Move along...

I've completed over 50,000 words of the current WIP. I'm breathing a bit easier. One-third left to go. I'm so grateful to God for His love and patience. He eases my fears and worries with peace and inspiration, and remarkable friends. I am blessed.

When I wonder if my life is of value, God reminds me that it is. Jesus Christ died for me. I have not been asked to give my life, rather I am asked to LIVE my life. I fear I may be a poor example of a Believer, but I'll never stop trying.

Harrumph...

I finished my PTBW in a timely manner this morning, and thought, "Wow! I have the whole day to write!" I opened the document, and scrolled down to page 51, to pick up where I left off, last night. And sat and stared at it. Something was wrong. I didn't know what. It read fine, but something wasn't right. I worked on my WordPress site for The Project. I looked at the WIP. It was still wrong, and I still didn't know how. I caught up on blogs and FB. I looked at the WIP. And yes, it was still wrong, and I still didn't know how. I read another book. Four hours, and it finally dawned on me. Page 51 expanded on a couple of minor characters, and I realized that they hadn't been mentioned in a passage earlier where they HAD to be. I went back and corrected the continuity problem. YAY!! Now, I want to turn off everything, curl up with a book, and go to sleep early. I think, maybe, I will, and then I'll start over, tomorrow, fresh.

The day turned out all right...

I'm questioning my current path, as I often do, and then I started working on the WIP. I only added about 680 words, however, those words were added to the first 51 pages of the current 118 pages, as I edited and fleshed out scenes. I think those 51 pages are quite readable now, and don't feel like there are missing pieces. Tomorrow, I'll continue the process.

Part of the day, I worked on creating a web presence for The Project. I'm terrified about that plan, and yet I feel compelled to continue.

Faith in God is not easy, but God never promised easy.

Discouraged...

Yesterday, nothing was coming. I've been struggling for the past few days with where to go from here. I've hit almost 50,000 words, 2/3 of the way through, and I didn't know where to go. Today, I realized, finally, that I have quilt blocks that need to be sewn together. I have the central story written, whole scenes in their proper places, but with holes between them. I started sewing the blocks together, and discovered new characters that are more fun than I expected. I also need to remember that when I have a really bad night's sleep, it takes me two days to recover. Hopefully, if I remember, I won't be quite so hard on myself when I seem to have the concentration of a flea. :-)

Not a lot of writing...

...at least not that I can easily track. I worked on the backstory, realizing that there was information that needed to be shared, eventually, not in detail, but other things in the story are dependent on the information. I carefully edited chapter one of both The Project and the WIP. I also thought I'd try my hand at a short-story challenge. I'm not sure I have the capability to tell a good short story, but it doesn't hurt to try. Nothing says I have to actually submit my efforts. LOL! We'll see how I do.

Back in...

Added over 1,000 words, today, mostly exploding scenes. Funnily enough, I worked on the last chapters. The last book's final chapters were so difficult to write, and this one has been so more satisfying. As I write final scenes, I discover details that need to be covered earlier in the book, and voilà, middle sections are filling in, bit by bit. I'm nearing the 50,000 word mark. I'm also working on other projects as well. And PTBW is also being done, though it isn't really paying all the bills, but every little bit helps. I feel so blessed.

A bit of fun...

My current reading material consists of Dick Couch's The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228 and Kim Watters's Home Sweet Home. Kim's hero has a sister who makes candles for a living, and I thought, "Ooooo I'd like to do that." My very next thought was, "Until a story started percolating in my brain," which would be as soon as I had a spare bit of space in my head. Anytime I'm doing something that requires little thought, story ideas pop in for a visit, where they're mulled, shaped, and discarded or further developed.

I've had a terrible time concentrating, today. There are days like that. I'm doing some editing, and a little adding, but not much. I've also been working on some other projects that seemed to crowd out everything else. Back at it, tomorrow.

Not bad...

I only added a little over 500 words, but I cleaned up quite a bit. As I worked on editing, I discovered a problem with what I like to think of as time warping, and I really dislike it in a historical novel. It's fun in science fiction, where it belongs. One of my characters knew too much for the time period, so I re-wrote it with material that would fit the time and place. It did lead to a bit of fun between the hero and heroine. We'll see how it goes once the story is finished.

Good work, today...

More than 1200 words added, and another 10 pages edited. I can see at least one place that needs expanding, but I'm not quite sure how so that it works in the story. The scene needs to reveal information and/or move the story along. It does that in a minor way, at this point. I'll think about it, and go back to it, in a bit. This is so much fun. Thanks God for the joy.

Still progress...

Only added 750 words to the WIP, but also edited 16 more pages. Continuity was also more carefully worked through, so the time line is better, clearly. In addition, I worked on The Project, editing the first chapter. A good day's work.

Not quite the same progress...

I only added 300 words, today, but I've done a careful read-through of the first 16 pages of the current 104. I discovered details I'd forgotten that will need to be verified and worked into the continuity of the rest of the story, as it currently stands. I feel like the work was good. I hope to pick up the pace. Today was not one of my better days. I had a rough night's sleep, and a bit of trouble concentrating. With storms moving in, the headache is a bit plaguesome. It could be worse. It has been worse. So, I'm hopeful for better work as I become more accustomed to my new schedule that I created for myself. God is good.

