What if I stumble? Completely irrelephant.

So i knew I was going to take a break on Friday, but I wasn't exactly expecting to take a break on Saturday. I made the decision late Saturday evening after spending most of the day at Jesse & Melissa's BBQ. I didn't get my run in either, and I'm allowing myself two days off each week. so long as I came back Sunday, today, which i did.

Tonight. Not glamorous. I didn't even get any writing done on the actual novel. BUT i did sit down at the computer and work on it for an hour-ish, little more (minus a few small interruptions). I decided to begin to transcribe my handwritten notes onto the computer, and begin detailing outlines and such. I had planned to try to write a few sentences in the novel itself, but I spent longer than expected putting down my notes for the Detective's Story. I'm actually really happy with what I got done--I put down some good quick bios for the important characters in the story, and wrote a plot synapses. I was even able to even out a few of the details I hadn't decided on yet. I have a very clear direction and ending to work towards with the Detective Story, and I think that will be the easiest of the three parts to write. I've still got a lot to write in the other two tales before I can even get into the Detective's Story though (The novel opens with chapter 1 in the Singer's Tale and Chapter 2 the Musician's Tale. Chapter three is the Detective's Story, but it's already written. Okay, that's because it's only one word. "Humphf!" then i've got anotehr chapter or two from the other two tales before I get into the real writing of the Detective).

The "What Does That Have to Do With Anything" Part that actually Has To Do with Novel Writing

I was going to talk about running and why running is important to this novel. I suppose I should add that last Thursday's run was a best for that route (although not my best 4 mile time). But I ran taht same route again tonight (it's my standard run, I usually get it in a few times a week), and I beat both my previous course and 4 mile personal best times. progress baby!

I have had plans to write novels and short stories for a long, long, long time. Since I was in gradeschool. i've even kind of started, once or twice. not really. I've gotten as far as one chapter before.

This is nothing new for me. I have a long history of starting projects and never finishing them. more often than not, i'll get a little bit into whatever, and then it'll fall by the wayside. usually it's because i jump in head first without being prepared, I'll reach a stumble point, and have no idea where to go from there. I'll get distracted, or move on to some other idea, and two years later I'll look back on it and say, "man, good ideas but bad follow-through." It's just the sort of person I am, having a lot to do with my ADD (less on that now, but maybe some other day I'll go into it in more detail).

Last summer, I got it in my head that I wanted to run a half marathon. i was inspired by my athletic family, and directly (running-wise) by my marathon-prolific brother-in-law, and my most excellent sister Elizabeth who had decided to run a half marathon of her own.

I downloaded a 3 month training program about 5 months before the race, and sort of half-hearted following it. After two months of half-assing the training, with just over 3 months until the race, I buckled down and began to follow it pretty religiously.

I knew that I had to hold myself accountable to the race, so i told everyone I knew that I was running it and training for it. When everyone knew I was going to do it, i couldn't very well back out. that's just my ego and stubbornness (which I intentionally used to my advantage and inspiration).

I did the training pretty well. I wasn't perfect, but I did enough that I was ready to run the race. And I did run the race, and while some of it was great, a lot of it sucked, but I finished it. I crossed that finish line after running 13.1 miles in just over 2 hours and twenty minutes. I didn't care how long it had taken me, though I am quite satisfied with the time. I cared that I finished it.

I had started something, something that required a lot of dedication and work, I saw it through to the end, and I finished it. I ran that race in large part because i needed to prove to myself that I could start something and finish it. I did.

Writing a novel is a daunting task, especially the first time. There's a lot of work, and it's going to take a long time. But I have a plan, and I know that I can finish. I haven't given myself a time-limit, but I have committed myself to a specific amount of weekly time until it's done.

And, coincidence? I'm also training for my second half marathon as I begin. What is the definition of insanity, you ask?

Activities for today:

• Get in a 4 mile run for my half training
• Transcribe my handwritten notes for the Detective's Story
• Finish a plot synapses for the Detective's Story (although more details will be added later)

Music for the Day:

• Bon Iver, Bon Iver
• The Civil Wars, Barton Hallow

Quote/Thought for the Day:

• How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. And always remember, anything that doesn't have to do with elephants is irrelephant.

Goals for Tomorrow:

• Write on chapter 1, as possible
• continue to compile notes, finishing up with the Detective's Story and beginning on The Singer's Tale