Gettin' there

90052 down, 9948 to go.

It seems almost absurd that I've struggled so much every year (except my first) to get to 50K. 50K's so little. And I've only once actually finished my story within that 50K — last year, when I had extremely little plot. I think, probably most of the stories I've written would be done at about 70, maybe 75K. It's hard to know, since I never have finished them.

This year, I'm hoping the incentive of actually getting my story published in book format will be enough to motivate me to write. It's tough that NaNoWriMo is in November, since as soon as it's over you're into Christmas — you don't have time to revise or edit it; and by the time January or February rolls around and your holiday's over, you aren't in "the zone" any more and your novel isn't exactly top-of-mind.

I realised on Friday that my motivation has died since I finished "Book One" (my story consists of two "books"). I had planned out Book One in great detail; Book Two, although I know the beginning and end, is pretty hazy on the middle, and hence much harder to write. I almost feel as if I'm writing a new story, since the focus of the plot changes dramatically in Book Two.

Having said that, writing nearly 5000 words today has started to get me a bit back in the "flow" — get back in my character's mind, come to grips with the new problem. It's just not something I've dealt with before.

I'll be fine. I just wish I'd planned Book Two out a bit more thoroughly; I certainly don't have time to do so now. But after I've written my 100K, I'm definitely going to plan out (in minute detail) every scene of the rest of Book Two before I go any further in writing it.

But back to writing. That evil ruler won't usurp the throne on his own....

Total words today: 15,158.
Total words overall: 100,249.