Got back to work on the Halloween story, and managed 4K words. Magic Meter says:
Alert readers may have noticed that the goal has increased somewhat. As I mentioned previously, my original goal was more like wishful thinking. This thing wants to be a novel, I think. But the overall limit for the Codex Halloween Contest is 7500 words, so that’s what I’m shooting for. I think I can take a significant chunk off the beginning, so that should help–assuming I finish this in time to spend a few days revising. The deadline’s October 1st.
It hasn’t helped my productivity any that I’ve been suffering a crisis of confidence with this one. But then, I had a similar problem with my last Halloween story, and that one turned out all right. So I’ll press on with it, and consequences be damned.
You know, it’s funny. In a recent post, I noted that 2008 has been a very good writing year for me. I’ve written the first draft of a novel, made some significant sales, and won a pretty major award in the field. And I still have another quarter of the year to go. You would think I’d be ready to take on the world at this point.
Instead, I have lately found myself plagued with self doubt. I’m convinced at the moment that Petra Released is nowhere near as good as Petra. My short story inventory is depleted, so the prospect of any more major sales is unlikely, at least in the near future. And writing awards don’t count for much when you’re starting a new story and staring down that same blank page you faced the last time out.
The only way to beat back the doubts, of course, is to write. Which I’ve spent the last week proving to myself . . . again.
Perverse, what we writers inflict on ourselves, ain’t it?
Yeah.
No updates for Write Club.
Outta here . . .
