I just squeezed under my deadline of finishing the first draft by July 2nd, although only by dint of writing Chapter Ten in note form.  I then reread the whole thing a little nervously, but actually I felt better about it than I was expecting.  I’ve known for ages that I’d have to rewrite the first chapter, having changed my mind about it very early on, but the next three chapters weren’t too bad, I thought (cautiously!).  They still need tightening up, of course, but because this is a book deliberately designed to have a more contemporary feel than normal, I was pleasantly surprised at how fresh and lively the characters and dialogue seemed – especially given that I have spent the last month feeling anything but fresh and lively!  Sometimes I was so tired by the time I got to my computer after doing two day jobs, I’d have to keep putting my head down on my desk and closing my eyes for a minute or two.  Fortunately that secretarial course I did all those years ago has stood me in good stead, and I can carry on typing even with my eyes closed.

The main problem with the draft, as anticipated, is the middle section, when the story suddenly loses pace.  But I think I can conflate two separate scenes, getting rid of the boring one I complained about in my last update, and condensing some others.  As it stands at the moment, Chapter Ten has enough plot for two chapters, so I can afford to be ruthless about the middle chapters.

Of course, it’s easy to say that I just need to tighten things up, but it’s always much more difficult in practice.  I think I’ll feel better when I get going again – I’ve had four days away from it, writing a conference paper, which is now out of the way, thank goodness – but I’m very aware of how much work I still have to do.  I’d hoped to have it all finished by the time I go up to Scotland for a week on 20th July, but by my reckoning that’s a whole chapter a day, and that doesn’t make allowances for an evening out on Thursday, not to mention working all day on something else entirely.  Setting myself a timetable would be just too discouraging, so all I’ve done is write Chapter 1, Chapter 2 etc. in a list, and I’ll cross each off as and when I finish it.  So you haven’t heard the last of this book yet!

By the way, we duly celebrated the thousand website hits with an exclusive picnic in my garden. We had thought that we would have a proper picnic down by the river under the willows, but it kept looking as if it might rain and remembering how handy it would be to nip inside for the loo or more ice clinched it.  In fact, it was lovely and warm, and we sat outside all afternoon with a jug of Pimms, asparagus tart and scones with strawberries and cream.  Yum yum.