Word Count: 40,459

I was on local radio this evening, reading one of my short stories. Go to the Short Stories tab and read it. It’s titled ‘Leaf Tea’ – I’ll add more in due course. During the interview I talked about the NaNoWriMo challenge and what effect the pressure to produce has had on my writing. There’s no time for finesse, I said, that will come later; and there’s a great temptation to narrate, without developing character.

I’m reminded of Anton Chekov, who said ‘Don’t tell me the moon is shining, show me the glint of light on broken glass.’ At the moment I’ve got no time to show, I’m just telling a story. But this isn’t good writing practice and there’ll be lots of editing at the end.

Word Count: 39,404

Not long to go now and I’m still ahead.

Whilst in the midst of this challenge, I often feel guilty about taking time out to read. But it’s a passion and I can’t do without it.

Luckily, one of my writing heroes, Stephen King, agrees. ‘If you want to be a writer,’ he says, ‘you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot…reading is the creative centre of a writer’s life…you cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you.’

Word Count: 37,694

A lesson learned – yesterday’s day off was not necessarily a good idea in this challenging situation. Getting back into the swing after a day off was more difficult than I expected. I had to reacquaint myself with some of my characters and what they’re supposed to be doing. However, I think I’ve managed to arrest the slide and now I’m back in the saddle.

It’s all too easy to say I won’t write today, but I can’t because that might extend to several days and all too soon I wouldn’t be a writer. I would become, in the words of Dorothy C Fontana, just someone who dreams of being a writer.

Word Count: 36,414

Still on course with the word count, so we took some time out today and went to the seaside. I thought it might be the last opportunity before winter starts to close in – this was seriously sunny weather

There were lots of like-minded people on the beach, strolling along like so many Lowry matchstick men silhouetted against the sun, low in the late afternoon sky.

The sea air did the trick – my mind is cleared and I’m off and running again.

Word Count: 36,414

Jean Paul Sartre said that Hell was other people and he definitely had a point. Visitors often interrupt the creative process, but without this constantly refreshed pool of encouragement and inspiration, I’d be an impoverished writer. With notebook to hand, conversations with friends, full of incident and recent experiences, provide a valuable seam for the writer to mine.

So I might complain about the disruptions, but as long as my visitors come armed with some tall tales, I’m pleased to break off and listen. Anything of interest is written down, of course, that’s the agreement. But the names will be changed to protect the guilty.