After a few months away from NaNoWriMo and this novel that seems to be taking ages to finish, I think I’m finally back on the path.

I’ve been able to squeeze out a few hundred words by pecking at it over the last several days, but today I’ve finished the chapter that’s been hanging around my neck since November.  It may only have been 2,028+ more words but I’m now ready for the big ending.  It’s not usually a struggle to do the ending, but this novel has become a little unwieldy.  It’s either going to end up with a major, and I repeat “major”, rewrite after the first draft is printed, or else it’s going to need to be split into two.  That’ll really mess up the volume numbers.  Oh well, can’t be helped.

Total wordcount as of today is: 171,054

I’d like to say that it justifies how long it’s taken to do, but it doesn’t really.  I need to tackle the words, grappling with them until they submit to my will, before this installment will be anything near to readable.  But, as I always say, you can only grapple with them when they’re written.  You can’t rewrite in your head.

The goal now, then, is to get the climax done and I doubt that’ll happen this side of 200,000 words.  Once done, the first draft can be lightly dusted and printed ready for the first of, no doubt many, battles of my will against that of the words.  I foresee sparks a’plenty!

But that’s for another day.  For today, I’m just glad to be back on the path.