Sunday, March 2, 2008

On we trudge

Total word count: about 65,000
Today's word count: 1,200 so far
Cups of coffee: just two
What's playing: nothing. All I can hear is the sound of hammering from a couple of blocks away.

Phew, it has not been an easy morning. I'm working on a new chapter designed to fill a gap fairly early on in the book. I needed another chapter there, one that developed some characters further and also introduced traditional Christian religion, which will play a part later. Up till now it has all been traditional Shona religion and superstitions. After this chapter is one that has been bugging me for ages - I like it, and I really like some of the writing in it, but it has always seemed sort of pointless. I'm not sure if I should lose it altogether, or try to spin something out of it. I think the problem is that it doesn't serve a particular purpose, or have a strong central theme or time ... it's rather anecdotal. I like the way it ends, but ... well, anyway, after lunch I'm going to get out the toolbox and pick that one apart, and hopefully get it into some kind of shape.

I have worked out that I only need to write 1,800 words a day to reach my target of having the first draft completed by 30 March. It doesn't really matter if I don't make it by then, but I work well to deadlines. Of course, I'm hoping to write more than 1,800 words a day, too, but it's good to know that it's achievable in such small increments.

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