WIP Technomancer Excerpt: A Glimpse into Finn’s High-Tech World

Continuing to share the opening scenes from my current work in progress, Technomancer. This is the novel I completed during NaNoWriMo.

Finn looked down the street without focusing on any single shop, building, or person. He felt the neighborhood as much as watched it. Despite the late hour, people were out and about living their lives without realizing they were watched, even in darkness. He knew. He had helped build the modern surveillance state.

Finn’s apartment building stood as an unassuming testament to everyday life. Its brick exterior was well-worn and faded, its once-vibrant colors now dulled by the passage of time and the relentless exposure to the elements. The building, a four-story structure with a pitched roof, blended seamlessly into the fabric of the community – an unremarkable presence amidst the myriad hues and architectural styles that defined the area.

It was safe in its anonymity. Nothing stood out on it to draw the eye. He glanced at his phone, checking his security systems and the spy-eyes he had scattered around the blocks near his home. The government would love to know how he managed to surveil the area without using local spectrum to transmit images. He smiled to himself. They would likely kill to keep others from being able to establish the quantum entangled communications he had perfected. It was just one of the secrets he needed to protect.

Elara stayed close to him, still disguised in his jacket. Something had troubled her in the subway. He had felt her stiffen and then drop her shoulders as if depressed by a sight, but nothing had stood out to him. His plan to spoof the video feeds in the station had gone off easily. They had boarded the third train into the station and then been whisked uptown to his neighborhood. He had stopped the interference with spy-eyes on a long section of tunnel around midtown.

Finn guided his newest problem through the entryway of his building and up the stairs to the third floor and the door of his apartment. There was nothing special to see on the door, but he knew it was far from typical. A glance at his phone confirmed it had not been touched or opened since he had departed. It unlocked with a tap of his thumb on his device, both the lock and doorknob untouched. His security was far better than simple mechanical locks.

The door opened to reveal a cozy living space filled with warm light. During the day, natural light from the north would stream in through large windows, bringing a hint of the outside in. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with volumes on various scientific disciplines and technological innovations. The scent of cooking hung in the air brought from various vents in the building, mingling with the faint aroma of fresh paint and the distant echoes of laughter and conversation. It was a comforting clutter to Finn.

Elara followed him inside and watched as he closed the door and placed his hand against a small panel to the side. He held it there until it glowed red, then blue, and finally settled on a pale green hue. He dropped his hand and sighed.

“We’re as safe as I can make us,” he said with a smile.

Elara looked at him, clearly wondering what was next. She glanced around the room, looking at the books on shelves and spread about. Elara’s gaze lingered on the plush couch, invitingly soft and well-worn from years of use. The warmth radiating from its cushions seemed to beckon her in, offering comfort if she chose to sit and relax.

Elara nodded, then pushed back the hood and unzipped her jacket. “Where are we?” she asked in her soft tone.

“My home. It’s safe,” Finn replied.

“No,” she said, shaking her head with a hint of frustration. “What realm are we in? This place, these people, they are not from any realm I know. Where are we?”

Finn scratched the stubble of his scruffy beard. “We’re here. I don’t know of any other realm. Where are you from?”

He was ready for the crazy to come back out, but now did not feel the fear of pursuit. She did not act crazy, but scared. Maybe she was from someplace else. Finn was not going to assume she had broken with reality until she provided some more proof to his first thought of her. He was not quickly judgmental like that. 

“Elysia,” she said softly. “I was born on the Ethereal Plains but raised in the Enchanted Forest. I was just starting my trials for the Moon Goddess when raiders attacked a village I was passing through. They took me and every woman younger than me. I think we went to the Realm of Shadows then.” A shudder passed through her, and her eyes took on a haunted look. She looked around fearfully for a moment, then looked back at Finn with a pleading expression. She looked down.

Finn followed her gaze, seeing her filthy feet. They were perfectly shaped and delicate, but dirty from walking barefoot through the city. He shook his head.

“You should clean up,” he said. “We can talk afterward. For now, let’s get you clean and settled a bit. The bathroom is down there,” he added with a wave of his hand to the short hallway leading to the bathroom and two bedrooms of the apartment.

Elara nodded, dropped his jacket on a chair, and walked away from him. His eyes followed her sinuous gait, admiring her beautiful figure. He shook his head again as she stepped through the doorway to the bathroom. He heard the water for the shower turn on.

