The very last thing I did before going to sleep on Tuesday night was plot out the storyline for The City of Glasgow. I used Story Plotter on my phone. It’s not the best plotting app/program I have. That’s by far and without doubt Plottr. but I don’t have Plottr on my phone as I haven’t yet been able to justify the extra subscription. Story Plotter is okay now I can tweak the components of an outline.
I’d already done the brainstorming and the research for this particular story, but it was for 12 Stories in 12 Months and the deadline was yesterday. Yes, yes, I know I’d promised myself that it would all be done by the Friday before, and in future I will. In future I hope I don’t have a pet death to deal with.
When I woke up Wednesday morning, the images for The City of Glasgow were swirling around my head and I knew exactly how to start the story. I had 1,800 words to write. I’ve done 16,000 words in a day on my best day, so I was sure I could manage 1,800 words for this. Plus, it would go towards my 200 words a day writing challenge.
Over breakfast I dealt with the usual social media and email stuff, I signed and shared a couple of petitions, and I read another chapter of the set book for the fantasy thriller writing workshop. I’m glad we don’t have to report on these books we’re supposed to read and that we’re only reading them for our own benefit, because there’s no way I’d finish that book and another four before next Monday.
On my way to my desk, a text message and another email came through, and I found I had to deal with a probate matter and a house sale issue before doing anything else. And by the time I reached my office, the poet was on the phone letting me know his workshop had finished and he was on his way back.
I wanted the story at least drafted before he got home at around teatime, so that’s the very next thing I started to work on when I did hit my desk, even though I felt like I’d already done a day’s work. I wrote about 650 words and broke for something to eat, reading another chapter of the set book for the writing workshop over my sandwich.
After dinner I carried on with the story until I had 2,150 words, or thereabouts. I only needed 1,800, so initial editing began. I had to lose 350 words. And the deadline was STILL yesterday. I did it, though. I got it down to 1,800 words exactly and submitted it.
I had to go and have a lie down then. It felt like a mammoth session. And anyway, the poet was home and tea was ready, But I wrote words yesterday, and I wrote an entire short story.
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