Friday 19 October 2012

IT'S ALL GOING TO BE OKAY (Putting an anthology together: Part 4.)

There's no word count photo to show this week.

What happened this week
Wednesday is my writing day - that one day a week which is MINE and completely MINE to do what I want with. (I'm a bit obsessed with it.) And I set out like always, to a coffee shop, with my netbook and my notebook and I felt great about being able to write, and totally tried to ignore the fact my eyes were tired and I had a heavy feeling on the side of my head which was probably to do with by the 13 hour day I did on Monday (of 'normal' work) and the very early start and long day of work I did on Tuesday too. I stayed there, in the coffee shop, for 3 hours (persistent) and managed a little editing, and a few notes on how to expand a story I have in my draft folder.

But the word count didn't do the thing I wanted it to do which was INCREASE by like, loads.

So I came home from the coffee shop and had some lunch and watched some TV and had a rest and then tried again but it didn't happen. I just didn't get the writing work done that day.

And, you know, I'm on a deadline with the Scott Prize. I need to have 6000 more words ready and added to my anthology in the next (something like, not counting, not counting in days) week and a half.

So I felt pretty rubbish. I looked ahead and saw that I only have one more Wednesday before the deadline (well, 2 if you include the day of the deadline, which I don't really want to). There are other opportunities in the week to write, the odd couple of hours before or after a shift.

I've just used a couple of those hours now to work on that story in the draft folder I mentionned before. And, that story has a 'sister story' (there are a few of these in the anthology, separate but related to each other stories) so I worked on that sister story too.

They're not ready to be added to the manuscript yet but they're nearly there, and I feel so much better about everything than I did 48 hours ago.



4 comments:

Rebecca Alexander said...

I know the deadline is looming, but doing bits here and there allows more thinking time, more editing, and the deadline offers focus. You will so get there!

chillcat said...

Good luck! I also agree your brain is probably ticking all along and when the physical conditions are right it will move along swiftly. Best wishes, cat

Rachel Fenton said...

Don't panic - breathe - and relax. It's never as lost as it seems. That - oh shit, nothing's coming right in time for the deadline - feeling is good (I've found, mostly in hindsight, it must be added!) - it's the cooking part of the process, after which, your writing will tumble like hot, satisfying soup (ah, had you going there for a sec, didn't I?), and all will be well in the world.

You're nearly there, Teresa, I'm rooting for you - which is just sick, frankly, because I've entered the same comp, but I can honestly and genuinely say, hand on heart with no crossed pinkeys, I'd love for you to win this x

Teresa Stenson said...

Thank you all - what brilliant encouragement, support and wiseness there is here. (Yes, 'wiseness')

Hi Reb - really good point about the thinking time. Thanks so much for your encouraging words.

Hi Cat - thank you. You and Reb have reminded me that it's okay that I'm not writing for long periods a few times a week, and to go with the time I have. Thanks mucho.

Hi Rachel - you too, are a gem. I love the hot soup analogy while also being a bit scared of it. Your words are just what I needed. And you're rooting for me - you weirdo. Ha ha, no, really - thanks for that. I'm rooting for you and Dan Purdue as well cos he's entering. Thank you for being so supportive, as always.