This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

A week is a long time…

…

As the title says, it is usually said that a week is a long time in politics.

But in the context of my little project, has it what.

But we’re not here to discuss politics, that’s boring stuff, we’re here to revel in the fact seven days have passed, and I’m still on track.

I know, I know, don’t start blowing my trumpet too soon, a lot can still go to hell in a handbasket from here, but at the moment I’m being optimistic.

I’ve written the chapter that was missing, and this, of course, had opened up another hole where I’ll need to add another chapter, but that’s under control. Those pale green post-it notes are looking good.

For now.

But, the big news…

I’ve decided to break the book into three parts,

Part 1 – The reluctant friend

Part 2 – A friend in need

Part 3 – A friend avenged

These might change, but so far, so good.

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

A week is a long time…

…

As the title says, it is usually said that a week is a long time in politics.

But in the context of my little project, has it what.

But we’re not here to discuss politics, that’s boring stuff, we’re here to revel in the fact seven days have passed, and I’m still on track.

I know, I know, don’t start blowing my trumpet too soon, a lot can still go to hell in a handbasket from here, but at the moment I’m being optimistic.

I’ve written the chapter that was missing, and this, of course, had opened up another hole where I’ll need to add another chapter, but that’s under control. Those pale green post-it notes are looking good.

For now.

But, the big news…

I’ve decided to break the book into three parts,

Part 1 – The reluctant friend

Part 2 – A friend in need

Part 3 – A friend avenged

These might change, but so far, so good.

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

You see, this commitment to revising so many words a day becomes a little like a pressure cooker.

Having a plan is one thing, getting it done is another, but to keep going, now, there’s the thing.

Like this morning, sitting in front of the computer, knowing only five minutes before sitting down what I wanted to write about. A new twist in the tale.

Then the phone rings.

Up from the table, over to the phone, answer it.

A nuisance call, someone saying I had an accident when I didn’t, a new group of scammers trying to leverage money out of me. On top of the telecommunication scammers, and the endless charities looking for donations.

Distractions.

I sit down again, but my mind has switched off.

The words are gone.

Breakfast is looking good.

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

You see, this commitment to revising so many words a day becomes a little like a pressure cooker.

Having a plan is one thing, getting it done is another, but to keep going, now, there’s the thing.

Like this morning, sitting in front of the computer, knowing only five minutes before sitting down what I wanted to write about. A new twist in the tale.

Then the phone rings.

Up from the table, over to the phone, answer it.

A nuisance call, someone saying I had an accident when I didn’t, a new group of scammers trying to leverage money out of me. On top of the telecommunication scammers, and the endless charities looking for donations.

Distractions.

I sit down again, but my mind has switched off.

The words are gone.

Breakfast is looking good.

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

It might be a little pedantic, but I have to pay more attention to the word count and make sure the revision is spaced correctly over the thirty days.

Today, day 5, the count is 1,862 words, making a total of 8,943 words so far.

What I have to be careful about is not to let the pressure get to me. I mean, I have to revise about 1,700 words a day to maintain the target. It seems a small amount, but remember this is supposed to produce a reasonably polished manuscript that an editor will not throw back at me.

If I miss a day, or the creative juices stop flowing…

OK, not something we need to think about.

Just a minor issue, though, I left a section out the first time around to be written, because I was not sure what I wanted to write. Perhaps what is coming may give some insight.

In the meantime, yet another yellow post-it note. Or I could just get it done.

People do do overtime don;t they?

I’m thinking of getting a new colour for the post-it notes, perhaps a more soothing pale green.

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

It might be a little pedantic, but I have to pay more attention to the word count and make sure the revision is spaced correctly over the thirty days.

Today, day 5, the count is 1,862 words, making a total of 8,943 words so far.

What I have to be careful about is not to let the pressure get to me. I mean, I have to revise about 1,700 words a day to maintain the target. It seems a small amount, but remember this is supposed to produce a reasonably polished manuscript that an editor will not throw back at me.

If I miss a day, or the creative juices stop flowing…

OK, not something we need to think about.

Just a minor issue, though, I left a section out the first time around to be written, because I was not sure what I wanted to write. Perhaps what is coming may give some insight.

In the meantime, yet another yellow post-it note. Or I could just get it done.

People do do overtime don;t they?

I’m thinking of getting a new colour for the post-it notes, perhaps a more soothing pale green.

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

Those pesky characters seem to be always getting in the way

…

And no matter how much you think you have that character down, they always find a new way to surprise you. But, here’s the thing…

In those heady moments when you are first writing the story and working with the characters, they don’t necessarily have those little annoying traits, to begin with.

Those traits come now, in the revision, where they cease to be two-dimensional.

Of course, these people are mostly an amalgam of characteristics that you’ve observed over a long period of time.

I used to sit at the railway station at busy times to observe people and filled a dozen notebooks with both characteristics and eccentricities.

A little backpedalling is required.

I know there isn’t a lot of time for revisions this early on, but there are ‘glaring’ mistakes, even for a first draft, even if it is not meant to be perfect.

As they say, moving on…

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

Those pesky characters seem to be always getting in the way

…

And no matter how much you think you have that character down, they always find a new way to surprise you. But, here’s the thing…

In those heady moments when you are first writing the story and working with the characters, they don’t necessarily have those little annoying traits, to begin with.

Those traits come now, in the revision, where they cease to be two-dimensional.

Of course, these people are mostly an amalgam of characteristics that you’ve observed over a long period of time.

I used to sit at the railway station at busy times to observe people and filled a dozen notebooks with both characteristics and eccentricities.

A little backpedalling is required.

I know there isn’t a lot of time for revisions this early on, but there are ‘glaring’ mistakes, even for a first draft, even if it is not meant to be perfect.

As they say, moving on…

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

So, finally, the plan is working

…

The story is progressing and I can see, for the moment, that the story is heading in the right direction.

Of course, in saying that, it might just jinx the project.

There was a small moment of hesitation though, one of those, perhaps this might be a ‘better way moment’ that caused a brief stoppage while I considered the consequences. Then of course I make that fatal change that will have consequences later on.

Then I just added another sticky note to the four hundred others lining the monitor and nearby shelves and went back to work.

Who needs a good memory when you’ve got a hundred pads of stick notes just waiting to be used.

Got to get those 1,667 words revised.

This book has been written for some time and the manuscript was sitting in a box with half a dozen others gathering dust and not quite as complete, so this month it is going to get the makeover, a first draft for the editor.

And so it begins…

…

So, finally, the plan is working

…

The story is progressing and I can see, for the moment, that the story is heading in the right direction.

Of course, in saying that, it might just jinx the project.

There was a small moment of hesitation though, one of those, perhaps this might be a ‘better way moment’ that caused a brief stoppage while I considered the consequences. Then of course I make that fatal change that will have consequences later on.

Then I just added another sticky note to the four hundred others lining the monitor and nearby shelves and went back to work.

Who needs a good memory when you’ve got a hundred pads of stick notes just waiting to be used.

Got to get those 1,667 words revised.