A Round of Words in 80 Days, the 80 day writing challenge, is half-way through Round 2, and I’ve decided to leap on in.  I stumbled upon the writing challenge through some circuitous blog reading last week, and given that I am trying to finally be serious about my writing, I felt the time was right to give it a try.

So here I am, pledging that I will write an average of 300 words/day.  That adds up to 2100 words/week, which is on the low end of the spectrum, but given everything that will be happening over the next few weeks (grading, thesisizing, 2 guest lectures, final exams, etc.), it’s definitely a practical decision.

Honestly, I’ve been doing surprisingly well in terms of word count.  I started tracking my progress last week, and this is what I have to show:

It’s not too shabby, if I say so myself.  I started tracking on Friday, May 6th with my first 1000 word scene.  By the following Friday, May 13th, I hit 7000 words.  I’m not quite sure where all of this energy and excitement is coming from, and frankly, I’m not about to ask.  This is the most I’ve written since I entered my writing slump almost two years ago, and I am incredibly grateful that the art of writing, of imagining, and of creating has returned (knock on wood).

There is, however, much work to be done before I can emerge from the other end of chapter one, including:

• Brainstorming the culture and history of Peridion, particularly surrounding the role of magic within the world.  The disappearance of magic a few centuries prior to the tale’s beginning (captured here in a mini “codex” excerpt) is pivotal to the actions of my current villain, the royal mage Leopold, and also helps to explain the mysterious circumstances around Liandre’s origins and heritage.  I’ve got a vague sense of what’s gone on, but I will need to solidify what’s happened over the coming weeks.
• Scribbling the tales and legends that are considered important in the world of Peridion.  What are the stories that every person, commoner and noble alike, seem to know?  Why are they important?  What messages or themes are prevalent, and what can they tell us about the overall psyche and culture of Peridion?
• Thinking more about birds, and Liandre’s eventual introduction into the world of Vao Artan.  I will be reading Daphne du Maurier’s short story, “The Birds,” and also watching the Hitchcock film based on her tale for a bit of inspiration.  I’ll most likely be posting about it as well, so look for that in the coming week.

That’s about all, at least for the moment.  I am battling a migraine, so this post is neither as long nor as informative as I’d like… but there’s always next check-in.  With that, I am off to pop some aspirin… and to try and scribble a few more ideas for this funeral scene that I am trying to write.