After Monday’s “think it through without actually thinking about it” phase, Tuesday saw 3K new words get laid down, and a clear idea of where the next chapter’s going. I don’t know if I’ll get another 3k today, but it’s not going to be a stop-and-stare day, so it’s all a win.
Mystery writing is, in many ways, a series of writing yourself into a blind alley and then writing yourself (and your character) out again. Â No matter how well I outline, I’ve never been able to avoid that. Since it seems to work, I’m not going to beat myself up over it too badly.
Massive amounts of Other Work to be doing as well, and mostly it’s all getting done. Mostly. I’ve been very bad about juggling multiple projects lately. I’m going to assume it’s a phase, or a distraction or something, and not beat myself up about it too terribly. Especially since the ongoing Feline Medical Issues are not things I can control. All the deadlines are currently green and steady*.
Currently, anyway. I never expect that to last.
Some day I’ll even have the brainpower to write short fiction again. That would be nice….
*the deadline signals are as follows: green (sailing along, no worries about making deadline); yellow (a little stressed but in a good and normal way as we get to the close, time to slide a pizza under the door); pink (I’m only accepting calls from my parents and my agent, your email will be read eventually, I kind of forgot to eat); red (fuck you I’ll sleep when I’m done shut up). Blinking = signal intensifies. A friend has threatened to make an actual lamp for my window with those lights, for everyone else’s safety.