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Set a goal for ten minutes a day since I know October will be busy. So far, so good. It doesn't feel like much, but ten minutes is doable and will make sure I don't fall out of the habit entirely.
October 2025 Daily Writing Challenge
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cartop
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Oct. 7:
About 25 min on historical project research
About 25 min on historical project research
Day 7: 647 words, 2 pages
WIP #1: 91,805 words, 328 pages
Was very productive in the limited time I had to write today.
WIP #1: 91,805 words, 328 pages
Was very productive in the limited time I had to write today.
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Days 6-7
Edited Ch 2 of LGC. I was debating whether to start on the next chapter but decided to continue my current audiobook which is due in a week. In-laws are coming over tomorrow and staying until they get the keys to their new home (could be 1 night, could be 3). Hosting duties will likely supersede writing.
Edited Ch 2 of LGC. I was debating whether to start on the next chapter but decided to continue my current audiobook which is due in a week. In-laws are coming over tomorrow and staying until they get the keys to their new home (could be 1 night, could be 3). Hosting duties will likely supersede writing.
Day 7 was 3,011 words and 5 agents queried (plus 5 rejections)
After kinda having a nap run absurdly long (meaning I slept less when it came to that), I started the early session later than usual and had it run later than usual, but also finished more than I have lately. Then my late session was also up, but things were kinda down to the wire (where I got tripped up trying to think of a character's surname (since I had a name in mind, but it was a semi-famous name)) since I was trying to break 3k for the day and decided to not write in the afternoon/evening.
Most of the day's writing was easier since I had some plan of what I was doing (although I stumbled a little at moments). Unfortunately, that stopped holding true for the last section since I wasn't completely sure how I wanted to handle the wrapping area. And I'm still on the fence. I was half-thinking of jumping between victims where each narrative ends with the POV character getting in trouble, but the factory is shown that way.
As of now, I'm starting to potentially run a bit long. I kinda need to pick up the pace. I also haven't worked in the song yet, which I'd planned to use as a little parody. Even if the idea is presumably very marketable, I don't want to risk querying a MG that's close to 60k words... or, I should say, I don't want to risk querying one that long again. (Although FGI earned 3 fulls despite being 65k words. LL1 is sitting at 0 requests of any kind and is 55k. Pointy Hat, which is shorter at 43k, has only had a partial, but that still has more querying... and technically LL1 still has more querying to go, although I started querying LL1 earlier.)
On the agent front, today was tied with 7/17/25 for the most rejections I've had in a day. However, I'd thought I'd set a personal record with 5 (and I can partly thank a Triada agent for that since he responded in the same day -- and, if I didn't decide to wait before querying him PH, it might've been 6 rejections (presumably; I technically don't know whether he'll reject PH); the other Triada agent I'd CNR'd because it'd been a few months and I realized their stated turnaround is usually like 2 weeks.) That also meant I was able to sent 5 queries, including querying an agent twice in the same day (which doesn't happen often).
As for the research/comp, Four Found Dead is kinda slow-moving. I have mixed feelings about the writing; it's heavily interior, but also repetitive with a gimmick that spells out a traumatic incident from the MC's past. Also, the story at face value so far isn't something I'm that keen on since it's playing out more like a true crime than a thriller or horror. Maybe it'll be a useful comp, maybe it won't. I see some similarity to the vibe I had in LP.
Currently at 28,658 words for ToS
Queried 18 agents so far this month. - +5
Currently 70 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
After kinda having a nap run absurdly long (meaning I slept less when it came to that), I started the early session later than usual and had it run later than usual, but also finished more than I have lately. Then my late session was also up, but things were kinda down to the wire (where I got tripped up trying to think of a character's surname (since I had a name in mind, but it was a semi-famous name)) since I was trying to break 3k for the day and decided to not write in the afternoon/evening.
Most of the day's writing was easier since I had some plan of what I was doing (although I stumbled a little at moments). Unfortunately, that stopped holding true for the last section since I wasn't completely sure how I wanted to handle the wrapping area. And I'm still on the fence. I was half-thinking of jumping between victims where each narrative ends with the POV character getting in trouble, but the factory is shown that way.
