I seem to be getting later and later at getting these monthly accountability blogs done – a natural reluctance we all have of holding our own feet to the fire perhaps? Or just too busy? Anyway, I’m here now, and am ready to fess up, warts and all. And there are warts.
The biggest of those warts was the fact that I made a grave rookie error. I’m forever telling clients to be sure they back up their work in case the laptop explodes or the house burns down. So what did I fail to do? Yup. And there are no prizes for guessing what then happened to my laptop … So, most of my writing time for the month of May was spent in tech hell as I explored every which way of recovering all that lost work. The good news is that eventually I did recover around 90% of it. Phew! Suffice it to say, I have gone back to my old habit of emailing my burgeoning manuscript to not one but two email accounts after every writing session, so the most recent work is forever out there in the ether, ready to be retrieved should the worst thing happen – the internet really does have its uses. But I also keep it on a physical external hard drive, just in case. Belt and braces, lesson learned, etc.
The month has been busy in other ways too. On top of my regular editing and critique group work, I also did a local radio interview for CHBN radio in Truro, which hopefully I’ll be able to share with you soon. I’ve been loving running my ten week online course on novel structure, and it’s hard to believe that there are only a couple more sessions to go before that finishes. Watching people’s novel structures grow and develop into something solid and substantial is always hugely satisfying. Notably, one of the participants is logging in from Nova Scotia, so again, thank you internet. On the ground, we’ve now wrapped up our Spring Season of Retreat Sundays, and I’m busy planning for the Penzance Literary Festival in July. My main workshop has already sold out despite the fact that it’s on what will now be General Election day – postal vote anybody? There are still tickets available for the talk I am both giving and hosting on Saturday 8th July, discussing what keeps us writers endlessly plugging away at this game in the early days of our writing journeys. I’m looking forward to that and it would be lovely to see some of you there if you can make it.
So, that’s my excuse list pretty well exhausted. Now, on to the confessional.
My target for the end of May (I’m inwardly cringing as I write this) was to have reached the midpoint of a roughly 80,000 word novel. Oh dear. I’m nowhere near that, and at 24,000 words I am just approaching the first plot point. Therefore, as discussed in last month’s blog, I think it’s time to rejiggle the plan; my chances of catching up with the schedule I set myself way back in January are now looking extremely remote, and consistent failure isn’t going to do anybody any good. So, looking at where I am now, and having a clearer idea of my work commitments for June, the new schedule is going to look more like this:
June 2024:
Write a minimum of 2,000 words every week.
Reach the First Pinch Point by end of month.
July 2024:
Write a minimum of 3,000 words every week.
Reach the midpoint by end of month.
August 2024:
Write a minimum of 6,000 words every week.
Reach the Second Plot Point by end of month.
September 2024:
Write a minimum of 5,000 words every week.
Reach ‘the end’ by end of month.
October 2024:
Reread manuscript.
Structural edit – review and fix any plot problems.
November 2024:
Write second draft incorporating any changes.
Add in new scenes.
Murder my darlings.
December 2024:
Perform copy edit.
I suspect this is still somewhat optimistic, but I’ve been aware from the off that the important bit is having something to aim for, something to act like a compass to keep me from veering too far off track. So now, onward I go, and let’s see where we are at the end of June.
On the positive side, my writing sprints online on a Tuesday are proving really helpful as well as enjoyable. I’m out of Cornwall at the moment, which means I can’t turn up to the live meet ups in Falmouth, but again, thank you internet. Because of the wonders of Zoom, I can tune in for an online sprint from anywhere. I’m turning up online on days that have been so hectic that I can guarantee that zero writing would have got done if I hadn’t committed to that hour. But I am turning up, and work is getting done, so that’s a big plus. The other big positive is that the story itself does feel like it’s coming more alive in my head now, and is starting to lead itself a bit, which always feels soooooo good.
Overall, I’m mindful of the fact that the novel is a marathon rather than a sprint, and with that in mind, I’m feeling just fine about my progress.
Hope it’s going well for all you other writers out there, even if it might not always feel like it is. If a regular writing sprint online would help, just subscribe here and I’ll send you a link to join in.
Happy scribbling,
Kath
Kath Morgan Writer 