Slow Progress

I am still writing under the auspices of NaNoWriMo but am unlikely to hit 50,000 words. This is mostly because my time has been called on by my work. To be on track I would really need to be around the 25,000 word mark by now whereas I'm actually at 11,000.

I'm not especially despondent about this because I am writing and am quite pleased that things are taking shape as I do so. When it is going well my subconscious is throwing up all sorts of oddities which amuse me no end.

Also, I knew I needed to work towards a big set-piece scene that would come in the penultimate (or more likely pen-penultimate) chapter and the idea for that pretty much leapt out of my pen and into my notebook whole and entire yesterday so I now have something to aim for and to guide my characters towards.

I've written here often that my main purpose in writing this particular one is to start the process of learning how to write fiction, like first efforts in the school woodwork class where the main aim is to avoid slicing your fingers with a blunt chisel and maybe shape a block of wood into a rough simulacrum of a boat.

It's getting there: if I squint in low light I can just about make out where the stern might be.