As of now, I'm starting to potentially run a bit long. I kinda need to pick up the pace. I also haven't worked in the song yet, which I'd planned to use as a little parody. Even if the idea is presumably very marketable, I don't want to risk querying a MG that's close to 60k words... or, I should say, I don't want to risk querying one that long again. (Although FGI earned 3 fulls despite being 65k words. LL1 is sitting at 0 requests of any kind and is 55k. Pointy Hat, which is shorter at 43k, has only had a partial, but that still has more querying... and technically LL1 still has more querying to go, although I started querying LL1 earlier.)
On the agent front, today was tied with 7/17/25 for the most rejections I've had in a day. However, I'd thought I'd set a personal record with 5 (and I can partly thank a Triada agent for that since he responded in the same day -- and, if I didn't decide to wait before querying him PH, it might've been 6 rejections (presumably; I technically don't know whether he'll reject PH); the other Triada agent I'd CNR'd because it'd been a few months and I realized their stated turnaround is usually like 2 weeks.) That also meant I was able to sent 5 queries, including querying an agent twice in the same day (which doesn't happen often).
As for the research/comp, Four Found Dead is kinda slow-moving. I have mixed feelings about the writing; it's heavily interior, but also repetitive with a gimmick that spells out a traumatic incident from the MC's past. Also, the story at face value so far isn't something I'm that keen on since it's playing out more like a true crime than a thriller or horror. Maybe it'll be a useful comp, maybe it won't. I see some similarity to the vibe I had in LP.
Currently at 28,658 words for ToS
Queried 18 agents so far this month. - +5
Currently 70 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
Oct. 7: Got some writing done, using the focus feature. I'm moving forward a bit on the scene. Or at least I'm no longer spinning wheels on it. Right now everything feels like talking heads but it's only the first draft. Once I have something, I can always go back and rework things.
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Day 7 and 8
2,935 words. I finished re writing chapter 28 and started chapter 29. I finally completed editing chapter 16 which has taken ages because i have been writing more than editing.
But I have my characters near the end now. They have reached the final place they were aiming for and its not long before the big showdown.
As I'm going through with the re write, the further along I go I am pretty much writing everything new. Its the same story following the same goals and characters, just different scenery, bigger bad guys. Just overall developed so much better and I'm very happy with the route its taking.
2,935 words. I finished re writing chapter 28 and started chapter 29. I finally completed editing chapter 16 which has taken ages because i have been writing more than editing.
But I have my characters near the end now. They have reached the final place they were aiming for and its not long before the big showdown.
As I'm going through with the re write, the further along I go I am pretty much writing everything new. Its the same story following the same goals and characters, just different scenery, bigger bad guys. Just overall developed so much better and I'm very happy with the route its taking.
cartop
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Oct 8:
30 min on the novella project
Noticing I tend to be too tedious when writing in English (probably due to limited vocabulary), and decide to use a different way of writing (smaller outlines for every session)
30 min on the novella project
Noticing I tend to be too tedious when writing in English (probably due to limited vocabulary), and decide to use a different way of writing (smaller outlines for every session)
Day 8: 570 words, 2 pages
WIP #1: 92,375 words, 330 pages
WIP #1: 92,375 words, 330 pages
Day 8 was 2,828 words, 4 queries, and 2 nudges (plus 2 rejections)
Again, I had an issue with a morning nap running long and throwing things off, including what time I actually got to bed. And in many ways, today was a somewhat weaker version of yesterday where the big difference was I wrote a little less during the early session today.
Kinda hit a snag/slump in my story, between what's happening on the tour, who's been grabbed already, people sneaking around, people sneaking inside, and figuring out what I want each room to look like... and the order in which I want them to appear. The whole 9 floors thing is a bit bothersome, although I like the general allusions and wanted to double down on those in future drafts... even though technically this is probably something that'd fly over most middle schoolers' heads, so why bother?
On the agent front, today I had TWO agents reply quickly. One was for the query I sent yesterday where the turnaround was again under 24 hours. The other turnaround was under an hour. Both boilerplates, but still, a fast no is better than leaving me hanging.
As for the research/comp, while reading the book, I was kinda drawing comparisons between the Natalie D. Richards and Natasha Preston, but the comparison seems unfair on a prose level since the writing in Four Found Dead seems a lot better than The Island. Granted, I probably wouldn't bother with either author if I was strictly reading for pleasure, although partly since the premise for this book isn't quite within my interest (for a novel, anyway; I'd probably watch a movie for it)
Currently at 31,486 words for ToS
Queried 22 agents so far this month. - +4
Currently 133 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
Again, I had an issue with a morning nap running long and throwing things off, including what time I actually got to bed. And in many ways, today was a somewhat weaker version of yesterday where the big difference was I wrote a little less during the early session today.
