Writing Log | Week 4
Day 1 — Sunday
Technically this is Week 5. I took off last week since I was traveling with a baby while still working full-time… It was great but it was exhausting! I’m glad to be home and back into my writing routine.
I’m taking things back to Chapter 3. Cutting a few more words in the second part of it, and then my goal for this week is to rework the first part of it.
It occurs to me that at this pace, my rewrite will take years, as there are over forty chapters in this book. I can only hope I’ll pick up momentum and slowly improve at carving out more time to write.
Day 2 — Monday
Up before the rest of the family and I decided to do some writing. Lately I’ve been gravitating towards late night editing so let’s see how this goes.
Diving into the (gasp!) brand-new edits for Chapter 3. Maybe this is early bird energy? We’ll see.
Got about 400 words in and I can hear my seventh month old starting to wake up. I’m going to aim for more mornings like this, because my energy is much higher. Definitely lends itself towards new words as opposed to cutting lines!
Day 3 — Tuesday
Back to a bit of evening editing! Not planning on doing too much today, because it’s already been a low-sleep week.
Let’s do a quick word count check-in, though. I went into this draft at just shy of 94K words, and I’m currently at about 93,200. I know I’ll be cutting quite heavily when I get to chapters 7-8ish. I’d love to get this manuscript to a tight 90K so that it fits more comfortably within the YA Fantasy genre standards – I think it’s achievable, and this goal will only help my word choice and storytelling decisions. I’m not trying to write the next epic fantasy saga here. I’ve planned a duology with clear, definitive, and finite character arcs. I’m not a good enough author yet to weave in much more than that!
I don’t know what came over me but I decided to wrap up my writing session for the night by skipping ahead to a scene in Chapter 5 that needed some trimming. Maybe this focus on word count left me with motivation to cut.
Day 4 — Wednesday
Up at 6am to write and it’s marvelous. I’m sitting on my balcony with a cup of coffee beside me. The birds are chirping, the weather is mild, and the blue sky is grazed with gauzy clouds. I’m tired but also in heaven.
Cleaned up a bit more of Chapter 5 before heading back in to the new section of Chapter 3.
I made a couple paragraphs’ worth of progress in Chapter 3. I wish I could write more this morning, but I have a mountain of work tasks to get through today and a baby that is still sleeping (which means I can get a bit more done…)
Day 5 — Thursday
An early morning writing session once again. I’m on a roll!!
Still working on the new section of Chapter 3, though, so it’s still slow going.
Got about 300 words in, finally at the end of this tricky section — and all before 7am.
One new sentence I’m particularly happy with:
Knowledge was power, after all, a different and more potent kind than magic could ever be.
Day 6 — Friday
Up early to get a head start on work for the day. Not as much time to write as I’d like, but after sending a couple of early-morning emails, what better way to boost my morale and clear my head than diving back into my world of make believe?
As I kept editing Chapter 3, I realized I can cut a small plot point/backstory from Chapter 5 — done! Love small ways like that to tighten the story.
Day 7 — Saturday
I went to the lake with my family and some friends this morning, and felt totally zapped of energy. But my baby just went down for a late afternoon nap that I didn’t totally expect…. so I’m taking the opportunity to write while sipping an iced latte in bed. Today’s goal: keep working on the new section of Chapter 3. I think I’ll finish it up today or tomorrow!
Update: I am very sleepy. Definitely not finishing this today.
All in all, I’m proud of the progress I made this week. Getting back into a morning writing routine has been glorious, and getting un-stuck with Chapter 3 was a major win. Onwards!