Falling into a Pattern

When I wrote my first novel, I believed it would get easier in time. While the writing process itself has become easier, actual writing and getting the story to flow are still difficult. I now know, after six years, what to expect and what my pattern is when writing.

I know that the day after I write a lot I write hardly anything, if at all. Which is okay because I generally have only one zero-word day in a row. And I know I will catch up.

I know that by the end of the month I will be able to sit down and write 5,000 words without thinking about it and get up refreshed, feeling as if I had written only 1,000.

I know that I will write some crap and that I will also write some amazing things.

This year I discovered that I don't necessarily need to write fast. I don't have to skip details in favor of action. I can do both. And I can write down all the details and all the action without racing on to get to the end. In short, I have become friends with the writing process.

I'm a little disappointed that I haven't discovered my "voice" yet. I seem to be writing something mashed together from old sitcoms, 80's sci-fi, and classic mainstream fiction. I slip in and out of tense, character, and point of view. It's like movie cameras gone mad. Perhaps if I wrote all year I wouldn't feel the need to cram everything into one novel.

I'm still writing bad sentences and loving it. Still cringing, not because of the crap, but because I know it means more work for me later in editing. But that's how it has to go. That admitted, I do believe I'm writing less crap this year than ever before.

I have few fears about finishing, even though it is still a slog to get myself started. Thank goodness for write-ins!

I also know while I'm noveling that I will stint these blog posts and not write them as cleanly as I do the rest of the year. On the other hand, I feel happier and more accepting of my posts.

So, while I am comfortable with my writing pattern now, it's still work. And what lovely work it is!
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"Uncle Tauber's Trunk" - not ready for a summary yet.

Word Count Statistics

Goal: 50,000 words by midnight Nov. 30

Today's Total: 7,525

Written Today: 2,724