Weekly Wrap-up

After picking up Guitar Hero at work at 7 a.m., filling my car up with gas ($1.25 a litre - akk) and doing the groceries, I finally got down to my writing at 9 a.m. I followed my usual timer method, 30 minutes writing, 15 minutes of whatever else I wanted to do. At noon, I settled back in my chair, feeling like I'd had a fairly productive morning, hit the 'Wordcount' button on my toolbar, and dropped my jaw. The wordcount had increased by only 900 words.

That couldn't be right - hadn't I'd typed pages upon pages? I'd not done any editing, so it's not as if I'd deleted anything. I scrolled back. Yeah, I had typed pages. About four. One single scene. A good scene, introducing a character who will cause a lot of conflict, but still, not the numbers I'd hoped to see.

Knowing that the weekend was approaching, knowing it's tough for me to get any writing done with everyone around (although Gizmo Guy has booked another tee time for him, Curly and Guitar Hero tomorrow, so I SHOULD have the house to myself), I buckled down, intent upon reaching that 2,000 per day goal I set for myself.

I don't know when it happened, or why, but suddenly the characters decided to get chatty; the words flowed as they argued with themselves and each other, and I'm now at 3,224 words for today. And though I stayed pretty much to my point-form outline, the scenes came out better than normal for a first draft, more conflict appeared that I hadn't considered before. And the plotline I wasn't sure about suddenly is looking much more solid. Filled with conflict and angst (the type of story I like), there'll be twists and turns that I hope aren't predictable.

Guess I should have read my horoscope for today:

Start slowly and continue to build momentum throughout the day. Remember, time is on your side.

Or maybe this little guy, the only souvenir I brought back from Quebec City, lit a fire under me today as he sat and glared from the shelf above my desk.