Finn looked at the wallboard with the strings of connections he had tracked and verified. The proof from tonight made previously tenuous relationships more concrete. He had proof of the evil being done. Now he needed to expose the facts he had compiled. He turned on the stove and filled a kettle for tea. Who could he trust to bring this story to light?

What do you think? Does it make you want to read more? Drop a like or comment and let me know what you think. All feedback is appreciated.

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Identifying Plot Gaps in Your Novel

I’ve been continuing with my review of my draft novel. I fully believed I had completed it from a plot perspective. Much to my chagrin, a review for editing has shown a big gap in the story.

Here’s what happened.

As part of the review I have begun, I created a tally of the major plot beats using the MICE quotient approach. I couched these in terms of reader promises. Without giving spoilers, these notes looked something like this:

  • Promise: Elara resisting/overcoming Malachi’s spells and defeating him.
    • Opens: Chapter 1
    • Set-back: Chapter 6 — Notes on what the setback was
    • Set-back: Chapter 7 — Notes on how Elara is affected by set-back
    • Progress: Chapter 8 — Notes on what the progress is.
    • etc.
    • Resolved: Chapter 29 — climax of conflict

Doing this for each of the main character arcs was beneficial, but it also identified one (so far) hanging plot line that never reached the “Resolved” state. Oops.

Not all bad…

Putting the effort into tracing these beats in a structured manner has not been just bad news from a story perspective. It has also gotten me re-engaged with the story and let me do some simple clean-up as I trace the tale and conflicts.

I’ve been using Ulysses, a Mac/Apple specific writing tool for this novel and must say some of its features make this tracing exercise very easy to perform. Each scene in the book is a separate “sheet” within a “group” in the overall book. This lets me insert or move scenes without worrying about cut/paste errors or formatting. This gives me great flexibility in moving scenes around while looking at the overall plot progression and structure of the tale.

Ulysses also has inline notes and other features that let me add items to fix or notes to myself as I’m performing my review prior to re-writing.

Starting my editing process with this tool, has made me a big fan of it. I’m sure there are features I’ll request or suggest, but for now, I think I’ve got a good workflow for writing, so that’s a win.

If any readers have alternative approaches to preparing for editing, please do share with a comment. In the meantime, I’ll get back to revising and editing.

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Navigating Writing Challenges: Tips for Revising Your Manuscript

I’ve been off of writing for a couple of weeks due to company visiting around the holidays. One reason I pushed to complete my NaNoWriMo well before the end of November was to give me the breathing room to prepare for guest. After taking a break, I’ve gone back into my work in progress and started to revise and polish.

It’s proving as much a challenge as writing the first draft!

My problem is I’ve lost that emotional high of hitting a word-count goal every day. Instead of knocking out two thousand words a day, I’m going through the manuscript scene-by-scene and editing. A day may see the total word count drop if I cut a scene.

I’m also using this first draft review to give myself notes which will result in added words, but it does not feel like I am progressing as fast as I did during the more rigorous writing of last month.

I’m focusing on some of my own advice from a prior post to “Start before you feel ready.  Stop before you feel done.” To help with this, I’ve blocked out time in my day to spend on these edits and additions. I still want to have the “real” first draft complete before the end of the year, so fingers crossed.

My current challenges & approach

  • Missing character development details. My two main characters are thrown together early in the story, and develop a working relationship, but I gloss over too much of that relationship. This means I have to go back and add some scenes. I’m fine doing that work, but I have to make certain all of the details line up in the broader timeline of the story. This makes it slow work. To help with this, I’m reading through each chapter and adding in notes on the state of the relationship in each chapter. For example, if Finn and Elara are supposed develop trust by chapter ten, I need to show distrust earlier and what actions one or the other takes to build some rapport and trust before it becomes critical to the broader plot.
  • Missing closures on story arcs. I’ve got a lot of threads weaving through the tale, and have found a few that are not effectively resolved. This will require additional scenes or chapters to give the reader a satisfying resolution to the story. Currently, I’m adding notes on missing elements or resolutions in the chapter I spot them in. I also have added notes on the “promises” I’ve made to the reader. For instance, the opening chapters and scenes set an expectation that the agents chasing Finn will catch him or somehow resolve their case against him. This is not as clear as I would like, so I have started adding notes along the way that will move them closer to catching him or revealing what he was doing well before the climax and resolution of that plot line.
  • Needing additional characters. I am a discovery writer. I had the main characters identified during my initial ideation and early work, but needed to add minor characters to move things along. Several “lesser” characters hint at broader aspects of the world, making the narrative feel forced in certain areas. These issues, I think, will remain unresolved until I get some external feedback on the first draft.