Kinda hit a snag/slump in my story, between what's happening on the tour, who's been grabbed already, people sneaking around, people sneaking inside, and figuring out what I want each room to look like... and the order in which I want them to appear. The whole 9 floors thing is a bit bothersome, although I like the general allusions and wanted to double down on those in future drafts... even though technically this is probably something that'd fly over most middle schoolers' heads, so why bother?
On the agent front, today I had TWO agents reply quickly. One was for the query I sent yesterday where the turnaround was again under 24 hours. The other turnaround was under an hour. Both boilerplates, but still, a fast no is better than leaving me hanging.
As for the research/comp, while reading the book, I was kinda drawing comparisons between the Natalie D. Richards and Natasha Preston, but the comparison seems unfair on a prose level since the writing in Four Found Dead seems a lot better than The Island. Granted, I probably wouldn't bother with either author if I was strictly reading for pleasure, although partly since the premise for this book isn't quite within my interest (for a novel, anyway; I'd probably watch a movie for it)
Currently at 31,486 words for ToS
Queried 22 agents so far this month. - +4
Currently 133 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
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Day 9
I actually had the whole morning free to write and I stupidly wouldn't let myself write, only edit. Which I clearly wasn't in the mind frame for and only got a page done. Getting too distracted with things that needed doing around the house. I was very annoyed with myself.
I got 800 words written this evening. Would have been a lot more if I had just let myself write this morning.
I signed up to a free five day writing fantasy characters course. It's only an email a day with a different technique and task to discovering your characters and making them more realistic. Today was day two and it's pretty interesting and fun
I actually had the whole morning free to write and I stupidly wouldn't let myself write, only edit. Which I clearly wasn't in the mind frame for and only got a page done. Getting too distracted with things that needed doing around the house. I was very annoyed with myself.
I got 800 words written this evening. Would have been a lot more if I had just let myself write this morning.
I signed up to a free five day writing fantasy characters course. It's only an email a day with a different technique and task to discovering your characters and making them more realistic. Today was day two and it's pretty interesting and fun
cartop
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Oct 9:
30 min on historical project research/ideas
30 min on historical project research/ideas
Day 9: 848 words, 3 pages
WIP #1: 93,223 words, 333 pages
Pretty productive day today.
WIP #1: 93,223 words, 333 pages
Pretty productive day today.
Day 9 was 2,722 words and 3 agents queried (plus 1 rejection)
...I've got to get out of the habit of napping in the very early morning. It's basically just becoming a normal sleep given how heavily they overrun at times.
And for day 10, it's probably just replaced a normal going to bed (although I also napped for longer than I usually sleep in general...)
For a while, it seemed like it was kinda helpful, though. But day 9, I wound up only getting 895 words done during the early session and having to make up for it for writing a bit in the evening, which gave me another 521 words, before relying more on the late session.
On the agent front, the agent who same-day rejected me yesterday didn't answer the query I sent out early today yet... and I wonder if that one will get a response. idk, I'm probably just reading too much into the slowness. The other queries were based on the weekly QT email, which I got through quickly. One involved withdrawing a query that an assistant was "holding" until an agent opened up again (unusual system, which I like in principle, but I guess there was never any major benefit in practice) so I could query a newly reopened agent. The other agency (Greene & Heaton) hadn't been on my agent list for whatever reason. (It's always surprising to see a reputable-looking agency that I somehow might've missed. However, it's a London agency, which is likely a factor.)
Still reading the same research/comp. The writing has kinda improved as I've gone along. However, I noticed that the story is ridiculously slow. It makes me realize I might not always be stretching out some scenes for as long as I should... although I'm also not sure this is really building out that much tension for doing it at times. The other issue is the book seems to be trying to hint at a bit of ambiguity, but I'm not sure how well it works with the events.
Currently at 34,208 words for ToS
Queried 25 agents so far this month. - +3
Currently 185 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
...I've got to get out of the habit of napping in the very early morning. It's basically just becoming a normal sleep given how heavily they overrun at times.
