Word Battle Stretches Into 2023

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I have been putting off posting about my progress because it is humbling to admit I failed to meet my goal. And yet I’m still writing, which is a monumental success. I can’t say enough about the importance of sticking to a routine, tracking progress, and setting realistic goals. I lose momentum when I ignore these things and veer dangerously close to stopping altogether.


On another note, I’ve poured a lot of time and energy into reading. A steady consumption of books (good or bad) is paramount to one’s writing development. I plan to share a list of what I’ve read each month. Stay tuned.


Lastly, committing to focus solely on writing my novel has meant little time to post flash fiction. Finishing a piece boosts my motivation to write. I plan to allow myself space to write and post one short story a month. January’s is titled “An Unexpected Bloom.”

Stats to Celebrate

Current Word Count: 64,848

Estimated Date of Completion of First Draft at Current Pace: Honestly? No idea. LOL. March 31, 2023 if I keep plodding on at this pace. Will be later in year if I continue struggling to adhere to my writing routine.

The Number of Scenes Wrapped: 37

I’m Feeling: Like I’ve wandered from the intended path onto an unfamiliar trail without a map. I know I’ll get to the end eventually, but how and when isn’t clear.

A Memorable Writing Moment: Made first serious attempt at writing an action scene. My appreciation has grown exponentially for authors who can convey exciting battle scenes. This is a skill I need to practice more!

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More News From Word Battle 2022

Another “letter home” from the frontlines of Word Battle 2022!

(Don’t know what Word Battle 2022 is? Click Here!)

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Hello Readers,

Wow! I’m in shock! I can’t believe I hit my goal of reaching at least 50,000 words by the end of November. I’m living proof that even when you’re wrestling with doubt, if you show up and put words on the page one day at a time, an actual book begins to take shape.


I’m setting the same goal for the end of December because the story clamors to have extra room to grow. I hope to have a crappy first draft to begin editing and revising in 2023. All my friends who have published successfully assure me that actual writing happens during editing!

Stats to Celebrate

Current Word Count: 50,617. 

Estimated Date of Completion of First Draft at Current Pace: December 31, 2022

The Number of Scenes Wrapped: 26

I’m Feeling: Triumphant! LOL! (Don’t worry. I won’t let the feeling go to my head. Tomorrow I’ll be back in front of the computer, wrestling to get the ideas down!)

A Memorable Writing Moment: Watching a secondary character come to life and demand attention! Crap! Is this a character arc for another book, or has someone just hijacked the plot???

News From the Word Battle Front

Here’s my first “letter home” from the frontlines of Word Battle 2022!

(Don’t know what Word Battle 2022 is? Click Here!)

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Hello Readers,

Today marks the tenth day in a row I’ve dragged myself out of bed early to carve out a solid four hours to work on the first draft of my science fiction novel, Jupiter’s Embrace.

I heard it takes thirty days to build a habit. If true, then I’m one-third of the way there! 

Stats to Celebrate

Current Word Count: 16,563. 

Estimated Date of Completion of First Draft at Current Pace: December 31, 2022

The Number of Scenes Wrapped: 8

I’m Feeling: Exhausted! LOL! (This tiredness is akin to the feeling one has after a day’s hiking or mountain biking on a challenging trail.)

A Memorable Writing Moment: Meeting my arch-villain face-to-face for the first time! 

Updates and Explanations

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To All My Readers: 

Please accept my apology for the long, unexplained absence.

For over a year, I’ve tried hard to write and post flash fiction on this blog multiple times a month while attempting to work on a novel.

An admirable goal, right?

Yes!

But alas, this has proven too much for me to take on all at once and I’ve much preferred posting shorter pieces, garnering likes, reading comments, and watching my audience grow. At the same time, the task of working on my novel seemed impossible.

After much deliberation, I decided to work exclusively on my novel until crafting the first draft. The working title is Jupiter’s Embrace, and I am happy to report in the past two months, I’ve finally been able to break through a wall in developing the story. 

I enjoy writing flash fiction and hope to return to it soon. But there is much work to be done before that happens.

Tomorrow is November 1st, and many of you know it’s time for NaNoWriMo

I’ve signed up to participate, hoping to find the motivation to finish the first draft of Jupiter’s Embrace before the year’s end. 

Have you been sitting on the idea for a novel? Join people from all around the world and me. It’s free, and there’s no harm in trying! 

Click the link below to find NaNoWriMo’s page.

Additionally, I’m participating in AJ Harper’s Word Battle 2022. The format allows for greater flexibility in setting your November goal. Write, edit, blog, do homework, or work on any other task that furthers your writing. It’s also free!

Not up for the pressure of NaNoWriMo? Join Word Battle 2022!

Click the link below to find Word Battle 2022 page. 

Lastly, I plan to post weekly updates about my progress. Stay tuned!