If any of you readers have ideas on how to handle any of these challenges, please do share with a comment. In the meantime, I’ll get back to revising and editing.

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Thanksgiving in the USA

This week, on my regular posting day (Thursday), it is Thanksgiving in the USA. Despite the political divide, let’s remember the many blessings our nation enjoys. I don’t claim to have the most accurate assessment of our country’s condition, but I’m grateful that we’re still engaged in constructive dialogue, seeking peaceful solutions to our challenges. 

As we approach this Thanksgiving, I want to extend my warmest wishes to each and every one of you. May this day be filled with gratitude and joy, as we take a moment to reflect on the blessings in our lives. Let’s focus on the things we’re thankful for, rather than dwelling on our worries or anxieties about the world around us. Together, let’s create a positive and uplifting atmosphere, filled with love and appreciation. Happy Thanksgiving!

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WIP: Escape to the Unknown

Continuing to share the opening scenes from my current work in progress, Technomancer. This is the novel I completed during NaNoWriMo.

The alarm startled Finn, sending a surge of adrenalin through him and time seemed to slow. Should he duck and hide? The movement would attract attention, which he wanted to avoid. If he ran, they would surely follow. In a split second, as he sensed a head emerge from around the edge of the door, he decided.

He leaned forward and kissed the strange woman in his arms. She stiffened, as if to fight him off, but he wrapped her tightly in his arms, praying she would relax and not struggle. Thankfully, she did.

Her grip loosened, and she raised her fingers to the back of his head, almost caressing his scalp. Her lips were soft, inviting, and a delight to feel against his own even as he listened to the sounds mixed with the blaring of the alarm. No footsteps that he could hear.

Then the door slammed shut, and the alarm stopped, leaving the night eerily quiet in its aftermath.

Finn dropped his arms and stepped back.

“I’m sorry,” he said quickly, hoping to avoid any ire aimed his way.

The woman looked at him with … something. Longing? Appraisal? He was not sure what she was thinking but was glad she only nodded.

“We need to be going,” he said. “They may come back.”

“Why are they after you?” she asked in her soft tone, barely above a whisper.

“Long story,” he said. “They are after me because I’m after some bad people. I’ll tell you more later.”

He turned her toward the street and took her hand in his, glancing down at his phone clutched in his other hand. Still no warnings of surveillance.

Street, then turn left, he thought. Half a block to the subway. I can spoof the ticket gate, so no risks there. I’ll jam the cameras once we are on the platform. Depending on the trains, we’ll see how long we stay. Maybe the first train, possibly the second.

He knew every train made the agent’s search coverage expand exponentially. At this hour, any station would be busy. The subway was perfect to get lost in. They might revert to the surveillance feed, but his phone would thwart that.

He glanced out the side of his eye, admiring the calm, careful movements of his companion. She was beautiful and so graceful, as if every movement was planned and practiced until it was perfect. He had never seen someone like her before.

Then he realized the problem she would create. If the agents had seen her, she would stand out on surveillance footage. Her striking silver hair would be a beacon to them and an obvious lead to follow up on. Finn would either need to keep jamming their view, and risk creating a moving bubble of obscurity that would lead them to his neighborhood, or he had to find an alternative before they entered the subway. He would not leave her behind. He had given his word to help her.

Finn stopped her just short of the street.

“Here,” he said as he slipped off the canvas jacket with its soft fabric hood. He held it open for her. “We need to make you stand out less,” he said. “If we’re going to get away, I need you to wear this, and pull up the hood.”

She nodded and slipped her arms into the jacket. The teasing sight of her smooth skin barely covered by the thin gossamer fabric of her dress sent a rush of lust through him. Finn forced those thoughts away, even as the memory of their kiss bubbled up in his mind. The sight of her plunging neckline was enticing. It had been too long. Colleen had been the last girl in his life, and that was over three years ago. 

“Zip it up,” he said with a twinge of regret as he reached to pull the hood up and cover her head.

She shook her head, buttoned the jacket and then gathered her silver strands in a hand to make a simple twisted braid before tucking it inside the hood and hiding it from sight. Even in a drab work jacket, she looked spectacular to Finn.

