I have twenty-four more days, or twenty thousand words, left before I finish the second draft of my fantasy novel Sustainable. I wrote the first draft in sprints during 2016 then I tried many times to edit the draft during 2017. I failed miserably, only slightly working on the first eight chapters.
In October 2018, I randomly joined The Write Practice and Joe Bunting’s 100 Day Book program. Seriously, I saw a webinar and signed up immediately even though I did not think about the commitment. It has been a challenging experience. However, after nearly two years of sitting on this original draft, I’ve re-worked it in a way that appeals to me and makes me happy.
The most shocking turn of events is that during October of last year, I was ready to mentally scrap this entire endeavor and start over with something else. I couldn’t start anything new knowing I had this large body of work on my plate that I did not want to go to waste. So, I had a friend read it. When she said I definitely should not give up on it, I trusted her opinion and jumped on it. I had not shared my story with anyone else before since I am a perfectionist. I am glad I finally did.
Knowing now that I need intense deadlines has helped me plan for my future. After this second draft is completed, I want to have a line edit completed before I meet with a literary agent on April 5th, starting with the first twenty pages due to the literary agent on March 4th. I know I am cutting it close. I think I can manage it. February will be very busy.
The most important fact that I have learned during these past 83 days is that I am capable of writing a substantial amount while also working full-time and being a part-time student during the first eight weeks of this challenge. I can’t tell if time speeds up or slows down when I am counting the days more closely. I just know that I appreciate them more than I did before.
To Keep Learning, Always 