March was tough. When I published my previous update last month, I had managed to complete revisions for the first 2 chapters in my novel. Since that update, I only managed to complete the next 3. Chapter 5 alone took about 5 working days. Technically, it’s the longest chapter written up to this point in the story so it sort of makes sense that it took me as long as it did. But also, chapter 5 is the end of an Act, which required a lot of changes to the dialogue and plot. I’ve already started chapter 6 so I’m hoping that the next few chapters will be a breeze.
Initially, I had estimated that the edit/revision process would only take me a few months, especially since I had gotten through the first 4 chapters relatively quickly. I realized while working on chapter 5 that that may not necessarily be realistic. It’s certainly still possible. But I learned that some chapters simply take longer than others. I continually beat myself up while working on chapter 5 for not being further along in this process. Self-doubt certainly played a big role when I worked on that chapter.
Since finishing it, I’ve had time to contemplate and reevaluate the work I’ve completed thus far. It might not be coming along as quickly as I had initially thought but it’s getting done. And it’s certainly getting better. This process is all about improving upon what’s already written and I have to keep telling myself that. As much as I want to get this published as soon as possible, I have to ensure that I have a good enough manuscript. Rushing through it won’t get me anywhere if I’m continually revisiting the same chapters or the same pages over and over again.
So, this month, I’m going to work as hard as I can to finish as many chapters as possible without burning myself out. However, I need to stop giving myself a hard time on days when I’m spending most of my time on a few pages. I don’t have a deadline to follow except for the goals I give to myself. I’d still very much like to have this process done by the end of May if at all possible. Maybe this month will be more productive than the last. But I’m not going to stress about it or add to my anxiety if I find that some areas need more work than others.
For now, I’ve slightly adjusted my schedule by waking up an hour earlier. In addition to the novel, I’ve been trying to exercise more and adding an extra hour to my day will allow that and keep my normal writing schedule. Plus, I’d like to use that extra time to write on this website more. I’ll reevaluate my schedule again at the end of April based on how much I’ve completed this month. I’ll have another update at the beginning of May.
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