Writing Log - Tumblr Posts

Writing Progress Log 1

Seeing if maybe documenting my progress will help me keep writing/editing more consistently, even though no one will read this. Won't even try to pretend this is going to be daily or even weekly, LMAO. I've never found journaling appealing. But it's been suggested that I give it a shot.

So, into log 1:

Currently focusing on one particular WIP, which I'm calling "Traveling Bards" (official name TBD). Currently in the first revision round of the third chapter. My goal is to complete a general rough draft by the end of summer (because I will NOT be able to write as much while in school). Bit ambitious, but considering I'm not intending for this to be some massive saga (more like a light novel/novella tbh), I think it's doable.

It certainly won't be great, but it'll be done, which is when I can start focusing on REALLY editing it out. I generally re-read and edit the chapters after I write the first rough draft, but my main aim on those edits are centered more around the actual story; plot points, scene placements, etc. Things that I genuinely can't move forward from without fixing.

It'll likely need more plot revisions after that anyway, but it's easier to edit a story once it's already, y'know, written, than when you've got little more than a single paragraph and a string of concept notes. I've done that for years, it's yet to get me anywhere, so I'll be trying this method instead. I'll adjust accordingly as time goes.

For now, I can low-key feel writer's block already on the horizon; confused already about how to get from point A to point B (or I guess point C?) and I just know I'll be tearing my hair out about that soon. But for now, I'll focus on revising chapter 3 (and 2, because of a detail I added in 3). I can only hope an idea will come to me by then.

The next logs will probably not be nearly this long, lol.

Writing Log 2

Figured out 2 problems with the story, which is both a good and a bad thing. Good that I figured it out, bad because #2 is one hell of an issue.

Problem 1 - the flow of chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 3 was feeling like a bit of a slog, and also like there were too many things that I introduced were both too abrupt and too late. I realized it's because they made more sense being put in with the events of 2, so that's where they went.

Problem 2 - kind of tied to problem 1. Chapter 3 is a slog; many of the events feel meaningless/uninteresting. Also, I struggled with what the next few chapters will cover. I realized it's because I barely have a plot. I have a premise, and some beats I want to include. But a milestone-to-milestone plot? Nonexistent. Which is fine in a news comic, but not a fantasy adventure novella. Plots are kinda important there. I'll still be writing, mostly as a way to explore the story. But workshopping the actual events of the first arc will be main priority.

Writing Log 3

I've set aside chapter 3 to focus on actually building the storyline of arc 1. It's not complete, but so far it's the furthest I've gotten in any story. I don't actually expect to stick to this outline 1 to 1. It's just helpful to have some sense of direction. Unlike discovery writers, I'm unable to just come up with scenes or ideas if I don't have a solid goal in mind, so this was a crucial step for me.

I think one of the struggles I've been having with this story - aside from the typical writing struggles- was that this was the first time I've had to juggle multiple central protagonists. None of the sisters are supposed to be more important than the others, which is a big departure from everything else I've written.

Outlining three different "sides" to arc 1 with a focus on a different sister was incredibly helpful. Rather than thinking of 3 moving parts at once, narrowing in on 1 each time and then combining the outlines is seriously helping me keep a balance. So I guess that's a writing tip?

Writing Log 4

In an unexpected (or perhaps extremely expected) turn of events, I've decided to overhaul most of my current progress.

I won't exactly be starting from scratch, but I've decided to move what would've been arc 1 to arc 2 or 3, for character development/pace-setting purposes. Which means I'll be keeping the pieces I've already created, but I'll have to edit them and make new opening chapters. Fantastic.

I'm mostly trying to remain positive. After an hours-long breakdown, I've decided this was the best course of action. It's the only way I can think of to achieve what I'm aiming for, and while I didn't like the idea at first, I'm beginning to accept it as inevitable. Spent the last few hours idea dumping and outlining. I've created a rough new outline, and will work on actually writing the new "chapter 1" tomorrow. Or tonight at 3 am when I inevitably can't sleep because I keep thinking about it.

Wish me luck.

Writing Log 5

Been a while. I ran out of posts in my queue, too. I finally finished the first draft of my new first chapter. It's much shorter than my first one (by about 4 pages), but it covers all of what I wanted it to cover. I've resolved to leave it as-is until I either change my mind about the plot again or manage to finish the entire story.

I don't think it's amazing, but I'm feeling a lot better about having to start over, and I'm cautiously optimistic about the next few chapters.

Writing Log 6

Been gone for a while, again. I'm halfway-to-almost-done with the second chapter. I was thinking I'd try to finish it before adding another log, but I was losing steam after IRL events and I realized the logs were actually helping to keep me motivated. So here I am.

I'm not actually sure if I'm halfway or almost done; there are a few bullet points I want to reach in this chapter, but I'm not sure how many scenes/pages it would take for me to reach all of them. There's only a few left, which usually means I've only got about one or two scenes, but that depends on how well I can tackle it. This is more of a "laying the groundwork" chapter so the issue is mostly trying to develop it in a way that doesn't come off too obviously as an exposition dump or too awkward.

