ROW80 Round 5 - 13th Update

I know, I know, I've been a bit naughty and missed the last two updates. The first one was because I hadn't really done a lot worth writing about, and the second was because I was busy with work (both jobs) and writing. What I lacked in productivity for the first half of last week I made up for in the second. Oh yes, I made up for it. *cue maniacal laughter*

Three days in a row, I managed to get a little bit done on my main novel in progress, Dark and Silent Waters. I think I got around 2,000 new words for that story, which was pretty awesome since I'd been lagging on it a bit lately. But the real fun started when I started playing around on 750words.com after seeing other people talking about it in the ROW80 Facebook group. Since DASW is kind of 'solidified' in my mind, I found it difficult to be as spontaneous with that story, so instead I decided to start hammering out some of the other story (the one that was a random mash-up of genres) that's been bugging me lately. It seems to be settling more into the fantasy Feudal Japan setting, so at least it has some direction... sort of (and it still seems to want to develop into a romance, though I have no idea why). Hoping to at least get something out of it, I started story-rambling in 750 words... and ended up getting more than 1,000 words three days in a row. Yesterday I actually wrote 5,000 words, which is more than I usually write in a week. Sure, most of them are probably rubbish, but hopefully now that I'm back in writing mode, I can keep up the momentum. At this stage I have what could be an opening (or perhaps second) chapter for the story, which makes me happy; I like to write chronologically, but usually I just can't and end up bouncing around through my story in any old order.

I do feel guilty about not working on my main WiP. I really want to finish it, since I feel like it has potential and I also feel like it's something I can finish, if only I can work out a few small plot kinks. But this new idea is so shiny and fun and it's eating all my creativity :( I've already got around 6,000 words for it, after only a few days of writing, which I suppose is a good thing, but I really wish I could have added those 6,000 words to DASW instead.

Anyhoo, I have to go finish marking some uni stuff before bed. Adios!

Judgemental Dog was so pleased with my progress he even dressed up for the occasion:

See how other ROW80ers are going here.

P.S. More Judgemental Dog news: Late last week the vet said we could decrease Rex's medication for his bowel disease to two doses a week. This has made a huge difference to him. He's basically back to his maniac-puppy self, bouncing around like a fool and full of energy. His appetite seems to have returned with a vengeance, since he is now eating all of his food at mealtimes (and then trying to scam some from us as well; he nearly knocked off my ham roll the other day, living up to his Austrian crime-fighting namesake). His paw is completely healed, which means we've been able to take him for a few walks (only short walks, though; every day lately has either been scorching hot or full of torrential rain as is typical for Melbourne). He'll have to be on the medication for a while longer, but at least at this stage it seems he'll beat this bout of the disease as well.