And for day 10, it's probably just replaced a normal going to bed (although I also napped for longer than I usually sleep in general...)For a while, it seemed like it was kinda helpful, though. But day 9, I wound up only getting 895 words done during the early session and having to make up for it for writing a bit in the evening, which gave me another 521 words, before relying more on the late session.
On the agent front, the agent who same-day rejected me yesterday didn't answer the query I sent out early today yet... and I wonder if that one will get a response. idk, I'm probably just reading too much into the slowness. The other queries were based on the weekly QT email, which I got through quickly. One involved withdrawing a query that an assistant was "holding" until an agent opened up again (unusual system, which I like in principle, but I guess there was never any major benefit in practice) so I could query a newly reopened agent. The other agency (Greene & Heaton) hadn't been on my agent list for whatever reason. (It's always surprising to see a reputable-looking agency that I somehow might've missed. However, it's a London agency, which is likely a factor.)
Still reading the same research/comp. The writing has kinda improved as I've gone along. However, I noticed that the story is ridiculously slow. It makes me realize I might not always be stretching out some scenes for as long as I should... although I'm also not sure this is really building out that much tension for doing it at times. The other issue is the book seems to be trying to hint at a bit of ambiguity, but I'm not sure how well it works with the events.
Currently at 34,208 words for ToS
Queried 25 agents so far this month. - +3
Currently 185 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
Day 9: Got nothing done. Just puttered around doing other things.
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Day 10
I am at the sticky, snotty end of a long and horrible cold, cough, aches, and pains. Words were written but not enough to bother counting.
I am at the sticky, snotty end of a long and horrible cold, cough, aches, and pains. Words were written but not enough to bother counting.
:Waving:
Worked on a chapter today. Probably move on tomorrow. Not really checking in this month, because of many reasons, but cheering you all on rah rah team!
Worked on a chapter today. Probably move on tomorrow. Not really checking in this month, because of many reasons, but cheering you all on rah rah team!
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Oct 8; 1053 words.
Oct 9; 607 words.
Oct 10; 778.
I am just not good at rough-drafting! I keep wanting to fix things and make them nicer. Which is pointless. It's nowhere close to the finished product, why bother to mess with prose style, etc? Anyway, today I worked on expanding the basic outlines of the final scenes, adding event details, changing some things.
I know I need more conflict, but I'm really frustrated at my lack of progress. So I'm just going to continue pushing forward while muttering 'fix it later, fix it later'....
Oct 9; 607 words.
Oct 10; 778.
I am just not good at rough-drafting! I keep wanting to fix things and make them nicer. Which is pointless. It's nowhere close to the finished product, why bother to mess with prose style, etc? Anyway, today I worked on expanding the basic outlines of the final scenes, adding event details, changing some things.
I know I need more conflict, but I'm really frustrated at my lack of progress. So I'm just going to continue pushing forward while muttering 'fix it later, fix it later'....
cartop
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Oct 10:
20 min on historical project writing tryout
Start to incorporate research and conceptual ideas into workable ideas. Still very general, but felt a lot more solid than before and with more potential.
20 min on historical project writing tryout
Start to incorporate research and conceptual ideas into workable ideas. Still very general, but felt a lot more solid than before and with more potential.
Day 10: 456 words, 2 pages
WIP #1: 93,679 words, 335 pages
Not a whole lot of time to write today.
WIP #1: 93,679 words, 335 pages
Not a whole lot of time to write today.
Day 10 was 2,652 words and 5 agents queried (plus 2 rejections)
Still trying to repair my sleeping habits without any luck. Anyway, struggled through an alright word count for the day.
Once again, I continue to run a bit long. And the song portion during the beach scene kinda lacks the same menace since I didn't work in the lyrics about nothing things amiss. Instead, the final lyric set hints they could choose to stay. Not sure if it'll fit a MC later interpreting a threat's nature, but I'll see how that pans out (especially because the factory's new layout makes the scene as envisioned less practical). idk, generally an inconvenience. More work during a revision, I suppose. And I haven't even had the other characters sneak off.
