Blurgh.

And a whole lot of nothing today. This could be because I've done 11 pages over the last two days - and I always seem to have problems the next day whenever I've written more than four pages - or it could be that I have plot issues to sort out. Which I do. Either way, I've called it a day early because I can see I'm not going to get anywhere today. Did make a couple of small plot decisions but... let's just say, a good day to have off.

Page 85.

Which is good, pagecountwise, but it's all very clunky with exposition shovelled in. That's kind of how I think a first draft should be - just shove in the exposition and get the draft finished - but I don't like having to do that. But at least it's getting down on paper - or on bytes. I have had some thoughts based on today's writing about some conflicts that can happen between my characters, so that's good. Still, wish it was better...

Page 80.

Wow! Five pages! Actually five and a half. This might actually be a daily record for me. Started off pretty gruesome, it was all dire, just focusing on getting the plot down and damn the quality. Quality, incidentally, was embarrassing. But somehow that transformed into two good scenes by the end of my pages, which were actually quite fun to write too. So phew. This half isn't all going to be unrelieved awfulness!

I have been thinking that I've been spending far too much time trying to come up with a 'good' first draft, and thus wasting a huge amount of time. Even though I know in theory that first drafts are always bad, I haven't been able to help trying too hard to overachieve with this draft. Lately I've been thinking about how much time I'd save if I really didn't care or invest in the first draft being anything much but finished. I'd actually probably get two drafts done in the same time, and ironically probably end up with a better script in that time.

Working on getting to that approach.

By the way, though I'm at page 80, that doesn't mean I'm near finished - looks like this draft is going to run very long )(which I actually see as a good thing - lots more freedom to cut).

Time to get back to the draft.

I've written most days this week but for some reason didn't feel like posting... maybe that's because it's all felt a bit slow. Anyway, I've been collating an outline for the second half of the script. Today I looked over what I've got and realised it's time to get back to the draft again. I still have some holes - mainly in the third act - but I think the outline's at the point that I have to get back to draft level to work out the details. I'm not exactly pleased about that because I'm off overseas for a month in a couple of weeks - and I had it all planned out that I was going to 'finish' (ha!) my outline before I went, so as to hit the ground running (yeah, right) with the draft when I got back.

Just typo'd 'draft' as 'drat'. Freudian?

Anyway, if I don't manage to find an excuse, it's back to the draft grindstone tomorrow.

Drat.

Good day's writing.

Three productive hours! Have moved things forward substantially. After a lot of procrastination this morning, actually.

I always forget, when it's going slowly, that a good day's writing can show up at any time, unexpectedly. One of those things you can't predict. Be nice if you could.

So... relief.

More plotting.

Going okay with it. Actually was back at it the last couple of days though I didn't post. Second half is taking shape. Feels awfully slow though!

Back on it.

Urghh... first day back always the hardest.

Nice to be back on it though. Am out and about shooting some stuff this weekend so probably won't be back on it till Monday.

A lot of nuthin' at first but finally moved forward a bit by the end of the session.

Slow. But. Moving. On.