October was a strange month filled with uncertainties and, even worse, canceled plans. November was better, though not because the state of the world improved (it’s still very much on fire). I made the impulsive decision to join FDN’s four-week writing challenge. I did not realize that this would set the tone for the month ahead.
Am I any closer to publishing a book? Marginally. But I saw a creative challenge through to the end, an achievement I hadn’t experienced before. That counts for something. It counts to me.
Starting out I wasn’t sure if I would actually complete the challenge, especially the part about writing 1,667 words per day. I’ve dreamed of being an author ever since sixth grade when I received one too many encouraging remarks from my teachers and peers. But over the years I’ve done precisely fuck all to bring my dream to fruition. That is, until this past month.
I’m still in the thick of writing. I have a rough idea of the ending and little else, but I look forward to being surprised by my characters each time I show up to the page. Am I any closer to publishing a book? Marginally. But I saw a creative challenge through to the end, an achievement I hadn’t experienced before. That counts for something. It counts to me.
I’m traveling this weekend so I’m using it as an excuse to let my draft marinate in its current state. Once I’m back home though I intend to write for one hour a day until I finish it. Then the fun (revising) can begin. So much easier to trim the fat than to raise the hog.
Thanks for tagging along with me on this creative journey!! To any writer friends out there, what is your reward to yourself when you hit a new goal?
Way to go!
I didn't work too hard at FDN but I enjoyed the prompts. Something funny happened to me though, I figured out my project plan. It came from a weird place.I have a classmate from engineering school and we stay in touch, sporadically, see each other once or twice a year. She texted me some gossip and also asked, how is your book going? And I said, oh, it's stressful because I keep editing what i've written. I'm supposed to write the whole thing ahead without going back to pretty it up. And she said, "I am sure it is going to be great so don't beat yourself up about how you get there." So there's my plan, from a retired engineer. I've come to see my book as four quarters. My first quarter is written but it's too long. So I'm going to edit and pretty it then ice it and write second section. Always exploring and discovering!