspiration whenever it strikes!).
I’m writing it down now: NEXT WEEK I start putting “pen to paper” again… in other words: actually drafting. I need to say it or else it won’t happen.
Day 6 — Friday
Movie night with my family! After watching Harry Potter and now re-watching an episode of the Gilded Age, I’m tacking stock of those MMC chapters I’ll need to rewrite.
This section of my book has gone through so many iterations that I need to reread all of these sections so I can remember what to keep. Funny how this works – some chapters I know like the back of my hand. Others… not so much!
Day 7 — Saturday
Having a glorious morning reading and writing session while my son naps.
I’m currently rereading the MMC rewrite chapters and realizing how I can make the plot tighter. Some of the dialogue I can bump up to the earlier parts of the story to pave the way for the major changes that need to happen in these later chapters.