As a result of a sit-down with Chester, who has been keeping an eye on the progress of the project, or at least that’s what he thinks, we’ve decided that there’s going to be a slight change.

Plan or not, writing the story was always going to go the way the characters want to go, and I’ve decided that the two protagonists are not going to have a happily ever after.

They can’t.

It was a pie in the sky notion that they could, given the nature of their professions. But it’s not only that; it comes down to the plans their employer has for them, and it certainly isn’t for them to be together.

So, the way it’s written, they were about to have that intimate moment when common sense took over, and instead of being together, they are apart in her apartment.

She wanted him to stay, he wanted to stay, but there are forces in play that dictate caution.

Then the plot twist no one saw coming.

I’m excited about the next ten days.

Stay tuned

The problems of the day before are gone, and I get back to the plan.

Today I have concentrated on the side excursion I’d come up with the other day and thought it could wait, but I’m at a point, further on, where I need to have this written to feed into the main story.

I’m in two minds about how this should be written because I had two possible outcomes sketched out two possible outcomes, and one leads to quite a different ending.

The plan, son, the plan!

I edit it as it should be, and the other outcome gets crossed out, and the outline is sent to the ‘to be written sometime in the future’ pile.  It’s a strong enough ending to power its own story.

I might even become a sequel.

Hang on, don’t get carried away.  Get this one finished first.

The problems of the day before are gone, and I get back to the plan.

Today I have concentrated on the side excursion I’d come up with the other day and thought it could wait, but I’m at a point, further on, where I need to have this written to feed into the main story.

I’m in two minds about how this should be written because I had two possible outcomes sketched out two possible outcomes, and one leads to quite a different ending.

The plan, son, the plan!

I edit it as it should be, and the other outcome gets crossed out, and the outline is sent to the ‘to be written sometime in the future’ pile.  It’s a strong enough ending to power its own story.

I might even become a sequel.

Hang on, don’t get carried away.  Get this one finished first.

One of the hazards of writing can be being continually critical of your own work. I’m guilty as charged.

But in writing to a plan and in only 30 days, having to edit 50,000 words, there is no time to be critical.

Except…

So far down the track, I should be writing, not being critical.

But the thing is, I’m finding that I have to go back three chapters and read them through to pick up the thread. It’s not because it’s changed in any way from the plan; it’s just that I’m finding it hard to edit to a plan when usually I fly by the seat of my pants.

The trouble with doing that, it gives rise to considering changes, and right now there’s no time for change.

I have 13 days to hold it together.

And 13 is an unlucky number, isn’t it?

One of the hazards of writing can be being continually critical of your own work. I’m guilty as charged.

But in writing to a plan and in only 30 days, having to edit 50,000 words, there is no time to be critical.

Except…

So far down the track, I should be writing, not being critical.

But the thing is, I’m finding that I have to go back three chapters and read them through to pick up the thread. It’s not because it’s changed in any way from the plan; it’s just that I’m finding it hard to edit to a plan when usually I fly by the seat of my pants.

The trouble with doing that, it gives rise to considering changes, and right now there’s no time for change.

I have 13 days to hold it together.

And 13 is an unlucky number, isn’t it?

Onwards and upwards…

…

Or so the saying goes. I’m on target, but it’s like cruising down a placid river taking in the sights.

Until you hit the rapids.

That’s what it feels like, that there’s an impending disaster. I know how fatalistic it sounds, but many times in the past, when everything is going right, it’s too good to be true.

But…

I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

In the meantime, after editing today’s quota, I go back over the first ten chapters of part three and make some adjustments.

Now I feel better and can continue writing in accordance with the plan.

For now, it’s so far so good.

Onwards and upwards…

…

Or so the saying goes. I’m on target, but it’s like cruising down a placid river taking in the sights.

Until you hit the rapids.

That’s what it feels like, that there’s an impending disaster. I know how fatalistic it sounds, but many times in the past, when everything is going right, it’s too good to be true.

But…

I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

In the meantime, after editing today’s quota, I go back over the first ten chapters of part three and make some adjustments.

Now I feel better and can continue writing in accordance with the plan.

For now, it’s so far so good.

It’s the halfway mark.

Checking the word count, I’m up to over 25,000 words, so that’s around the halfway mark.

But…

I’m simultaneously working on chapters 6 through 13 of part 3, and since it’s partly written and in outline, a few parts are missing. I think I’m going to have to go back and, at the very least, read it again and put in notes for the first edit.

Several tangents have caused issues going back, but it’s nothing major, and if I have time before the month ends, I will fix it. Otherwise, it can wait until the first edit.

Otherwise, it’s not all doom and gloom.

Going forward, I have the outlines for chapters 14 through 20, and they follow along from those previous. And I still have to find a place for an interlude that will have a bearing later on.

Of course, in the meantime, all of it will run through the theatre of my dreams.

It’s the halfway mark.

Checking the word count, I’m up to over 25,000 words, so that’s around the halfway mark.

But…

I’m simultaneously working on chapters 6 through 13 of part 3, and since it’s partly written and in outline, a few parts are missing. I think I’m going to have to go back and, at the very least, read it again and put in notes for the first edit.

Several tangents have caused issues going back, but it’s nothing major, and if I have time before the month ends, I will fix it. Otherwise, it can wait until the first edit.

Otherwise, it’s not all doom and gloom.

Going forward, I have the outlines for chapters 14 through 20, and they follow along from those previous. And I still have to find a place for an interlude that will have a bearing later on.

Of course, in the meantime, all of it will run through the theatre of my dreams.

Distractions, distractions…

You guessed it, the Maple Leafs are playing the New York Islanders, and it’s not going to be pretty.

It’s made worse by the fact that Chester has decided to barrack for the Islanders.

Turncoat!

But, it gives me an idea to dig myself out of a plot hole, and there’s more scribbling before I go to the master plan, now on the computer, and I can easily move things around.

I was writing yesterday, and somehow my mind took the story off on a tangent.

Sleeping on it, it led to another part, and then it will neatly fold back into the master plan later on. It’s a twist no one will see coming, simply because I didn’t, at first.

As of last night, my word count is sitting at 25,044 words, which is good and gives me a buffer in case I get a blockage of some sort.

Today’s word count looks like it will be about 1,400 words.

The Maple Leafs are 2 to 0 down, and I think I’ll change the channel to a repeat of Murdoch Mysteries.

All I have to do is get the channel changer out from under the cat.

Maybe not.