Writing Log | Week 6
Day 1 — Sunday
Goal for the week: editing through Chapters 4 and 5. There’s a decent chunk of brand-new dialogue I need to work into Chapter 4, which hopefully I can tackle today during a nap.
Chapter 5 should involve mostly editing and cutting down word count. I’m prepping one new scene at the beginning since the last opening wasn’t very engaging. My mission is to make every chapter as engaging as possible for readers.
Day 2 — Monday
Up early to begin the week with writing. I’m hopping around Chapters 4 and 5 today to plan my edits and make some word count cuts where I can.
I keep thinking ahead to Chapter 6, where one of the first slower emotional beats has time to marinate…. I want to get to that chapter badly! Which means there’s groundwork I need to lay in Chapters 4 & 5 to make it hit even better. This is why we edit.
I got Chapter 4 down to 1,994 words — progress! Now I just need to work in one more small new bit of dialogue, but my 7-month-old just woke up, so I’ll have to save that for later.
Day 3 — Tuesday
Crazy work day + social plans in the evening = no writing done.
Day 4 — Wednesday
I hunkered down and got as much work done as possible today. Now the baby’s down and I can write! Back to Chapter 4’s new scene.
A quick sprint was all it took to wrap up Chapter 4. It’s up to 2,116 words now, but I should be able to cut a bit when I go through with a finer tooth comb in a little while. For now, I’m calling this one complete! It’s as though not writing yesterday bottled up energy that I was able to really channel and focus today.
Day 5 — Thursday
My husband was up at the crack of dawn for work this morning, so I took the opportunity to get up with him and write. On to Chapter 5 today! Starting at a bloated 2,584 words — and I need to add a new scene to the beginning.
I feel a little to tired to write the new scene today, so I’m focusing on cutting word count instead to make room.
A title for Book 2 just occurred to me! I live for these bursts of inspiration.
Day 6 — Friday
A new elevator pitch/query letter opening popped into my head as I was getting ready this morning! Wrote it down ASAP so I wouldn’t forget it.
Day 7 — Saturday
SO glad it’s the weekend. I’m working on chapter 5 this morning while the baby naps. I’m not sure I’ll get to rewrite the opening today, but I think I’ll be able to finish my first pass-through and word count cut.
Kind of a funny error that’s been cropping up: I keep misspelling one character’s name over and over again. Whoops.
All right — I’m now at 2,259 words. I think there’s more that I can cut if I rework the chapter to remove one scene and add some of its dialogue toward the end of the chapter when it might fit in more naturally. But that’s it for today — I have a busy weekend ahead!