Day 4
I’ve written 4,640 words. Technically speaking, I’m behind. To write 50,000 words in 30 days means 1,667 words a day, or about 4 to 5 pages single-spaced. This means that four days in, I should be at 6,668 words. I’m 2,028 words behind schedule.
Caro and I went to Café Rico today, a place on Rachel Street that sales free-trade coffee. I wrote for four good hours before they kicked me out at six. I wrote six pages. I was aiming for nine, but I’m still happy. Generally, I’m better off being happy for what I’ve done than unhappy over what I haven’t yet done.
I must admit, though I am completely aware that I might not finish this project with success, my slow start doesn’t frighten me too much. Actually, it reminds me of my first road trip. I drove from Montreal to New Orleans by myself. My first stop was in Toronto, six hours away. I had a lot of trouble that first day. I stopped at Miles-Iles for a nap. In T.O. I stayed at a woman’s boarding house. I explained my driving itinerary to her, and stated that I needed to be up and out by 8. I slept in until 9:30. I left a good hour later. The drive had exhausted me! And, at one point during breakfast, my host said to me disheartedly that she did not think I would reach my destination. Well, reach it I did! The first two days were a bit hard, but once I got used to it I could drive for hours on end. One day I drove for eleven hours straight. Grant it, by the time I reached my destined Youth Hostel I was shaky and hungry and in need of some company, but eventually a five hour trip seemed short to me, like a day off. I could simply look at my map to estimate how long the drive would be. Once I got used to the road, I became very comfortable with it.
I think this might also be the case with novel writing.
In any case, if I don’t finish 50,000 words by December first, I’ll at least have quite a bit more words than on October 31st!
Caro and I went to Café Rico today, a place on Rachel Street that sales free-trade coffee. I wrote for four good hours before they kicked me out at six. I wrote six pages. I was aiming for nine, but I’m still happy. Generally, I’m better off being happy for what I’ve done than unhappy over what I haven’t yet done.
I must admit, though I am completely aware that I might not finish this project with success, my slow start doesn’t frighten me too much. Actually, it reminds me of my first road trip. I drove from Montreal to New Orleans by myself. My first stop was in Toronto, six hours away. I had a lot of trouble that first day. I stopped at Miles-Iles for a nap. In T.O. I stayed at a woman’s boarding house. I explained my driving itinerary to her, and stated that I needed to be up and out by 8. I slept in until 9:30. I left a good hour later. The drive had exhausted me! And, at one point during breakfast, my host said to me disheartedly that she did not think I would reach my destination. Well, reach it I did! The first two days were a bit hard, but once I got used to it I could drive for hours on end. One day I drove for eleven hours straight. Grant it, by the time I reached my destined Youth Hostel I was shaky and hungry and in need of some company, but eventually a five hour trip seemed short to me, like a day off. I could simply look at my map to estimate how long the drive would be. Once I got used to the road, I became very comfortable with it.
I think this might also be the case with novel writing.
In any case, if I don’t finish 50,000 words by December first, I’ll at least have quite a bit more words than on October 31st!
posted by julie at
12:26 a.m.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home