Half time

So, I've reached the half way mark (STOP TIME GODDAMN IT!) of my writing retreat and so far pretty good. Two seriously bad days - one because something happened that knocked my equilibrium out of phase and the other one because someone stayed out drinking till 4am in the morning and then felt like shit the following day - it's difficult to be witty when you just want to sleep. Still, it ended up not being a bad thing as meant I had some thinking time and I needed that.

For instance, it made me realize the (now infamous) chapter 10 isn't chapter 10 at all, but more like chapter 14 or 15. And chapter 11 (half written) is chapter 15 or 16. Which means I am now writing chapter 10 again. However, this time it's so easy. Everything just flows and I've written over 2500 words today. I could quite easily finish the entire chapter today, but surprisingly enough I have to leave the library in an hour to buy shoes and then I have to drink cocktails. Priorities you know.

I've also had some days of wondering why I am writing this crap, days when I think the story is banal because on the surface it looks like some little love story. But it's not. And I just have to keep reminding myself that it's really got nothing to do with love as such. A lot of people have recently asked me what the novel is about and the reaction when I tell them is interest. Or maybe they're just being nice... Anyway, talking about it and telling people is making me more focused on the key aspects and the psychological issues the novel is exploring and the sense that what I'm writing is trite dissipates. At least temporarily. 

So all in all I think at the half way mark we can give the retreat a tick. I'm focused and showing up almost every day. And I accept I'm bound to have days when I'm less productive because I need to think. (Or because I've been out drinking till 4am...)

Just one more thing before I dive back down into my chapter for another hour, I would like to thank Max for providing me with the opportunity to using the word "cockpossum" in my novel. FINALLY! That has made me very happy and even if that had been the only section I'd written during my retreat I'd still think it a success.