Writing Update: 08/03/24 (Patreon)
Content
Start of week: 23,000
End of week: 29,999
Change: +6,999
Year to date: 49,399
I found the writing more difficult this week, in part due to real-world concerns but also because the scene was tricky to get right and took a few tries. It's not quite there yet but I'm feeling pretty good about it. (I'm sure I'll change my mind about it later!) With the clubbing scene done, I'm back to the "funeral" frame and setting up the next "story" by David, which takes the previously written material concerning his first day back at work and his life as a secretary.
With the chapter currently being a single word short of 30k, I've decided to trim back the original plan a bit. I was going to include a "story of the boyfriend" - covering a two or three week span with Cindy in a relationship - but I've cut that as it's getting a bit long. If this is the halfway point, then that makes for a 60k word chapter which is, as with the Interlude, probably a bit much.
Remaining to write are those initial weeks at work and getting to know the girls; an encounter with his boss, Michael, during the Halloween party; and returning to Julia's story and how the relationship between her and David fell apart. Then a final story giving the whole thing a bit of a twist. I reckon we're a little over halfway through the chapter. I'll have to make the hard choice as to whether any further cuts are needed - it might be that those first days or week back at work end up on the editing floor.
I'm also thinking of publishing the first half of the chapter to FM in a week or so, after it's had a bit of time to settle. I'll publish it here first, of course. But I'd like to up my output to about one piece a month or so, just something to keep my name out there and maybe help the Patreon to grow a bit. At some point I suppose I'll have to consider redesigning the page and rework the subsciption levels. Any suggestions for that are welcome!
Finally, I'm considering whether to take a short break from Constant or not. I'm in the middle of it, so feel driven to keep going; but I also want to try my hand at a shorter piece--I've got a bunch of ideas bouncing around my head I'd like to develop. If I don't keep at Constant it'll never get done, but I also don't want to exhaust myself with it. A shorter piece would also give me something to publish, but if I'm putting the first half of chapter six out there, should really get the back half finished....
Have a great weekend!