Day Thirty-one - 59,224 words and counting

I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.

Here I am, at the end of my first month of writing. It feels like I've been doing this for much, much longer than a month. Not in a bad way--it's just starting to feel completely normal to spend nearly two hours a day before work on my writing, and then more in the evenings if necessary.

I can already foresee the emotions I will feel when this novel is finished. Triumph, but also a feeling of loss. I can understand how writing becomes habit forming, and I'm thoroughly hooked.

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I always feel kind of bad when I do horrible things to my characters, and Zeoly's backstory is one of those times. It was meant to parallel the scene where Bryony was set middling, because it's a similar sort of punishment. It comes unexpectedly, in front of whoever happens to be there at the time, and it is not pleasant. And I'm sorry to say that it won't be the last time we see someone brought low. (Come on, you thought I was going to set that up and then not use it? Honestly.)

I tried to get several things across in the section with Zeoly--her reasons for hating the highborn, her affection for Sili, and the genesis of Bryony's new approach to being one of the middling. the first two I accomplished; the second is more fully realized as she talks to Devan in the next scene.

So what about Bryony and Devan? Yes, he's a major character. Yes, he's important to Bryony. But unless you've peeked at my notes, you probably won't guess the direction this is going. (No, dammit, they're not related. This isn't Star Wars.) I find their relationship satisfying, though whether anyone else does is up in the air.

And so ends October. I nearly managed 60,000 words, and if I weren't so tired I'd push ahead for the extra 800. But there's no rush. I'm making steady progress, and anyway, I finished more than 4 days ahead, if you get right down to it.

Chapter 15 continues tomorrow!

Today's Total: 2,135 / 1,689 words (126.4%)
Progress to Date: 59,224 / 52,347 words (113.1%, 4.1 days ahead)
October Progress: 59,224 / 52,347 words (113.1%)
November Progress: 0 / 50,670 (0.0%)
Est. Completion: 59,224 / 250,000 words (23.7%, 113 days to go)