On Writing & Storytelling: A Slow Start to My Workday

“The trouble with writing fiction is that it has to make sense, whereas real life doesn’t.”― Iain M. Banks

Hi, there, Dear Reader. It’s late morning here in Lithia, Florida, on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, and as I sit here, the keening melody of Barber’s Adagio for Strings breaks the silence of my room as I prepare for another day of work on The New Story. I’ve already had breakfast – a bowl of cold cereal and two cups of coffee – so I’m good, as far as that goes, and I’m a bit more awake and energized than I was when I woke up – involuntarily – at 5 AM.

I didn’t want to get up that early; I wanted to sleep till at least 7 AM so I’d wake up rested and ready to grapple with the manuscript – especially since I need to evaluate the last bit of writing I’ve done before pushing forward with Chapter Seven. And that, folks, requires energy, enthusiasm, and dedication; starting the day groggy, headachy, and wanting to goof off rather than write isn’t the way to go, especially when I hoped today would be more like yesterday.

 Yesterday I wrote – no shit! – 1,667 words for The New Story, including a cliffhanger ending for the story’s sixth chapter. (My daily word count target, by the by, is 1,000 words.) I haven’t yet opened the main file for the manuscript to reread what I wrote yesterday, so I don’t know if yesterday’s writing is “any good.” (Okay, okay. When I looked it over last evening before closing Word and playing a Skirmish on Regiments, the scene I wrote, Solace in the Snow, looked decent, and I liked how I managed to pull off the cliffhanger effect at the chapter’s end. But I still have not pored over the draft with “fresh eyes,” so…)

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” ― Shannon Hale

Since I’ve been up and about since 5 and have yet to decide what I want to do on Chapter Seven – I only know that it’s a “past tense” Interlude, but not much else. – I doubt that I’ll write 1,667 words (or over) today. I’ll count myself lucky if I can reach the minimum daily goal of 1,000; I mean, I will aim for that target, but I’ll have to stay at my desk longer than usual.

Oh, well. It’s not like I have a girlfriend to spend time with or places to do something at. And I want to finish this manuscript – as I said, I’m about to start the seventh chapter and have already written 21,910 words – so I’m committed to seeing this project through.

Still, I wish I felt more energetic.

Anyway, I’m burnin’ daylight, so I’ll take my leave of you here, Dear Reader. Stay safe, stay healthy, and I’ll catch you on the sunny side of things.