On the agent front, two of the agents who rejected a query received the next one. The third had apparently been queried out... and I realized with annoyance that the most recent one (or the other before that?) was Pointy Hat, which seemed to fit her list of wants pretty well. But that's just how it goes. The third was something I'd CNR'd, realizing the cutoff period was 6 weeks and it'd been close to 8 now. Then I queried an agent on my iffy list who I'd previously queried FGI, but never bothered adding her to the normal agent list (her sales have been to major publishers, but the books themselves don't seem massively successful, where I still consider that relatively good potential; the only real issue would be the terms if I got the deal... which I wonder if it's true of other UK agents where they consider their home market the UK and outside of that is foreign (meaning 15% commission UK, 20% US). That added commission wouldn't be ideal, but 80% of something beats 100% of nothing). The other agent was dicier, but figured I'd finally give her a try, too.
Currently at 36,860 words for ToS
Queried 30 agents so far this month. - +5
Currently 253 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
Still trying to repair my sleeping habits without any luck. Anyway, struggled through an alright word count for the day.
Once again, I continue to run a bit long. And the song portion during the beach scene kinda lacks the same menace since I didn't work in the lyrics about nothing things amiss. Instead, the final lyric set hints they could choose to stay. Not sure if it'll fit a MC later interpreting a threat's nature, but I'll see how that pans out (especially because the factory's new layout makes the scene as envisioned less practical). idk, generally an inconvenience. More work during a revision, I suppose. And I haven't even had the other characters sneak off.
On the agent front, two of the agents who rejected a query received the next one. The third had apparently been queried out... and I realized with annoyance that the most recent one (or the other before that?) was Pointy Hat, which seemed to fit her list of wants pretty well. But that's just how it goes. The third was something I'd CNR'd, realizing the cutoff period was 6 weeks and it'd been close to 8 now. Then I queried an agent on my iffy list who I'd previously queried FGI, but never bothered adding her to the normal agent list (her sales have been to major publishers, but the books themselves don't seem massively successful, where I still consider that relatively good potential; the only real issue would be the terms if I got the deal... which I wonder if it's true of other UK agents where they consider their home market the UK and outside of that is foreign (meaning 15% commission UK, 20% US). That added commission wouldn't be ideal, but 80% of something beats 100% of nothing). The other agent was dicier, but figured I'd finally give her a try, too.
Currently at 36,860 words for ToS
Queried 30 agents so far this month. - +5
Currently 253 pages into a research/comp (Natalie D. Richards's YA thriller Four Found Dead)
Day 10 and 11
I have completed my re write!!!! I am so happy I have finally got it written. Whether it's classed as the second draft or the first draft as I changed so much, I don't know. But it's fully written and I nearly cried.
Written words of the manuscript so far come to just over 83k so I'm glad I have room to flesh out where I wanted to.
Considering I had the story for these characters spanning three books, I did find it hard writing it as a stand alone with series potential. As I'm hoping to send it to agents once editing is finished.
The original reason they started their quest has been resolved. But placing in deeper roots and history through out and the possibility of the main characters fate could lead to reader interpretation while leaving it for a continuation. I do think I need to close off the final chapter a bit more. But I will get to that when I edit I think.
With that done, I will be giving myself the night off writing before delving back into editing tomorrow.
I have completed my re write!!!! I am so happy I have finally got it written. Whether it's classed as the second draft or the first draft as I changed so much, I don't know. But it's fully written and I nearly cried.
Written words of the manuscript so far come to just over 83k so I'm glad I have room to flesh out where I wanted to.
Considering I had the story for these characters spanning three books, I did find it hard writing it as a stand alone with series potential. As I'm hoping to send it to agents once editing is finished.
The original reason they started their quest has been resolved. But placing in deeper roots and history through out and the possibility of the main characters fate could lead to reader interpretation while leaving it for a continuation. I do think I need to close off the final chapter a bit more. But I will get to that when I edit I think.
With that done, I will be giving myself the night off writing before delving back into editing tomorrow.
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Well done @k_leigh517 
I hope to get to where you are, one day!
Back home from time away visiting family and back to my beloved WIP today! 1429 words today. I was going to stop at 389 as I felt I couldn't do it anymore. A cup of tea later and I made good progress. Getting to the end of things ..
I hope to get to where you are, one day! Back home from time away visiting family and back to my beloved WIP today! 1429 words today. I was going to stop at 389 as I felt I couldn't do it anymore. A cup of tea later and I made good progress. Getting to the end of things ..