Another 1000+ words

I once again penned the outline, trying to give myself a sense of the overall story. I've filled in all the partially written sections that were inserted to remind of things that needed to be part of the story. Now, it's time to start at the beginning and checking for continuity and flow, making sure things make sense. I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up the 1000-words-a-day, but I'll not stop making the effort. I'll take it a day at a time, and see where it goes. I'd really like to pick up the pace of my work, but I also want to make sure I acknowledge that I'm putting far more into my work than I ever have before. All is in God's hands.

A bit of fun...

Another 1000 words + 1. I met the goal by fleshing out two different sections. It's such an amazing experience to write this way. I've never been so consistent. I don't feel like I should be doing something else. I truly feel like I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing right now. Oh, and I've stopped writing from the end to the beginning, and I'm currently filling in from the beginning to the end. It's fun.

And so the story grows...

Another 1000+ words. I spent the morning outlining what was already written. Then I worked on the time line. Some sections needed to be moved. One of them was moved several times before I found the right spot for it. As it turned out, that's the scene that was exploded, today. I work on remembering to show not tell. As a side note, I once again found myself struggling with words I couldn't use! What a blessing writer Diane Gaston shared the online etymology dictionary.

Still moving foward...

Today, I added another 1,000+ words. This time it wasn't a single scene but fleshing out several scenes. Some were picking the right words, and some were sketching a general idea for fleshing out later. Again and again, I wonder if I'm crazy, and then I start writing and everything in my heart settles.

"Step into the darkness, in faith. God loves you."

Still moving along...

It's so exciting to see the story unfolding. I'm still holding to writing over 1,000 words a day, but Sunday. I try to make it a day of rest, though I find I'm unable to stop the ideas niggling, so I pull out pen and paper, jot it down, and add to the document the next day. I'm endeavoring to take to heart God's admonition to rest on the Sabbath.

The Project is ready for a thorough re-read through, from beginning to end. I haven't done that since I've shared it with my readers. I made changes one chapter at a time, without looking beyond the chapter I was working on, because it's too easy for me to become distracted.

TIP: From Barbara Kingsolver, guest at Writers In The Storm blog: Don’t wait for the muse. She has a lousy work ethic. Writers just write.

Still working backwards...

Another 1,300+ words added. I'm now more than half way through the maximum number of words. The new scene is one I never anticipated adding, and yet it's necessary for the plot and setting. Simply amazing. God is good.

Trivia: My favorite music for writing is the score to Lord of the Rings.

And so it continues...

Another 1,000 words; half way for the minimum number of words, but I know myself well enough to anticipate exceeding the minimum by the time I'm finished. I'm still working scene by scene from the end to the beginning. I don't know why I find this less stressful and far less troublesome, but I do. The Project's new chapter has been shared with three of my five readers. I hope to have The Project finished by the end of the summer.

It's growing...

I've now completed half my required word count for book two. I hope to complete it by the end of this month. I'm still writing over 1000 words a day. Outlining the book, last night, was productive. I moved a scene, and then exploded a couple of scenes. I'm still writing from the end to the beginning. I don't know why, but it's easier for me. I've done some work on The Project and blogs.

Another unexpected turn...

The beginning is finished, I think. The end is finished, I think, and there are bits and pieces throughout the middle. Interestingly enough, I'm actually writing the rest of this story backwards, from the end to the beginning. It's currently easier to wonder how I reached a point in the story, and write the what-happened-before. I also worked on The Project's new chapter, and a couple of other things. I'm meeting my word goals for the WIP and then exceeding it with all the other writing. I also completed my PTBW. And it's only 6 o'clock in the evening. I've written an outline of what I have written for the WIP, and I'm going to work on that this evening. I need to do a little shuffling of a few of the scenes, then tomorrow I'll be working on expanding, or exploding scenes, as one of my friend's describes it.

Happy Independence Day!

I was delayed posting, thanks to thunderstorms, but none the worse for wear. It was a productive day, and that needs to be celebrate! I added over 1400 words to the WIP. I added a new chapter to The Project. I've started my own Declaration of Independence. It's more work than I anticipated. And I added a bit to the future short story. I also emailed with friends and had a delightful chat with my younger brother. I read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, part of my tradition for the day. I'm so grateful to live in a place and time when so many opportunities are available. God bless all those who value freedom.

Lucky thirteen...

I added only thirteen words, today, but it's nothing to complain about. I talked with a dear friend about the storyline, and I rearranged bits already written to properly fit the outline. Next, to continue filling in what is there, now that I have a much better idea of the story as a whole, and the time line. What a blessing to have friends who ask questions that are pertinent, allowing me to clarify the story in my own mind, making the telling easier. We talked of other things besides my stories, of course. A day well spent.

Still cleaning up...

Didn't meet my 1000 words, again, but did add about half of that, and am 1/2 way through editing what is there. Had several continuity glitches that are now straightened out. I've also added a character, and shuffled and reworked several characters. There are things I truly love about this story, and things not so much, but I'm learning and making it better every day.