I'm doing rather well for July.

Word count: 12,328 words

I'm ahead of schedule, but I don't want to get too excited about it. I have to keep the momentum going, and make sure that I write every day. Sometimes I get bored with the story, but there is enough of it (for once) to skip the boring parts and move on to something else. I feel good about the plot and timeline. It needs a little tweaking, but once I have a rough draft down, I think this book may actually be workable!

Hallelujah!

Don't get ahead of yourself...

What's the best way to procrastinate working on a novel?

Write another novel!

It's JulNoWriMo, and I'm stymied temporarily on my main project, so I'm throwing all caution to the wind and writing a creative memoir. I did, after all, move across the country. I have some fun stories for that.

Hahahaha... oy.

Unrelated thought:

I just checked my bank account. I have 39 cents in my checking account. I get paid on Monday. Now I feel like a working artist.

Yes, I just walked home with a frozen pizza under my arm--what of it?

Oh, novel, I have neglected you. I make excuses: "I moved." "I am working three jobs." "I have gone blind and my right hand was tragically amputated. Well, that's not exactly true, but it a metaphoric sense..."

I am armed with a frozen pizza, a case of beer, and a carton of ice cream. I have been reworking the plot, and I have completely recast my main character. Once bland, flat characters have reemerged as their quirky and exciting twins.

I am going in for the second draft of my novel. Maybe Portland has inspired me. Maybe I just need one more thing to worry about. Who knows? Chris Baty style, I am about to churn out a second draft in 30 days. Why? Because I need a deadline.

Bon Voyage.