Hi everyone!

I was a neglectful blogger last week. It was Christmas show week, which is a crazy time in my house. My husband and I both play in our church orchestra, and my son was also in the children’s choir this year. Between the three of us, someone had rehearsals Sunday through Wednesday, and then we had shows Friday and Saturday. Everything went well, though, so now we can relax a bit. Whew!

Remember how I went on that frantic reading spree in October and November? Well, I’ve only finished two books in December. That drives me a different kind of crazy. I start to get impatient if I haven’t finished a book within a few days, but I just haven’t had the time to read. I don’t quite want to read as fast as I had to to get through all those library books, but I’d like to read a couple of books a week. I went to the Scholastic Warehouse Sale last week and picked up these goodies, plus I still have those books from the Fierce Reads tour, plus there’s Christmas coming up (I asked for several adult books I’ve been waiting on), so I will have a lot to read!

I guess I should get to the title of this post. So, back in November I posted about how I was actually enjoying the drafting process this time around. It’s gotten a little … harder … as I approach the end of the manuscript. I set myself a goal of 70,000 words by Dec. 19 (this Friday), and I’m not sure I’m going to make it. I should clarify. I’ll make the 70,000 words, but I don’t think the manuscript will be finished, which is a bummer because that means I will have a break in the middle of drafting. I am planning to work on Monday, but then the holidays will interrupt. Oh well. I really like my processes (ask my husband–or anyone who has worked with me for that matter), so the fact that I have to adjust the plan I set out is something I have to make myself let go. (Yes, I am now singing the song to myself.) I could try to write more this week, but I don’t know how much more the story requires, so I feel like I’m better off sticking with my daily word counts because drafting isn’t the only thing I have to accomplish this week anyway.

I think the other reason the draft is not so wonderful anymore is that I had a pretty detailed outline for the first half of the book, but it was pretty vague. I got to this part of the book with Scrivener notecards that said “Road trip” and “Visit to old hometown” that really should have been about six or seven notecards each. I didn’t know what was going to happen there. I didn’t get stuck or anything, but I didn’t have as clear of an idea of where the story was going at that point, so it didn’t flow as quickly as it had earlier on. As a result, the story has gone in a different direction than I expected, and that’s part of the reason it will be longer than I anticipated. I should note that I don’t have a problem with it being longer. I like where it’s going. I just wish I wouldn’t have an interruption in the middle of drafting. But I’ll deal!

Next Monday I plan to have my annual post with my favorite reads of the year. What will make the list??? Honestly, I don’t know yet because I haven’t looked back through the more than 100 books I’ve read this year to jog my memory. There might be some from early in the year that I’ve forgotten how much I loved.

Ok, that’s it. Just thought I should check in. Is everyone else having as crazy of a December as I am?