So, I got back into writing today, and I haven’t got very far, but at least it’s movement in the right direction and thats a good thing.
But I’m up to where they get a dog from the SPCA, and I don’t know whether I want to leave the dog in or not. He has some really great qualities, but then, also presents some issues - mostly due to the fact that I like him way too much to let him die, but there are some logistics which get complicated later in the story if I want to have him live AND remain with my MC and her ward.
I think I’ll leave him in… he may end up dead though, or lost. I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Part of me thinks its just way too convenient to have him make it through with the main characters, and the other part of me says you can’t just kill him because it would make it easier - I think when it comes down to it the boy isn’t going to do what he needs to do without the dog though, so… we’ll see. Arg.
But yes, I’m writing again, and making some progress and starting to think about whether I want to set this as my ‘finishing’ task for August’s The End is Nigh challenge over at KW.
I think I could get it done by the end of August. I would love to have it done by the end of August, because there is just so much more to get on with after this.
I spent awhile tonight throwing around some thoughts with Chibi for her next novel, which was a lot of fun and really made me want to launch back into the novel that is part way written - BUT I have to finish this rewrite before I can do this.
So, I could finish this next month, then take a break from it during September while I finish off that novel (first draft, speed writing), and then edit this one in October - but can I get that done in a month? And will it do the story justice?
I seriously feel like I am running out of time here, which in some ways I am. I have no idea how becoming a mother is going to impact me, how having a newborn in the house is going to devour the rest of my life, but I imagine its all going to be pretty amazing and intense and all encompassing and I’m completely prepared for that.
Which means that in the meantime I need to get stuff done.
The main reason I want to finish off this novel in progress (now to be referred to as ASHE2) is because I had this weird dream last night which is lingering with me and I want to start writing as a novel in November, in the days before baby arrives. It’s probably not the best thing to be writing right before giving birth! But hey, I bet there are plenty of others who have written supernatural/horror/thriller type novels right about when baby is due 
It’s really getting to the point of there being just too many novels around in one form or another. So many ideas, and not enough time to focus on them all. One day maybe I’ll be good enough to write really decent first drafts and not have to spend time rewriting a whole lot, then I could work on an edit and a WIP at the same time…
We’ll see right? onwards and upwards.
I’m also considering just dropping my weekend word count goal to a lower level. It’s much harder to get stuff done with everyone home and wanting my attention, maybe I need to just accept that and lower my expectations of myself. It’ll mean I feel less like rubbish when I don’t achieve.
That said, I may not reach my 1.5 today, but I’m already 1K in so I’m getting somewhere. Early night tho, I am seriously tired and I think I’ve started getting Braxton Hicks, theres been some serious contracting of abdominal muscles happening tonight!
Hey do these words count? lol I’m over 700 now on this post…. lol that means I am well over the 1.5K mark
Good to hear you’re back on the horse, so to speak.
Interesting problem you’ve got with the dog in your WIP. It’s an interesting point you made at the end about the boy not doing what he needs to without having the dog. I think that’s the point. If the dog is there to serve the story then he(?) deserves to stay. If you’re not wanting to have him die or lost then there may be another way that is true to the story. You just have to find it.
When I’m writing my 1000 words a day I can usually bump that up to 1500 in the weekends because I *usually* have less life stuff going on. I think you’re finding your way to what works for you.
You can’t take Spudd out. I actually thought that your introduction of him brought up some valid points in the story. While it was a little sudden when Liz decides to get one, I think her reasons for doing so - namely, for protection against Nick and so that she and Max would feel safer - are good ones. Especially considering where they’ve ended up living, it really underscores how weak Liz feels when it comes to Nick. I think if you don’t know what to do with him, maybe Liz and Max end up giving him away to another family because they know they will have to run away or something?
It’s okay to drop your daily word count to like 1k a day. That’s still a lot of words, and once you get into writing, you’ll often find you write more than just that 1k. But 1k is still enough to know that you’ve gotten somewhere on the story.