Slow progress

Well, I've been writing every day for the past eleven days, so that's something to shout about. However, my daily word output seems to be gradually diminishing! I'm making slow progress on the book, and am positively crawling towards the end of chapter 33. It's funny how the words just flow some days and hardly come at all on others, but I think (I hope!) this is quite normal.
But, before the month is out, I've GOT to write R's thank you cards. This Saturday, I have to clean and 'prettify' (okay, this may be another of my made-up words!) our 'other house' and get it back on the market. But, at least we have lots of socialising to look forward to from Sunday onwards :o) And the days are finally getting longer; yes, yes, I know they have been doing that since December 22nd, but it's only now that it's become apparent, to me anyway!
I've just started pilates classes, and I am determined to get my neglected yoga practise kick-started again, until I regain my pre-pregnancy abs, dammit. I've been out walking with the pushchair twice this week and have another walk lined up this Sunday, weather permitting. I love cold, windy days - sounds mad but I think it really does blow away the cobwebs. Onwards and upwards!

Going great guns

I've just had a really productive week on the writing front, with 32 chapters now under my belt plus several more ideas re. plot and character development, and scene setting. If I can only keep this up for a week or two longer, I might even finish the first draft before Valentine's Day! I know I shouldn't get too upset if I don't achieve this, but I find I have to set myself a goal to work towards or my motivation just goes out of the window.
On a completely different note, until I get published, I'm still looking for part-time work and think I may have a possible lead on that front. I would have to pay for my own training and be self-employed, but, as I've always wanted to be my own boss, this isn't a problem. It mainly depends on how much my earnings would be and whether I can still spend enough time with my daughter. It would be good to have paid employment of some kind until I can get myself established as a writer.
Well, it's time to start R's bedtime routine, so I'd better sign off now.

Chapter 30

At long last I have finished writing chapter 30! It seems a funny place to get stuck, but I suppose the mind often works in mysterious ways. I'm still not sure how many more chapters there will be - I originally thought that 25 chapters would be about right, but I was clearly wrong! I'm sure I will have to later take out a few bits anyway, to make the story flow better, and I'll be adding in some descriptive details, so it will end up a completely different length once the first draft has been revised. According to all the books on writing that I've read, I'm still doing the 'easy part', which is a little worrying! If I could get the first draft done before the end of this month it would be nice. If I could get an old-fashioned housekeeper to take care of the household chores, then I reckon it would be do-able! Seriously though, I realise I need to pace myself and stop trying to race ahead all the time. But it helps to have a challenge.
The other challenge is solving our living situation, which unfortunately hasn't changed. Our 'other house' is currently undergoing a makeover - it's been a bit of an obsession of mine lately and taken a lot of organising, but it seems to be taking shape at last. By the time we've finished we're hoping it will be snapped up by one of the first viewers. If we can just get it finished and marketed by the end of the month...no pressure then!

The light at the end of a very long tunnel...

Not long after my last post I hit a wall (figuratively speaking) and have been lying in a wordless coma for almost two months. The dreaded writer's block kicked in as Life once again took over. Aside from the writing, it's been a tough couple of months for reasons which I won't go into. But today I started writing at 6am (I had intended to start at 7am, but some loud thumping from next door woke me rather earlier than expected) and did over 1,300 words in an hour! It's probably complete jibberish, but it's a start. And I've just completed over 700 words this afternoon in a good (but scary) writing exercise. I owe my inspiration to my new-found mentor, Dorothea Brande. She was a creative writing teacher in the '20s and '30s and her book, Becoming a Writer, is a real find! But the real challenge lies ahead - now I have got myself writing again, can I actually press on and finish the book? Only time will tell...