Drawing from the Well
This week saw the completion of the last arc of the book which is so exciting. At this point, I have three sequences left to set up. These are a bit harder because they have to be wholly encapsulated so I’m taking a little extra time to think them through. At this point, I have 227 scenes planned, up 13 from last week. Things are coming along. We’re almost ready to start drafting and that’s when things get the most fun for me. And just in time for NaNoWriMo…
Filling the Well
This week’s reading count was a lot smaller this week than last week. It helps updating every week, so big win there. This week only saw me finishing one book: Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg. It was great and moving and finally got around to the point. I enjoyed it quite a bit. For now, I’m |this| close to finishing Revenant Gun, the finale in the Machineries of Empire trilogy and it’s really good. I’m still working on Think and Grow Rich and just started Vortex Visions by Elise Kova, the first book in the follow up series to the Air Awakens series. So far, it’s good too.
76/100 toward #ProjectBookworm2021
Well Chat
I made a decision this week: for the first time since 2015, I’m going to attempt to win NaNoWriMo.
For the uninitiated, November is National Novel Writing Month, lovingly known as NaNoWriMo. It is a challenge to write 50,000 words during the month of November. It’s a difficult task to say the least. It takes an average of 1,667 words per day to finish the challenge (also known as “winning” NaNoWriMo). That’s hardly easy on a single day; maintaining that for thirty days straight is more difficult by orders of magnitude.
The last time I tried this six years ago, I only made it to 29,000 words. That’s nothing to sneeze at, but it isn’t winning either. This year, I want to win. Fortunately, my delayed/extended planning process for Book 3 is nearly complete which runs right up to Preptober. So, since all my planning is done, my plan for October is to get a running start on drafting. No, I’m not going to count October’s words toward NaNoWriMo; that would be out and out cheating and when it’s a contest that is purely for personal pride, the only person I would be cheating is myself. No bueno.
What I intend to do is get into a good daily writing habit shooting for that magic 1,667 each day in October. I will fail. I will have false starts. Eventually, though, as with Books One and Two, I will hit my stride and the words will start flowing more freely. If I can prime the pump to get that going in October, then by the time I hit November, I should already be smashing that 1,667 goal each day. Then I just keep up with my pace, hopefully hit some higher numbers toward the beginning of the month for breathing room, knock out at 10k day at some point, and win before November 30.
Here’s hoping.
I added my Instagram post announcing my participation this year. Feel free to follow me on Instagram (@brian.gardner.11209) to see my progress throughout November and all the other behind-the-scenes happenings as Book 3 comes together. November’s going to be an exciting month and I’m ready for it.
May the tide carry you to safer shores.
BSG