A Writing Log - v. 1
By Tess Adair
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION: Hello there! Uh, I’m Tess, and you’re about to read an experiment of mine. The experiment is me trying to keep a log of my work days and/or my life in general. A captain’s log, if you will, only decidedly less exciting! Anyway, hope you like it!
6/4/2019
I started writing book 3 in earnest over Memorial Day weekend! Been working on the outline for a while--being more methodical about it this time, making sure to iron out the weak spots before I started the draft. I think over the past few years, my outlines have evolved more than anything else. My process for writing has largely remained the same, and I think my commitment has been consistent...or perhaps on a very gradual upward trajectory? Not sure. And I’ve always outlined, but...it took me a long time to figure out exactly what I was doing with the outline.
I think this one is the maybe best one I’ve done--which I mean more in how coherent it is, rather than how artistic. But I still don’t think it’s quite complete. I’m starting to suspect that there will simply always be a certain amount of spontenaity in the draft stage for me. And that’s fine.
Unfortunately, my Saturday of that should-have-been-glorious 3-day weekend took a hit from a shitty work week, and I had to spend a good chunk of it working my way out of depression. But by the end, I still wrote around 1200 words, so honestly, not a terrible day. (My goal for weekend days is generally more like 2000, but sometimes, you just can’t hit the perfect goal. Better you wrote something than nothing at all.)
Sunday was decent, hit closer to 2K. Monday brought another 1K, plus a bunch of much-needed socializing with a couple of good conversation partners. All in all, a decent kick-off for book 3, conducted with as little fanfare as possible. The novel is begun!
I set reasonable goals for the rest of the week, and I hit all but one. The one I missed was Friday--got caught up doing my workout, taking a shower, grabbing groceries, and starting up dinner for a few friends coming over. So, while it is a goal missed, it’s a goal I didn’t realize was...kinda preposterous, even when I set it.
The following Saturday also proved slightly less productive than I’d hoped, though it also wasn’t completely terrible. I hit over 1K, but I got a late start. By the time I’d reached that halfway mark, it was already nearly 8pm, and my partner and I still needed to eat dinner. So we ordered pizza, and I tried to push myself to write a little more, but I only managed an extra 100 or so words before final quitting time. So it goes.
The next day, I hit 2146, the best day yet. This is also when I hit the end of Chapter 1, and pretty early in the day at that.
So, chapter 1 put away, chapter 2 begun! I also realized over the course of the second weekend that I had a few things I wanted to add, so I stuck new notes into the outline. Like I said...always a little spontenaity. These definitely count as good changes, not least of all because they’ll fit nicely into the surrounding structure, instead of forcing me to do any kind of rewrite. Gotta love it.
Didn’t write any Monday night--standing date with a friend, combined with a few other to-do list items and general exhaustion. Right now it’s Tuesday evening, and I’m going to pause this journal so I can go do a word goal.
Hoping to keep the log on a more regular interval from now on. We’ll see.
6/5/2019
I’m debating the possibility of spoilers in the blog posts, but I’m leaning toward the side of no. Not for any noble reason--just so I can change my mind about stuff later if I want to.
#authorialintent
No word count today (Wednesdays are always tough, date night with the partner.) But I thought I’d put some thoughts in the log, mostly to help get myself in the habit of a daily download. Also, I did write down a bunch of percolating thoughts/ideas in a notebook, so it wasn’t really a non-writing day.
Note: It’s been brought to my attention that my magic system could be better explained. Guys I hate writing exposition. It’s the worrrrrst and, like, almost nobody does it well. I’ll do it, but under protest. Protest, I say!
Some days I do sorta wish I’d just written vampires. Why did I decide to come up with my own thing? Nobody likes original shit anyway. I COULD HAVE WRITTEN VAMPIRES WHY DIDN’T I???
Anyway, still excited to work on book 3, I swear! Taking the next two days off from day-job, and just pleased as punch about it. Let’s see if I can wake up at 8am tomorrow and write for 3 hours! WISH ME LUCK.
If all goes well, hope to post another one of these (preferably with more than 2 entries) in a week or so. See ya then!
-Tess
OH PS - I made a Logan and a Jude in this character-creation app called MonsterGirl. Here they are:
Logan, doing a bad, not-cool thing.
Jude, listening to some tunes. You’re right, neither of them have noses.
Hope you like them, because they took me WAY LONGER than I honestly should have spent on them.
Anyway, thanks for reading! And if you’re new here, and you have no idea who those people up there are, feel free to check out the book they’re from, right here: Shadow Summoner.
-Tess
Hey, thanks for reading! If you’re new here, and you’d like to hear updates on my writing, including these blog posts and my ongoing novel series, The Choronzon Chronicles, then click below to sign up for my email list!