Write-vember Diaries: Day 6
Embracing a duvet day, and confronting an avoidant character
Write-vember Diaries: Day 6
If you’re here for a distraction from the real world, welcome in! On days like today I’m very glad to have imagined realms that I can drop into. Right after this I’ll be seeking something immersive and AFK for the evening.
Good news: word count reached for the day!
Daily word count: 1,766 / 1,667
Total word count: 9,595 / 50,000 (idk how I keep lucking out with pleasing numbers)
% complete: 19.19% (I love maths and apparently maths loves me too)
Music of choice: one of those fireplace YouTubes. Cosy turned up to 11.
Writing break: a brief nap on the sofa to Gilmore Girls. Today was a duvet day; a blanket was not going to cut it.
Evening break: boardgames or a film. Or both. Railroad Ink is a fun little roll and write that pairs very nicely with a podcast or a background film.
Session Notes
Today’s writings were a little easier than other days, pleasingly. A little less blood-from-a-stone. What helped? Well, I forced my characters to talk.
I realised: in the scenes I’d been writing with my two main characters, one of them was consistently - and borderline belligerently - finding ways to leave the room. He was pretty inventive about it too. He found stairwells I didn’t know existed. He introduced other characters who got in the way. He was becoming unruly and absent and it had to stop.
So I forced him to. And he did. Sort of. (I’ve reached the stage where characters are developing minds and lives of their own.) My other MC found him on the busy streets, grabbed him by the arm and said:
And out came nearly 500 words of conversation.
Witnessing them talk caused the overwhelm of their busy world to slow to a pause. Their conversation became the only thing that mattered - that existed. From hearing his side of the conversation, I could tell this would be their last scene together before they part on their respective journeys. (They don’t know that though: she goes off on a hero’s quest; he has to race to find her.) I found it interesting that I hadn’t planned to write that scene yet. I was saving it for… what? I’m not sure. More time to explore before the next plot point? A day when my brain was more available? (A gamble.)
Whatever the reason, this was a conversation they needed to have. The words flowed out, and the characters found some resolve. Tomorrow’s session can begin in a far more energetic place because of it. A win!
That’s all for today - I hope you’ve enjoyed a brief foray into my experience!
How did your writing go today?
Did you find yourself stuck and manage to get unstuck?
Share your story in the comments!
See you tomorrow <3
P.S. I woke up this morning with the words ‘In Omnia Paratus’ stuck in my head. I’m still not sure why, but I’m enjoying mulling it over. Any theories, I’m all ears…