Hopefully I can manage something passable enough that I can move onto the next chapter without losing sleep over it.

Writing Log 7

It is with great joy and exhaustion that I can say that I've finally finished chapter 2. While I didn't really manage to get every detail that I'd outlined, I think it's better this way. I couldn't exactly fit all of it in a way that didn't feel repetitive or ham-fisted, so I figure it's best not to force it. It's not much of a surprise, anyway. I almost never manage to put every single little thing into each scene or chapter, since it's just a loose guide.

For now, I'm just going to pat myself on the back for actually managing to do the damn thing. Tomorrow will be the start of chapter 3. But for now, I'm gonna go play on my Switch and read a good fanfic.

Writing Log 8

Started chapter 3 today! Finished the first scene. It's kinda short, but it's actually pretty important in the grand scheme of things (the inciting incident to an inciting incident, for lack of a better way to explain), so I'm pretty happy.

I'm slowly getting to the scenes that I've been envisioning since I started outlining this story, and it's kind of cool to see it slowly coming together in this way, especially as the one writing it. Hoping to finish the whole chapter by the end of this week (seeing as these chapters have been pretty short).

Writing Log 9

Finally got my shit together and finished chapter 3. It took way too long considering how long it was just sitting untouched in front of me, but I'm trying not to beat myself up too much about it.

For whatever reason, I just couldn't get myself to get around to writing the final scene. It wasn't even a hard scene, nor was it very long. But I guess it just wasn't the vibes, lol.

On to chapter 4 tomorrow. I think I'll treat myself first, though. A nice long video game session. I've gotten back into Cozy Grove lately, so I'll just do some redecorating and feed my spectral animal companions.

Writing Log 10

Started chapter 4 today. Only wrote about 2 to 2.5 pages, but it's finally getting closer to the parts I actually want to write, so all in all I'm pretty excited about it.

I think I'll be able to finish this one by the end of this week, if I really go for it. But we'll see. At this point, my initial goal of finishing the first draft by the time classes start is pretty much dust, so really I'm just hoping to get as far as possible, since I'll be too busy then to dedicate as much time as I want to this.

I could probably write more, but I've been neglecting my personal studies, so I think I'll try catching up on that instead. After a nice Cozy Grove break.

Writing Log 12

I hit a milestone today.

I finished chapter 4.

The adventure, the real plot, happens now. The next chapter is a whole new location, and the very first actual hurdle for my protagonists. This is the biggest milestone I've reached in any long-form original fiction that I've written.

I would say I'm happy- and really, I am. But it happened so quickly, almost too quickly for me to process. I'm... whelmed. Looking at the length alone, I'm definitely going to be adding more pages later one day. But again, this is the first draft. I'm writing strictly the essential scenes, in less than stellar prose, at that. All of these chapters will probably be roughly double the page count one day. But for now, I've done it.

Writing Log 13

Been gone again. School's just around the corner, so I've really been trying to focus on my story, amongst other things. The "other things" actually stalled my progress for a bit, but today I managed to push out an entire scene in chapter 5.

3 entire pages of the first-ever genuine conflict my characters face. It's a mess, and like everything else, I'll absolutely have to rewrite it. I barely knew what I wanted from it going in, and now that I've written it, I know it's NOT that, lol. But it's helped shaped what I DO want just a little bit more. A win is a win.

Writing Log 14

I did it. I fucking did it. I finished chapter 5. This wouldn't seem all that momentous to most, but I'd only outlined the first 5 chapters and left it there so I could feel out the plot as I wrote. Meaning it's time to assess and outline some more. I've been staring at these same 5 chapter outlines for the past 2 months or so, so it's incredibly refreshing that I get to stare at something else now.

In other news, school has just begun, so that also means I won't be able to write as much now. So in a way, this was also perfect timing. That being said, I will be returning to hibernation seeing as the fall semester has begun.

Writing Log 15

Been a long time since the last check-in. As awful as these past few weeks in particular have been (and knowing others have comparatively suffered FAR worse than I have), being without electricity, gas, work, and school these past few weeks have been oddly helpful in forcing me to be productive with other things.

Aside from making a dent in my TBR list for the first time in over a year, I've also done a bit of writing.

Not as much as I would've liked, but some is better than none. I worked on several WIPs, since I hadn't Especially with how busy I've been since the semester began. I got stuck on some parts, and I ended up going to my school's writing center. Perk 1 of going to a decently-sized uni, apparently. I encourage those with access to a college or university to look into that, as these services are often free for students.

I did some brainstorming with them, and I figured out what's been messing up my flow and made necessary revisions. As of now, I've finished outlining the next few chapters, and am about halfway through actually writing chapter 6. Hoping to finish this chapter this weekend, before everything goes "back to normal".