Having set myself the challenge to produce 10,000 polished words each month (see here), things weren't looking too good in the Factory of the Imagination this month. In fact, I called the Time & Motion crew in at one point on to see what was going on. By 16th June - over half-way through the month - I'd only got 3,333 words down, and the following day only managed another 333 words (I kid not, the Time & Motion crew made a note of these figures), so it seemed like the whole idea was going to glurp down the gurgler.
Never mind, I told myself, it was an interesting motivational idea, but quality is what I'm after, not words at any cost. And then, as if to prove this to the Shop Steward, I actually went backwards for a day. I polished and polished, until there were finer but fewer words on the factory floor.
Never mind, I told myself again (having used up every original phrase on the production line), if I can produce 333 words every day for 29 days and 343 on the 30th day, that's a sweet 10,000, but if I write nothing on some days, then surely 666 isn't too much to aim for, by way of catching up. I just have a lot of catching up to do, that's all. Who needs sleep after all?
Anyway, having taken the liberty of pushing the deadline back to this first day of a fortnight's holiday from my other workplace (yes, I'm moonlighting, so sack me!), I think I can save face by reporting that I've covered just over 9,000 words this last month, having reached 49,167. Phew! It was a close thing, but that's close enough.
Now to see if I can shape 10,833 words in the next 27 days. Hmm.
I have to get this novel finished before I go mad.
I have to get this novel finished before I go mad.
