Not sure if you'd really like the boats Dee, looks pretty wet and dark to be out on the water.

Sorry to hear that you're not well Myrtle. Wrap up and keep warm and just raise a glass with us.

I don't see me hitting the 30,000 word target by Monday, but am pleased with the stuff that's coming out. Am nearly up to 17,000 and am hoping for another 5,000 by Monday.

So cheers to us all!



<Added>

And yes, the clock here is wrong for it's just about midnight!

<Added>

And total climbed to 19,600 before I turned in.

Well done, Issy.

I'm just 500 words short of my target and I don’t think I’ll get any more done tonight. Still, I'm very pleased with the amount I've written.

How about everyone else?

Dee

Well done, Dee.

I managed a picture book text yesterday, despite throbbing sinuses - I really had to do something to mark the start of the year...

Issy, have you written yourself into the ground?

Good going, Myrtle, especially as you’re poorly. Hope you feel better soon.

Dee

Thanks Dee.

Great news Dee and Myrtle too. Am pleased that this has worked.

I am 800 short of the second target ie 22,000. But this first (very rough) draft has come to its natural end sooner than I thought. Loads of rewriting to do and will swell out a lot next time round, but at least a complete version to work on. I intend to leave it for a while now.

I am in that strange place when I've written the end scene and the characters are still with me, and have that sad/happy feeling. I don't know how to describe it - sort of empty and lost - but am hoping you know what I mean.

Thanks for joining me. I don't think I would have got there without the companionship. I would have given into the TV and the celebrating far more than I did. Meet up again next New Year - or even another bank holiday when we're not doing much?

Hi everyone. I'm ashamed to say that I spent Christmas lazing about on a tropical island but, as I promised myself (and you!), I am around this week & started well yesterday (a day late but 1st spent treating myself to new stationery - always a good motivator & Bangkok is definitely the place for shopping). Wrote up 4 chapters of the penultimate draft of my novel - not bad though the beginning is always the easy bit as I have already worked a lot on that) - but intend to keep going for the rest of this week. I don't think I'll finish the whole draft - slightly ambitious of me to promise that - but I do hope to get a substantial amount done as my kids are away &, though I'm working, it is pretty low key this week.
Happy New Year to you all - it is 2549 here in Bangkok.

That's great stuff Apsara - it just isn't easy to pull away from all the activities around, especially with children.

I am with you this week, returning to work on 10th. I am putting the book I have been working on to one side now to "germinate" and am going back to another on the back burner for a massive edit and entering a competition this month. Planning on getting through the edit this coming week - unless I have to stop as there is the possibility of other writing work as part of an application for paid writing (yes I know - fascinating idea that we could actually get paid)

So plan is major editing this week and next. Very intense.

So shall we swop progress reports?

Yes, that would be good. I managed another chapter (a long one) yesterday. I am still officially working & have to move house at the weekend but my children are with their father for 2 weeks so it feels like I have loads of time.
Paid work - that sounds interestingm, would love to know more about it. Hope the editing is going well - I am envious that you have 2 full pieces of work on the go - I have struggled through this one all last year & have never finished a novel. That's why it's so important to do this one - otherwise I'll give up & stick to poetry - which I also need to work on - but that's another project.....

Sounds like everyone did well!

I got my novel edited again, but did sod-all else! But then I don't really have a decent space to write easily at the moment (long story!).

Cath

That's great news - the other chapter. Sounds good also to have some free time away from family.

I haven't even got the book open on the computer for the editing. Things have gone desperately haywire. It's very complicated, and comes down to being a bit wary about the paid writing that I mentioned. All pretty draining.

I have made a decision to get started later on this evening. I won't have the details about the paid work until tomorrow at the earliest, so can make a decision then.

All the best for the next chapter. All sounds very positive to me.