“Okay,” he said. “We’re going out to the street and to the left. The subway is only a half block away. Hold on to my hand so we don’t get separated.”

She nodded and took his hand.

“I’m Elara,” she said softly as he stepped off.

Finn stopped. He looked at her and smiled. “I’m Finn.”

Elara let the strange sights swirl past her, absorbed more than noticed. The cacophony assaulted her ears as they descended smooth rock stairs into a bustling cavern filled with people moving with purpose. Finn waved his hand device at the standing cage blocking their path and then pushed her through in front of him. She panicked for a moment but forced the fear down. Her feet clung to something on the floor, and she marveled at the scents assaulting her from all the people hurrying on their way.

Down another set of stairs, then into a long tunnel with a broad platform lining a lower portion. This must be the subway Finn had mentioned. Why not just call it a tunnel?

Then a strange sound, like a dull roar of water, could be heard in the tunnel. A moment later, as light appeared, followed by a moving string of metal and glass boxes. The contraption stopped by the platform and doors slid open as if by magic. People emerged from the metal beast, and then people on the platform walked on.

Elara felt a sinking in her stomach as she watched the door close. In all the realms of Elysia, she had never heard of such a strange device.

Where was she?

What do you think? Does it make you want to read more? Drop a like or comment and let me know what you think. All feedback is appreciated.

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NaNoWriMo: Week Three

Victory!

I’m participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I’m focusing on finishing the first draft of my work in progress, tentatively titled Technomancer. I’ve shared some of the character background and opening chapters of the work here as well.

This week, I reached my goal of 50,000 words in the month, reaching 50,091 on Nov 20th.

  • I’m writing earlier in the day, with most of my writing between 8:00 and 9:00 AM.
  • My peak day is still a Saturday with 6,099 words written.
  • I’m averaging 2,529 words per day.

The novel is not yet “complete” in first draft form, since I have a few threads to tie of in the epilogue portion of the book, but it is very close. Overall word count is currently 94,523 and one goal was to keep it around 100k words or less.

I will post the final chapter of the first part of the book as a WIP: posting next Monday, and hope to have the first revision on the draft completed before the end of the year.

A few things I’ve learned during this 20-day journey:

  • Having a regular writing cadence helps me stay focused on moving the story forward. Yes, I wanted to keep pace on the goal I set to be done this week, but more importantly, I was able to write in the mornings and plan the next installment as I got on with life in the afternoons.
  • The structure of the challenge also forced me to embrace the idea of starting before I was ready and stopping before I was done. Continuing to develop this habit and practice is something I’ll focus on going forward.
  • I had a rough outline that helped guide me, but wish I had more fully plotted out the different character arcs I wanted. I’ll be revisiting each of those in the editing process.

Would I do it again? Absolutely. I encourage anyone thinking of writing a novel to jump into next years’ challenge, or just do it and start now. Set a goal and start writing!

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WIP: Finn’s Thrilling Escape: A Scene from Technomancer

Continuing to share the opening scenes from my current work in progress, Technomancer. This is the novel I’m working to complete during NaNoWriMo.

Finn could hear the agents in the stair well high above him. He kept his steps light as he hugged the wall and avoided exposing himself should they look over the flimsy railing of this escape route. His shoes were sturdy and laced tight, with rubberized soles that absorbed the light sound of his footfalls. He pulled the hood of his canvas work coat up over his head, hiding his dark, wavy mop of hair. He needed to trim it back to the close-cropped cut he usually kept. For now, he let it grow out, just in case he needed a hasty haircut to alter his appearance.

He thought about his options as he descended as quickly as he could without alerting his pursuit. Two doors were at the bottom of this stairwell. One would go back into the maintenance and service area of the building. The other into the alley separating this building from its neighbor. He would be exposed in the alley, at least until he could make it to the street, but the maintenance area only had one other exit, aside from the service elevator which was most likely being monitored by now.

He reached the ground floor and stopped, listening. How much time did he have? The slap-slap-slap of leather on stairs gave little sense of distance, but he guessed they were at least six or seven floors above him. The exit was in the middle of the alley. If he was lucky, he could make the street before they reached the floor.

He eased the doorway open. He had carefully oiled the hinges of doors along all his escape routes days ago and bypassed alarms. Finn glanced at his phone. No active surveillance in the area. The agents should have deployed drones or spy-cams around the building before trying to catch him. Maybe they did not want a record of their actions. It was a sobering thought.

