Manuscript-A-Palooza, Week Two

This week, my goals were to complete a draft of part one of my Backstage chapter (Two), to compile primary source material on the actress Jane Lessingham for Chapter Six, and to review suggested revisions to the Dorothy Jordan chapter (Five).

I'm pleased to say that I stayed on track with this, and even got a little downtime on Friday and Saturday. It was tempting to try and work ahead, but honestly, this is a marathon and I was getting a bit tapped out with writing. Fortunately, because I'd plotted out exactly what needed to be done each day, I knew what time I did and didn't have. I'm taking the same approach this week.

I'll be aiming to: 1) complete part two of my Backstage chapter, 2) get comments on part one at a writing group meeting on Friday and make a revision plan, 3) start the Jordan revisions, and 4) draft the Lessingham section for Chapter Six. This is a bit more juggling than I've given myself thus far, and I've got a busy non-book week ahead.

In that context, and considering the length of the first part of the Backstage chapter, one goal I'm giving myself is to write no more than 5000 words on part two. I'll plan to work through the Jordan revisions by focusing on one section a day, and I'll set some clear goals for each phase of the Lessingham drafting (outline with thesis statement, then filling in biography, survey of career and reputation, major events). In total, I'm aiming for this section to be 4000 words.

Hopefully, at this time next week I'll have good news on my progress and will be chilling with the last season of Game of Thrones. For now...