Sunday 30 January 2011

It's that Time of Year Again

See that wordometer thingumawhatsit over on the right hand side there?  The one showing a rather depressing 0% of 92'500 words?  Well that's significant, that is.  And what it signifies is that I'm about to kick off work on a new novel.

This may seem a bit of an odd decision, what with last year's effort, Funland, still languishing at the first draft stage.  Well, perhaps it is.  All I can say is that I have my reasons, some of which make plenty of sense and a few of which probably don't.  High on the list in the former category is the fact that after the gruelling battle against all the odds, my own stylistic limitations and common sense that was Funland, I'm sorely in need of a project that will be fun to write, (and hopefully, of course, to read.)  Based on the ideas I have, I think this definitely has the scope to be that book.

But fun or no, there are arbitrary targets to be met!  Because what's a writer without arbitrary targets?  This time around, the deadline is the end of August, which works out at 3000 words a week, give or take a few.  This time, too, I don't have the luxury of three months out of permanent employment.  So that measly 3000 words may not be as easy as it might seem.  Still, since I'm not starting until Tuesday - the first of February, again for reasons mostly capricious! - I only have to get down 2000 words in the first week.  Also, this time around I have a proper chapter plan, which for me is an innovation akin to the discovery of fire or the invention of table tennis.

I will, of course, be posting random updates on how I get on.  And that wordometer?  Expect it to go up some over the next few months.

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