In denial
It’s been a busy and at times challenging month. The new work in progress is going well. It still has a working title of Canongate 2, the plan and outline is complete and I’m more than halfway through. I had intended to finish the draft in October and that proved difficult. I tried to reason this out as initially there was no obvious reason why. I’m tired, I have a lot on at work, but that’s not unusual. I have my routine and was sticking to it, but the words were dripping out rather than flowing. It wasn’t happening as quickly as I imagined it would. I did a reboot in November, which involved taking what I had, refining the plan and resolving to do my best and managed to find my rhythm. I’ve now slipped again due to other events and that’s fine. I should make up ground next week and if I go a couple of days into December that’s okay. I will finish up this new draft and then let it rest until the New Year.
I think I’ve been in denial. I’m writing this new novel so I don’t have to face picking up the structural edit of The Clockmaker Conspiracy, and starting to work on that. I’ve also been dipping into a couple of novellas I have on the go to provide me with further distraction. I seem to prefer working on new product rather than finishing up what I’ve already started. Now I find writing new stuff is being hampered to an extent with the realisation that I really should be completing what I already have in draft. This is probably why Canongate 2 has proved challenging. I can’t give it my full, undivided attention, with all this other stuff I know I should be dealing with.
The obvious thing now of course is to put aside Canongate 2, and get on with Clockmaker and put the effort in to making it the best book it can be. That will mean putting to one side all other projects until such time as I have this novel under control. I have a voice in my head telling me I have no chance of that. Another voice is reasoning the opposite. It’s a busy place, my head. However, I can see the finish line in sight, so I’m going to keep going and complete this draft before I do anything else.
I saw a quote today which was along the lines of, the magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding. I will take this to heart and look for the magic in The Clockmaker Conspiracy.
The Fiction Factory 