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Accountability Post 2021 Week 19

Introduction to the Accountability Post 2021 Week 19

When I watched Dan Wells’ YouTube videos about story structure, I had hoped it would offer me a way forward for this series of books I conceived way too long ago. I started documenting the journey on this site in July 2016, but the genesis of these books stretches back into the early 1980s. It wasn’t until I tried to implement Dan Wells’ approach to story structure in the last week of 2020 that I started to make stead progress. In late April, I started feeling anxious, because I had been making too much progress! That’s terrifying, because after a dry spell of four and a half years, words flowed.

Actually, the dry spell started just after I left college in the mid 1980s. That’s a lot of dryness.

Sounds like I’m about to drop some momentous news, doesn’t it? It’s not huge yet; I’m not done. But this weekend, I finished a scene whose first draft I wrote in the late 1980s. It’s the thematic heart of the novel. It’s a key moment in two subplots and the main plot line. When I look at the words, I can’t deny that they exist. There they are! But, you know, it’s hard to believe. More than any fact that has ever faced me, I am struggling to accept that I’m going to finish this book. Material that’s been knocking around in my mind for decades emerged into the light of day. And I can’t deny it.

I’m really not sure how to react to this development, except to push on and finish. Because if history has taught me anything, it’s that when it comes to finding excuses to not write, I am amazing. I’m now in the final stretch to see if I can finish before my excuses adapt.

Why couldn’t my superpower be writing instead of not writing?

Accountability Post 2021 Week 19 By the Numbers

Last week, I hit 121,484 words on the back of 6,755 written during that week. Here’s how I did this week:

I’m still in a state of shock over how consistently I’ve written since the end of December 2020.

I am closing on on 130,000 with an official total of 129,649 words. That means I filed 8,165 words in the week. This reflects how long these scenes had been percolating in my subconscious. It’s one of those rare occasions where my fingers had a hard time keeping up.

Here are some key performance indicators for the week, above and beyond the word count:

  • I’ve hit plot point five for three of the sub plots (including the main plot)
  • I’ve hit plot point six for four of the sub plots

I’m still guessing, but I think this’ll probably hit 150,000 words. I should be able to wrap it up in another month or so. I’m starting to think about the next book and how long it’ll take. However, I’m trying to quash those thoughts. I know it can be valuable to look ahead, but I really want to keep focused and wrap up this puppy. Only then will I give myself permission to look ahead.

Feedback Welcome!

Do you have any news about what you’re working on? Any tips about how you keep focused? Have you read anything that struck your fancy? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!

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