Weeks 18 & 19 - No Access to Bad Habits

A combination of internet provider issues (they didn’t) and a trip to the Lakes and north Norfolk (they looked closer together on the map) has resulted in there being a longer than usual wait between blogs.

It got me thinking about habit, though. Just like brushing your teeth, writing can - and should - become a habit. I was always conscious that I had missed a week’s blog; something that would not have happened if the blog had been more ad hoc.

And this applies to writing. While I have been without access to the internet, my trusty MacBook has travelled with me and has been a blessing. It’s amazing what can happen when there’s a laptop impatiently sitting in the corner when you haven’t written anything for a couple of days. Habit again.

Not that I’m saying you should never take a break - you should - but when fate plonks an excuse in your lap to avoid writing, kindly refuse the offer and start typing.

Which is what I have been doing, between all the other stuff that crops up when you write.

One such thing is responding to anyone who is kind enough (or sometimes clinically insane enough) to respond to the blog (you can do this by emailing me at jimmymac53@googlemail.com). One such person who did this was Karl from Durham, who asked for an update on where I was up to on the novel as he was trying to keep pace with the 52 week plan.

The answer is that I have just completed chapter 24 of my planned 30. Yes, these are only the first draft and there is a massive amount of work ahead on the second draft, but even so it is beginning to get quite exciting thinking about the fact that all going well I will have a full novel sitting on my desk by Easter.

I am quietly amazed by how far I have come - something that I can solely put down to the fact that I write daily (or at least six days a week).

My novel has one more murder to come, which I am setting the scene for next week. I plan to combine the disappearance of a character with a romantic interlude for my detective, hopefully mixing a bit of suspense while providing the calm before the storm.

Chapter 26 - the week after next - will be concerned with the discovery of the body and the implications for the rest of the characters.

One of the advantages of working to one chapter a week, is I have a good idea of where I am going to be at any one time. Of course, things can - and do - frequently change; but I still keep moving towards my goal having at least a general idea of what will happen along the way.

Which is why it’s essential that I work every day. Something my internet provider would do well to emulate.