After yesterday's effort, 'Z' has already reached the dizzy heights of 18,500 words. I'm not quite sure how that has come about, but there you are! Based on average word count per 'episode' and the number of episodes to come, the outturn is looking like something in the mid 90,000s. I'm not surprised by this … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 26th June →

Five or six weeks today I will hopefully be writing the relevant 'Yesterday and Today' entry from my new study, our new house. We're starting to pack things into boxes, and I am only a couple of weeks away from needing to tackle my study... It's an exciting prospect, but one which is also increasingly … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 25th June →

A particularly quiet day yesterday saw me draft a little more of 'Z', plus do some admin work around both New Contexts: 5 and next week's Contextual reading event. With submissions for NC:5 closing next Friday, a week today will see me begin the process of beginning the process of selection for the anthology. That's … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 24th June →

One of the reasons why drafting 'Z' is so straightforward is because the narrative is worked out in detail, step-by-step right through to the end. Essentially I'm writing to a 'to do' list. Doesn't sound very edifying, does it? When working on it yesterday, one of the key side effects of being in such a … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 23rd June →

While working on 'Z' yesterday I found myself able to articulate a challenge I suspect many long-fiction writers face. I have worked out the major events in each of fourteen characters' lifetimes from birth to the present day. The narrative is told in the present tense. The omnipotent narrator knows all of this history of … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 22nd June →

I was half expecting something of a storm yesterday when I confessed my preference for The Hobbit over The Lord of the Rings (film versions). But nothing. This was in relation to some recent binge-watching. So here's another go. Last month I watched the three Godfather films to back-to-back; I far prefer number 2, and … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 21st June →

I have a confession to make. Having binge-watched Shakespeare recently, yesterday I finished viewing all six films in The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings franchise. And what well-made, exciting, CGI-filled films they are. But... ...the experience confirmed to me why I don't read or write such escapism; there are more important things for me … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 20th June →

170 days of consecutive posting - it will be interesting to go back at the end of the year and remind myself what 2023 contained... As for yesterday? Very similar to the previous three days in that I'm chipping away at 'Z' to keep my writing muscles active - yet all the while waiting for … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 19th June →

It might be a shade controversial, but it's possible to make writing 'easy'. Certainly that's how coming back to 'Z' felt as I rattled off another chunk yesterday. Okay, if not 'easy' then 'easier'... It's all about process, and for 'Z' I took an entirely different process to my normal one. 1 - Forgetting about … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 18th June →

'Z' featured front and centre yesterday, and I have concluded that - whether or not it's something the story has a long-term future - it's just nice to be writing. I am aware that sounds a little twee, but I think we can get so wrapped up in the process, the desire to hit deadlines, … Continue reading Yesterday & Today: 17th June →