Last check-in word count + chapter count: I started WIPMarathon with 75,325 and on Chapter 13 (I know, I have incredibly long chapters, it’s something I’ll figure out in edits).

Current WC + CC: I’m currently at 77,467 so only managed 2,142 words so far this week. I have managed to finish Chapter 13 now though which I have been stuck on for weeks, never really advancing much each time.

WIP issues this week: It wasn’t so much issues with the WIP so much as my procrastination. I mean, the scene I’ve been working on has been quite a lot of chatter between just two of my characters (then three) but as I’ve been writing it I have been wondering if it is even relevant. But it helped me move forward, even if it all goes in edits and gave me a better idea of the relationships of the characters.

What I learned this week in writing: Just get the words down. They don’t need to be great in a first draft, so long as you’re moving forward. Even if you don’t keep them, you are still learning about your characters and your plot and that’s important. It will make rewrites easier.

What distracted me this week when writing: Various things. Work. We had a big audit this week that was just freaking me out for days and I couldn’t really focus on much else but it all went well and we now don’t have another one for a year. Also my Etsy shop kind of exploded. As soon as we hit December, it was like people suddenly thought “Oh crap, I haven’t bought a Christmas present for that weird geeky friend of mine, oh look, bracelets!” and I had a ton of orders come through that sucked my time away.

Last 200 words: Oh man, OK they are really not great because it is a pretty nothing scene but what the hell, right?

“You really think there’s going to be something there?”

I watched him carefully, his gaze fixed to the floor, his fingers idly moving stray pieces of straw away from our little cove. Away from the candles. “Yes,” I said.

The simplicity of my answer seemed to startle him into looking up, gauging how serious I was. When my face didn’t betray my words, he seemed to deflate. “I think this was a mistake.” He said it like it was some kind of grand confession, like he was dumping a great weight from his shoulders, something that had been burdening him the whole journey.

“Lucky for you, I’m a tireless optimist,” I said, maintaining the comforting circles pressing into his knees. “And I’m louder and more obnoxious than you, so will crush your negativity with that hopeless optimism.”

Killian raised an eyebrow, but a smile was tugging at his lips. He clearly wanted to believe that what I said was true but couldn’t quite bring himself to in his slightly inebriated state. “Besides,” I added, with a bright smile, “I have a bard who, if you cut her, would probably bleed enthusiasm. Just try and resist us.” A strange emotion passed across his face but before he could verbalise a response, a voice startled us from behind.

“Fucking noise…G’to sleep.” Despite the muffled and half-asleep tone, it was clearly Marlaya.