The Journal, Thursday, 1/19

Hey Folks,

First, my apologies. This is late. I realized about 7:30 I’d forgotten to post it.

Dean Wesley Smith wrote a great summary of his recent insane challenge/adventure. Of course, you’ll find a link in “Of Interest” below.

Damp air and frigid cold (made frigid by the dampness) outside here this morning. In dry cold my old hands begin to warm the instant I put them in my jacket pocket. In this stuff, not so much.

I’ve spent the first couple of hours this morning doing not much other than reading newsletters. This also is part of my pattern of writing a novel.

Now that it’s nearing the end, I’m relaxing my way toward it. Not worrying about it at all (a way to keep my conscious mind from trying to force a resolution) but just enjoying the process.

At this point, I almost constantly remind myself to not ‘think’ and Just Write the Next Sentence. Just in case that might be helpful for some of you.

Topic: Comparisons

At this (near-end) point in my process of writing a novel, I also try to push down any comparisons.

Comparisons are a major way that the conscious, critical mind strives to stop you from writing.

They go like this:

Well, I didn’t make my goal today, but I’ve written more today than most writers do in any given day.

I didn’t make my goal today, but it’s all right. There’s always tomorrow.

I made my goal today, and I don’t want the novel to end too quickly so I’ll stop for now. (This one got me yesterday.)

I made my goal today, so now I can stop writing and [fill in the blank].

I made my goal today so that’s enough (as if writing is some sort of self-inflicted punishment).

And there are many more. If comparisons start to creep into your mind, just remember they’re thinly disguised excuses, nothing more.

And don’t indulge them.

Of Interest

At Dean’s place, Epilogue: Writing a Novel in Five Days While Traveling (http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/epilogue-writing-a-novel-in-five-days-while-traveling/)

For whatever it’s worth, here are BookBub’s 7 Top Book Marketing Tips from DBW [Digital Book World] 2017: https://insights.bookbub.com/top-book-marketing-tips-dbw-2017/.

From Smithsonian Magazine newsletter (free subscription)

Over 12 Millon Pages of CIA Documents Are Now Accessible Online (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/over-12-million-pages-cia-documents-are-now-accessible-online-180961846/)

Artificial Sixth Sense (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/artificial-sixth-sense-helps-humans-orient-themselves-world-180961822/)

Today, and Writing

Rolled out just before 3. Internet, email, newsletters, breakfast etc. Finally moved out to the Hovel to write at 9.

I can’t really offer a play by play today. Got out there about 9, cycled for awhile, got about 2000 words sometime during the morning.

During that time I was also visiting the house (about 200 feet away) to eat, do laundry, chat with my baby girl, etc. and lost track of time.

Back to the novel around 1:30, still just relaxing my way through it. More stuff is coming with every session now, faster and more furiously, and everything’s compressing itself toward an ending.

Well, it isn’t going to end today, but that’s all right. The characters are working their way toward the ending and I’m just going along for the ride, so it’s all good.

I passed my daily goal again. Today it isn’t my conscious mind messing with me. It’s getting late (around 4 I have to go to the post office) and I have a load of laundry to fold before that.

Back tomorrow.

Fiction Words: 3460
Nonfiction Words: 560 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 4020

Writing of The Claim (novel, working title)

Day 1…… 4391 words. Total words to date…… 4391
Day 2…… 3632 words. Total words to date…… 8023
Day 3…… 1416 words. Total words to date…… 9439
Day 4…… 2673 words. Total words to date…… 12112
Day 5…… 4284 words. Total words to date…… 16396
Day 6…… 3159 words. Total words to date…… 19555
Day 7…… 3834 words. Total words to date…… 23389
Day 8…… 4953 words. Total words to date…… 28342
Day 9…… 4982 words. Total words to date…… 33324
Day 10… 3618 words. Total words to date…… 36942
Day 11… 3133 words. Total words to date…… 40075
Day 12… 2964 words. Total words to date…… 43039
Day 13… 3410 words. Total words to date…… 46449
Day 14… 3285 words. Total words to date…… 49734
Day 15… 3460 words. Total words to date…… 53194

Total fiction words for the month……… 54822
Total fiction words for the year………… 54822
Total nonfiction words for the month… 12740
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 12740

Total words for the year (fiction and nonfiction)…… 67562