This post is about 400 words.

If I type any faster, I’ll get a cramp.

It’s been about a month since the last official update. To me, it feels like I didn’t make much progress. Some progress, yes, but not a ton. A quick check of the word count tells me I added about 12,000 words or 24 Word doc pages.

Which surprises the heck out of me.

Many writers will tell you that it’s a struggle at times. You’re practically squeezing blood from a philosopher’s stone. And sometimes, it’s effortless and you’re living the writing dream. I must have been experiencing the latter, which I’ll attribute to three things.

The writing was broken into smaller chunks. I’ve found my frequency increasing, which means I’m finding more opportunities during the day to sit down and do some writing, even if it’s only a few dozen words. Additionally, since the first draft is nearly done, I’m filling in some small holes (e.g. transitions, intro paragraphs, and conclusions). I’d previously been equating progress to the number of marathon writing sessions I’d have. Lesson learned.

It’s getting easier. Not that I know much about working out, but we all know that exercise increases strength and endurance. The same is true for your brain, as well as those nimble typing fingers. I’m quite certain I’m not the first to say something like, “The more you write, the more you write,” but it’s true. Over time, you’re changing the way your brain works, which is both awesome and somewhat unnerving. And perhaps an idea for an interesting short story.

I’m having fun. It’s feeling less like work, which is great because this novel is like a part-time job where I’m not getting paid…yet. I’m getting up early and staying up late. I’m investing so much of my personal time that, were this to feel like a slog of a job, I’d probably never complete the thing. To be a couple hundred hours into this project and having more fun each day, well, I think that says something about the subject matter, as well as the improvements to my work ethic.

For those of you keeping track at home, the first draft is nearly 84,000 words or 173 Word pages. This probably begs the question, “When do we get to see some of this writing?” I’m working on an excerpt right now.

–Michael