Wednesday 2 December 2009

Did I do it?

Of course not.

My November challenge was to write a chapter a day of my third and final book about our time in Zambia. I have written about ten, totalling 23,183 words.

Here is the list of excuses.

1 I never got a chance to write at a weekend (takes out eight days)
2 When there is a chance for Husband to do childcare and me to write, it seems that Husband's PhD takes precedence. (The PhD research was the reason we moved to Zambia. Six years on and it is 'nearly finished', or so he says...)
3 Writing a sermon took out the last week. I can't concentrate on two things at once.
4 I have been back and forth with my daughter to various clinics.
5 It turns out birthday parties take a lot of preparation.
6 My grandmother fell and broke her leg (again) and so I worried about and visited her.

These are all excuses. There were days when I did have time, but couldn't face writing anything. And days when my mind went blank: was there really anything interesting to say. Then I'd remember my son's first attempts to ride a bicycle, or the worries over my daughter's lack of social interaction, or the glorious sunshine and fantastic friends ... and then something would click and writing could begin again.

But most of all, I'm proud of having written over twenty thousand words! I cannot guarantee the quality of any of them, and much of it is jumbled up. However, I am a quarter of the way there, and a month ago I was no further than the title. If I were able to carry on at that rate I'd be finished by Easter.

Perhaps.

Just got Christmas in the way now...


8 comments:

The bike shed said...

20,000 words is good - very good. It would take me ages to write that. So be proud not apologetic.

Tim Atkinson said...

What Mark said with bells and whistles! 20k is one helluva lot... Crack the champagnes open!

Dorset Dispatches said...

Big congrats - I think 20000 is a master piece.

I have sympathy with the Husband on the PhD front. I am 4years in, it will take at last 6... sigh.

Catharine Withenay said...

Thanks guys! Actually, Mark, with your Views from a Bike Shed blogging month I bet you've written even more than me - thanks so much for an enjoyable excuse to not write...!

BiB - ah, the joys of being married to a PhD. I have now been given the introduction to read/ edit/ comment on. Just not sure my comprehension goes beyond the first sentence...

Karen said...

Life has an annoying habit of getting in the way, but you should be proud of that word count :o)

Love the photo by the way!

cheshire wife said...

You have more than made a start, so I think that you should be very pleased with yourself.

Mrs P said...

Can't believe you've written over 20k words! That's A Lot of words! Well done! The rest of the book will come when it's/you're ready.
There's an award for you, over at mine :o)

Working Mum said...

Sounds like very reasonable excuses to me! And 20, 000 words is wonderful. Took me a whole year to write that for my MSc.

On another point, how do people ever finish PhDs? I have friends who have been writing theirs for years. I'm amazed anyone ever finishes one.

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