Plodding Along

In an attempt to be slightly more productive than I have in recent days/weeks/months, I have setup a type of incentive structure to help me keep my eye on the prize.  I am supposed to write at least one new chapter every week or two and send it to my friend Melanie.  She's been my main go to for feedback on my stuff in recent years, and has kindly agreed to help keep me honest in this effort.  She has a series of repercussions lined up for me in the event I get distracted and wander off the writing path again.  But more importantly (at least hopefully), is the fact that I have a deadline to shoot for and someone other than myself waiting for it.  I don't know if it's the trait of an only child or if it's based on personality or if it's just way more common than I realize, but I am loathe to do most things simply because they benefit me (sad I know).  However, if someone else is depending on me, I step up without question.  This was true regarding reading assigned readings in grad school just as it was true about going to the gym in undergrad.  If there was someone counting on me having notes on the things I was supposed to read or meet them at the gym, then I did my assignment and showed up on time.  The second the only person that was benefited by the readings was me, is the second I quit reading them, for the most part.  Some were good.  Same thing with the gym.  Ugh. Those are just two examples of what I have noticed is quite the pattern in my life.

I try not to be this person... but it's hard!

So, this is my attempt to force myself into doing things for me while trying to only minimally pull in another person.  For the record, she doesn't have to read the new chapters as I send them or at all.  It's just the fact that I have to get them to her.  Granted, I do think she will read them, which is always at the back of my mind.  There are some friends I know would never read the material I sent them even if it had won a Pulitzer.  While unfortunate and a little depressing, at least I know.  

Now that I've got you all caught up on what I am doing to try and force progress, it's time to actually report on my progress!  I've finished THREE chapters in my Angels story, and am getting ready to start Chapter 4.  Granted they have not been proofed or vetted to make sure they hit everything I want to hit and show things to the best advantage, at least it's progress.  And more importantly, most of that progress has been in the last two weeks.

What's even more alarming is that I am basically going in order, with the exception of coming up with one scene a few chapters ahead of where it needs to be and being slow to type the very first chapter, of how the story should be revealed to the reader.  I have a tendency to bounce around between parts of the book, but I am going to try and school myself and stay on track.  Who knows?  Maybe that's been my problem all along, I don't work my way through the timeline from start to finish like I should.  Yes, I have an outline and know where things are supposed to go and what is supposed to happen when, but maybe I need to go along with the reader to see if I feel the suspense, too, of wondering what will happen and how.

 

Here's hoping I will finish this book and many others to come...