Hello, my dears!
I thought I’d give you a quick update on my progress with the New Book. I’ve got my messy first draft completed – hooray!
However, progress has slowed considerably… I’m about a third of the way through the second draft and it’s hard (say that last bit in a drawn-out whiney voice to get the full effect).
I’m not a fast writer, but while spewing out a first draft I can get 1000 words in a session without too much angst.
When I’m rewriting/imposing order on the chaos, progress feels so slow. I spent three hours writing yesterday and my overall word count inched forward by 36 measly words.
It doesn’t help that this stage is fraught with anxiety. For me, at least. I’m a fairly anxious person, anyway, and the task of facing my crappy first draft, making big decisions (rather than just scribbling away and thinking ‘I can fix it later’), is inherently stressful.
During rewrites I’m aware that I’m working towards something I will actually show people. I’m thinking of the reader’s experience, rather than just writing down whatever pops up from my subconscious.
Plus, this book feels more ambitious than anything I’ve tried before and I’m scared I’m not up to the task. Argh.
Still. Slow and steady progress is good. I must remember that if I keep going, rewriting it one scene at a time (or one paragraph or one sentence or one word), I will get there.
Probably with plenty more wailing and flailing, though.
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