February 20th – 160,354.

Well today was a split writing day, I’ve had to work on two separate projects, managing just 2,109 words on my current work in progress while also writing an 837 word article about Amazon for the benefit of our authors.

I hate splitting things like this, it’s not the same as finishing one piece and starting another, having to leave something and then pick it up again is more difficult. Working on a non-fiction piece where the tone is all important, and completely different, from the fiction piece I’m writing isn’t easy. Especially so, as I’m currently working on a slightly comedic scene which needs a very light touch.

Writing comedy is, in my humble opinion, the hardest part of the writing craft. You can pour your heart and soul into an emotional piece, pump adrenalin into an action scene, but a comedy scene? That takes angst more than anything else, accompanied by a huge dollop of worry, worry that nobody will find it even remotely funny when they get to read it down the line.

There is of course another worry too, that the editor won’t “get” it either so will attempt to take all the humour out of the scene, which leaves you with too equally unpalatable options – either accept a ruined book, or a damaging row with the editor! For me the first choice is a non-starter anyway, but the second is often a poor option too.

Ah well, time to stop worrying about the future and concentrate on the present.