If I had friends at the Guiness Book of World Records and if – for some unlikely reason – they were interested in my writing, maybe they would be interested to know that this will probably be my shortest blog post ever. Are you interested? Probably not? How about me? Nope, not really.

Well, that extraordinarily lame and rushed introduction aside, I am here to update you – anyone who cares, any dear reader – on the progress of Project Banana, a zany public working title for what is my first novel.

Is it still a novel even if no-one publishes it? Maybe?!

Anyway, so it’s been my main focus still, the thing I strive to do in the mornings and think about as I’m turning my computer off at night.

Last Saturday, aided by glorious plunger coffee, I wrote 4000 words in one day. Considering the brevity of this blog post, I feel like a liar!

As I write, the characters are taking over. This has happened to me before, in short stories and plays and other things, but never in a novel. This means, basically, that it’s just longwinded, or that’s how it feels anyway.

I’m up to 42,000 words now but I don’t know how much longer it will take. It doesn’t feel anywhere near finished, nor heading to a conclusion so who knows.

I have the luxury of, for a little while longer, having time to do this. And I realise now, that for such a consuming project, it’s hard to work full time and write a work of fiction unless you are able to split your mind and energy into two proficient people but without becoming crazy, it doesn’t seem to be.

I am finding that life influences art, that it’s hard to push your own experiences and current musings completely aside. Yet it seems they always find their way into your piece somehow, subconsciously infiltrating your characters’ dialogue or something like that.

I first started this novel last year, when I was in a different place. There were different priorities, different objectives and I was writing a book which has now changed course from my original intention.

I think maybe every day, literally each day we learn something new whether it be a ‘lesson’ of life or observation or just literal facts or knowledge. In any case, it feels like sometimes experience can bring a greater richness to a work. Then again, not necessarily: it doesn’t necessarily equate to that!

Some days it excites me, others it bores me. Some days I write over my quota, some days under. I feel like I am being taught discipline and motivation
and even perservence. I’m my own boss, my own editor (although I don’t want to interrupt the flow of writing by bringing that out yet) and my own ‘life coach.’

‘You can do this, keep going,’ says the invisible life coach character inside my head who actually doesn’t really exist (No I don’t hear voices!) but if did, I think would probably resemble that sports coach from Glee.

Anyway, this is probably my shortest post but thanks for your support!