The last check in! I came to the Marathon a bit late because I had exhausted myself for CampNano and couldn’t bring myself to do another deadline/goal writing month. But I eventually got talked into it and have really enjoyed it. I just got my 15k word count which I am pretty happy with and I have met loads of other great writers that I hope to continue to read more from after the Marathon.
Anyway, onto the fourth and final check-in!
Read more about the WIPMarathon here.
Other Check-In posts can be found here.
Last Word Count:
11202
Current Word Count:
15557 (my goal was 15.5 so yay! and it’s now just over 62k all together)
WIP Issues this week:
I just write the longest chapters known to man. My last chapter pulled a bit of a Return of the King where I couldn’t figure out which part to end it on, so I just threw them all in there. But I will sort it out in edits, I promise! I’m also still stumbling across all sorts of plot threads that I am failing to pick up. Why did I have to make everything so complicated!?
What I learnt this week in writing:
Everyone goes at their own pace. Reading all your check-ins is great and I really enjoy it but I see people getting about 20k in a week and I die a little inside. But I’ve realised that I just don’t function that way. I work slowly and inconsistently but so long as I am getting the words, that’s the main thing.
What distracted me this week while writing:
Oh boy. Well, the main thing, without going into too much detail and boring everyone is that I discovered that the drug I’ve been on for 10 years should only be prescribed for an absolute maximum of 2 and can cause all sorts of issues if taken for longer than that. No-one chose to share this with me so that caused a bit of a panic. I came off it a few weeks ago because I didn’t want to be on it indefinitely and have read that it’s a nightmare adjusting once you stop taking them. Fun! So I’ve been very distracted by that, stressing about stuff that hasn’t even happened yet. Bleugh. And also audits at work and the guy I get on with best being made redundant wasn’t much fun either.
My plan for after the writing marathon:
More writing. I work better when I have goals and deadlines and people prodding me but, now that I have my sticker system, I’m hoping that will at least keep me on track. I have stupidly agreed to have a first draft finished by December 14th so am aiming at between 500-1k a day. I really need to get into the habit of writing every day.
Last 200 words:
(Some context…everyone is fleeing from a castle on horses. Everyone has made it across the drawbridge over the moat except my MC Emily and Killian who are stuck on the other side due to reasons. Oh, and Susan is a horse. Just because.)
I moved Susan forward so we stood just a few inches away from the edge of the drawbridge. I looked across the moat to see Paige and Phineas beckoning us across, Ezra and Marlaya nowhere in sight, probably scouting ahead while Lucian paced back and forth, worrying the reins in his hands.
Then I looked down.
In an instant, I felt like I was looking down from a great height, almost as if I were floating. The water spanned for miles, a vast ocean as far as the eye could see. Directly below me, the waves crashed into the rocks; what looked like debris being washed up against them before being sucked back into the foam. I wondered how deep it was. Whether I would drown if I were to fall. Or maybe I’d hit the rocks, not even making it to the water. And then I felt sad. Sadder than I had ever felt, like someone had just ripped my heart of my chest and thrown it to those unforgiving waves where it was pummelled into submission.
I wanted to cling to the mountainside. To throw myself off. To cry, to hurt, to grieve. To punish.
Tales of The Procrastinator 
Congrats!! It isn’t a race against other writers, so I agree–be happy with your own pace, and meeting your own goals!
I have problems with too-long chapters often too, ha.
Best of luck with your future goals!
Thank you. If I can just keep to a small goal every day, I would be happy with that.
My stories always get more complicated on me. 🙂
I know what you mean. I saw someone finish a first draft in 10 days once and completely freaked out. They insisted it was a mess and they’ll be editing forever, but still. Lol! Yeah, everyone has their own pace and way of doing things.
Good luck making your deadline! You can do it. 😀
Wow, that’s some serious writing but yeah, I’d imagine there would be some major editing involved with something like that.
Thank you!
Congrats on your progress! Goals and deadlines are definitely the way forward – that’s why the WIPMarathon has been such a help! 😀
Thank you!
Congratulations on your awesome progress! You are so right–getting the words is the most important thing, no matter how you do it or how long it takes. I’m a relatively slow writer, too, and I didn’t even meet my overall goal, but I’m still happy because all these words are better than no words, and we’re that much closer to reaching our ultimate goals!
Nice excerpt–lots of tension!
Thank you! That’s so true, so long as the words are being written it doesn’t matter what pace it’s at. We’ll get there!
Yay! You joined late but you still met your goal, so double yay!
You just have to write at your own pace, and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Fast drafting sometimes means heavy edits, and each person’s path is different.
I loved your excerpt and her reluctance to let go. It pulled my heart’s strings.
Keep plugging away! I hope you keep updating your progress on this 🙂
Thank you, and thank you for organising the whole marathon. It’s gotten me into writing more consistently and allowed me to interact with other writers which has been great.
Keep on writing! You may have started late, but you’re finishing strong!
Thank you! 🙂
Wow, hectic about the meds but congrats on making your word count goal! Happy writing!
Thank you, I’m adjusting a bit better now and getting back into the writing rhythm.
That’s wonderful you made your goal. CONGRATS! That last part of your sample words gave me chills! AWESOME JOB. Happy Writing!
Thank you! Glad you liked it 🙂
Agree with Amy and the others, it’s not a race. Sitting down and putting the time in is all that matters, especially with a first draft.
I’m so sorry about the med situation. Not fun. I know how that feels. I’ve been off all meds for my condition for almost 2 years now, but when I was on them and worried, heck yeah, big distraction.
You’re awesome. I know the goals you’ve set for the next few months will get you where you want to be.
xo
cat
Thanks, Cat! It might take me an age to actually finish anything but I will just keep plugging away until I get there. I don’t want to rush it and have it be unworkable later on, after all!
I learned the same lesson as you did this week. I can’t compare numbers to super prolific people because my process just does not work like that, and I have to be at peace with it, because needlessly beating myself up about it is pointless! You did great and your excerpt is super! Well done. 🙂
Thank you! I know I can knock out 50k in a month as I did it for Nano last year but it was hectic and it needs a complete rewrite. I feel more comfortable going at this pace.
Same here. I also did NaNo last year, but it was basically just pure crap and I didn’t even want to think about facing edits. It was uneditable!I’ve recycled some ideas from it in my current WIP, but none of the writing. It was a good brainstorming exercise, I suppose, but I can’t write like that generally! definitely more comfortable at this pace. 🙂
Good job! Words, at any count, are the goal!Don’t look at other goals and how fast they write because you write differently. I know this because I went through the same thing. Just keep writing and it will finish! You are an awesome writer and the goals you just set for the future will help you finish!