It’s been a great weekend on the writing front. I think that’s a first! Everything may be crumbling around my ears in the workplace, but at least this week hasn’t been a total loss. Far from it in fact. I’ve made a pretty massive decision around structure and narrative, but fortunately I was only four chapters in at that point so the re-shuffle and re-writes aren’t too painful. And it’s made things much, much better.
I was going for multiple first person POVs and was already starting to feel schizophrenic. I was also trying to avoid being too linear and really, if I’m honest, had bitten off more than I could chew in terms of keeping the momentum going.
Things are massively simplified now, and although I’ve lost the element of surprise that I was aiming for, I think the pacing and interest will be much better maintained this way. Or at least, I hope so!
Does this mean I’m Fully Awesome and my novel is going to be Fecking Amazeballs? Of course not. But it does mean I’m feeling Much Better about it now than I was this time last week. And right now, I need that! It was definitely a giant leap in the right direction.
Tomorrow will see a return to the office, and the reality of the day job. Which, let’s face it, is why I write. Because I have to believe there’s a chance, however slim, at something better. So I keep on keeping on, working hard to 9-5 to provide for my little lad, and writing hard 9pm-midnight to keep the dream alive.
Oh, and I almost forgot (structure, momentum, fail, etc). Scrivener! Scrivener has been a massive part of my success this weekend. I’ve had it for months, but have only just sat down and actually read the instructions! I’m an idiot, I know, it’s part of the magic that is me. Scrivener is absolute genius, it really is, and if you’re writing too, and you’re not familiar with this lifesaving little piece of magnificence, you have to give it a go! It’s worth every penny, I promise you.
Phoenix Fantasy 