Middle ground

The end of week two and now the hard work begins.

Writers are weary, wondering if their stories will hold up and reach the 50k. The sleepless nights, the frustration of managing to get computer time, the getting back into the story after work. So many things to make a writer wonder if it's all worthwhile, worth the angst.

And we're only halfway.

The answer is 'yes', it is worth it. It's worth delving into your imagination and finding out what's there; it's worth writing those things down, to see if you are really capable of reaching the target within the designated time limit, worth the pride you'll feel when that blue bar changes to green. And it's worth knowing that, after a month of endeavour, you have a first draft.

You cannot edit what you have not written.

Whether your work, as it stands now, is a load of carp, or the most brilliant thing you can compose, it's still there, ready for the future.

It's time for the hard yards, the toughest week of all. When you feel you've done enough, you've given it your best shot, your story just isn't working for you and you are really tired of it all.

Are you a writer, and plough through the middle of the book, or are you going to come up with all manner of excuse to justify why you're not a writer and think 'next year'?

Writers write; so take a deep breath, stop today's work in the middle of a sentence and carry on, one day at a time, one word at a time. You'll get there, you just have to have faith. In yourself.