He slipped through the door and closed it carefully. No loud bangs or thuds telling his pursuers which way he had gone. He tapped an icon on his phone and felt the electronic contact in the doorframe release. If they opened the door, the alarm would sound. It might convince them to resume their search inside.

“Now just make it to the street,” he said softly.

He stepped around the garbage dumpster and started to jog toward the end of the alley. The street he was heading for was on the opposite block of the entrance they must have used to reach him. Getting to the street, he could turn south and be down on the subway in half-a-block. Once down there, they could never follow him. He just needed a crowd to mingle in and activate his phone, then surveillance would be fuzzed for twenty yards around him. They would have no hope of following all the people suddenly hidden. Hop on a train, stop the jammer in a tunnel, and he would be one of the anonymous masses once more.

He heard the soft sobbing and slowed to locate its source. No one was around, but the sound grabbed his attention. Then he saw her. She shimmered, as if coming into focus in the night.

Her silver hair shone in the faint light of the alley, amplifying moonlight that was hidden by the tall buildings and scattered clouds above the city. She was sitting on a milk crate, with her knees hugged to her chest, wearing a light silky dress of blue and green. He noticed the silver bracelets on her ankles with jewels showing. She would not have them long, if she stayed around this part of the city.

She looked up at him as he stopped his flight. Her long, cascading silver hair fell in waves around her shoulders, framing her sharp features and piercing emerald eyes. The delicate curves of her face accentuated by the high cheekbones, giving her an air of regality, while her lips were full of promise, set in determination as she stifled her crying. Her complexion was pale, with faint freckles just visible in the poor light, giving her a youthful and sun-kissed appearance. 

Finn shook his head, careful not to dislodge his glasses. Chivalry warred with self-preservation. His pursuers could come out any moment.

“Are you alright?” he asked, glancing back over his shoulder.

“No,” she said in a flat tone, as if it should be obvious, she had problems.

Finn sighed. He didn’t have time for this. He also knew it was not in his nature to leave her in distress. Maybe it was a simple issue, he thought.

“Look, I want to help you, but I’ve got my own problems. Do you want help or not?”

She nodded and stood. She was almost his height. “I need to find a man I don’t know, in a place I’ve never been, and my goddess has abandoned me. Can you help?”

He shook his head. A crazy woman. He was on the run for his life and stopped to help a crazy woman. It didn’t matter if she was beautiful and mysterious, she was going to get him caught and killed, or worse.

“Possibly,” he said without thinking. He knew he could solve most challenges, given time to think. It was his habit to not shy away from any problem. “But I can’t do it here, and I can’t get caught here. If you come with me, I promise to try to help. Will that work?”

The woman flung her arms around him just as the night was shattered by the piercing blare of a door’s security alarm going off. 

What do you think? Does it make you want to read more? Drop a like or comment and let me know what you think. All feedback is appreciated.

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NaNoWriMo: Week Two

I’m participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I’m focusing on finishing the first draft of my work in progress, tentatively titled Technomancer. I’ve shared some of the character background and opening chapters of the work here as well.

This week, my pace has fallen some, but I’m still ahead with a planned completion date of Nov 20th. My current stats:

  • 35,711 words written in 14 days, (71.4% of goal)
  • I’m writing earlier in the day, with most of my writing between 8:00 and 9:00 AM.
  • My peak day is still a Saturday with 6,099 words written.
  • I’m averaging 2,550 words per day.

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WIP: Forsaken Powers – Elara’s Quest

Continuing to share the opening scenes from my current work in progress, Technomancer. This is the novel I’m working to complete during NaNoWriMo.

A palpable stench assaulted Elara’s senses, a noxious blend of decay and filth. The pungent tang of rotting food mingled with the rank aroma of spoiled garbage, its sickly sweetness clinging to her nostrils and forcing her to wake, gagging. Decomposing organic matter gave way to a sharper, more pungent smell – the unmistakable stink of putrefying meat and fish. The sour, acrid odor of urine added another layer to the cacophony, a reminder that this was a place where nature fought a constant battle against decay and filth. It was a smell that spoke of neglect, disarray, and the unyielding passage of time.

Elara groaned, and forced her eyes open, afraid to see what foul place she had been thrown into now.

