November Writing Report

I knew that a lot of my writing time this quarter would be swallowed by the accreditation visit, and I was right.  Much of the month of October was lost to anything that wasn't accreditation.  That's part of the job, of course, but I'm happy it only happens every few years.

I didn't count on the impeachment process a.  happening or b.  intruding into my writing process.  But as I've thought of returning to my apocalyptic novel, I've wondered if should make some revisions.  I have a plan, but I think I won't revise just yet.  I might need to revise again, after all.

I do feel this pressure to get the novel finished for several reasons, not the least of which is because of the ways that actual history might intrude.  I've kept the setting vague, in terms of who is president, so I have hopes that the novel will feel relevant, regardless.  I do worry that it might feel less relevant/publishable under the next presidential administration, whatever it is that comes next.

I do worry that it might feel ever more relevant.

I also want to get the novel finished because I'm in that middle portion where it becomes easy to succumb to despair and never finish.  I've written 72 pages, 17,789 words.

It's also one of the first novels I've written where I don't know the ending.  I want to write to discover what happens.  It's delightful--and also frustrating in these weeks where there's less time.  There's always less time.

I've also been feeling pressure because I haven't done much in the way of writing poems.  Happily, yesterday I wrote my ghost of girlhood past poem.  Now I feel a bit of anxiety because I don't have another poetry idea that's readily available.

In future years, let me remember that while I feel I was doing no writing during this autumn, I was.  Lots and lots of writing for accreditation--not as satisfying as some writing, but I am reminded of how lucky I am to have these writing skills.  I've written responses and reports.  I wrote an essay for my application to the spiritual director certificate program.

Now it's time for more of the kind of writing that brings me joy.