“Goddess, help me,” she pleaded softly as she spotted the barest hint of moonlight edging its way into the filthy alleyway she awoke in. Garbage was obvious in the large metal bins pushed against one wall. Dirty rainwater, she hoped it was water, puddled the rough street, and she heard strange sounds from the distant opening. A few lights shown through the mouth of the narrow passage.

She took hold of herself, realizing she was still naked except for the silver anklets with their tiny jewels and moonstones. She reached out with her mind, seeking the cool comforting connection to the powers her goddess had granted. The barest trickle of power would clothe her. It was one of the first lessons an acolyte learned, weaving the moon beams into clothes.

For the first time since learning the weave, her goddess’ power eluded her. The loss of her connection hit her as hard as the wizard’s fist had. She struggled to sit up and hugged her knees to her tightly. Where was her patron? Why had the connection been lost? How?

Alone. She could sense none of her sisters in the order. She could not feel Mother Nightbloom, the only woman she had granted the appellation of mother. Elara had always had someone of the order on the periphery of her awareness. Even in the dungeon of obsidian, she could feel a tenuous connection to the women of the temple in the Enchanted Forest. Of course, there it had been nearly overwhelmed by the emotions of the other prisoners. Now, it was simply absent. The magnitude of her loss sent a shiver through her soul, and she felt unbidden tears touch her face.

Alone. Not only were her friends and sisters gone, but her goddess was also as well. The usual sense of comfort and reassurance was absent.

She sucked in a deep breath of the putrid air, wishing for some hint of home, only to remind herself of the many lessons from her training.

“Have pity for others, but it has no place in your actions,” Mother Nightbloom had instructed. “Do not waste time pitying your circumstances, do something about them!”

She focused inward, seeking the place where she felt the peace of the goddess. This too, she had been deeply trained in. Her years as an initiate had prepared her mind and body for the trials of being an acolyte. Her years as an acolyte had honed powers that mere mortals could only imagine. She had reached the final trials to be anointed a priestess five years earlier than most expected to achieve that rank. She would not be deterred.

Elara reached out once more, focusing on the memory of the power granted to her. She resisted the urge to strain for it, opening herself and waiting until she felt the lightest of touches on her awareness. The power was there, but faint like an echo in her mind. Regardless, she willed that trickle to manifest. She felt the soft caress of cloth on her skin and opened her eyes.

It was not the full gown of a priestess as she had envisioned, but a short dress of blues and greens. At least it covered her nakedness. She felt drained from the effort but forced herself to stand and move away from the stench of the container hiding her from the main street. A crate of some strange material was a few steps further down the alley. She sat, exhausted, but determined to try once more to weave the moonbeams.

Before she could reach the meditative state of calm again, a new sensation intruded upon her. A longing, not for the goddess, but for a man. She relaxed her mind, trying to fathom who the man was. It was not the magician who had raped her before casting her out, that much she was certain of. She shuddered at the thought of the evil man’s touch even as she realized she could feel his seed leaking from within her. She needed a bath.

No, the man she sought was not a magician, but someone of power from this world. She knew she needed to find him. A man of power, but she could think of no name, no face, no way of identifying him. She only felt the need to search and find.

A geas! That evil bastard was using her to find someone, she realized.

She knew of spells to impose a geas. Only the highest priestesses were allowed to use them, but she knew the signs. The flames of her anger were blown brighter. Her goddess had truly forsaken her if she could not fight this compulsion on her mind. While she wanted to resist the pity welling up in her throat, her loss was all consuming. For the first time since being raised as an acolyte, she cried with the nearly silent sobs from her childhood.

Alone and abandoned again.

What do you think? Does it make you want to read more? Drop a like or comment and let me know what you think. All feedback is appreciated.

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NaNoWriMo Update : First Week

I’m participating in NaNoWriMo this year. I’m focusing on finishing the first draft of my work in progress, tentatively titled Technomancer. I’ve shared some of the character background and opening chapters of the work here earlier as well.

I’m pleased to share that one week into the challenge, I am 170% ahead of my planned goal pace. I aim to finish 50,000 words by the end of the month.

A few other facts from the project tracking at NaNoWriMo:

  • I’m averaging 3,268 words per day
  • I do most of my writing between 9 AM and 10 AM
  • My peak writing day was a Saturday, with 6,099 words written.
  • If I keep up this pace, I’ll reach my goal by Nov 15th.

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