I thought I would write one of these, seeing as authors much more accomplished than myself are doing it and I’m very easily influenced.
I had a silly idea for a silly IF and, after being a fan of CG and HG for years, decided to use the meager last weeks before I start college (good lord) to write the prologue for it. I love trying unreasonably hard to be funny and telling meaningful, feel-good stories, and I thought there could always be more smaller-scale IF books with lighthearted tones.
The prologue only ended up clocking in at around 30k words, and when I see other people’s’ magnificent beasts of WIP’s, I start to want to retreat into my shell like a little turtle. But I am proud of myself, because I take forever to write things, and I did not take forever to write this–just like a little less than forever.
I have lots of fun plans for my WIP that I’d like to (hopefully) work on in between writing ridiculous amounts of homework papers. Best case scenario, I can add a couple hundred words a day to my second chapter, which is currently just under 7k (teeny weeny!)
Here’s to a productive 2024! I hope your holiday seasons were filled with all the love you deserve. Even if I mostly just lurk, reading the words from fellow writers in similar situations is endlessly encouraging. Like being wrapped in a big hug full of stress and word counts and, strangely, scents of tea. I’m sure at least half of you drink tea. Where’s my Venn diagram?
I actually managed both of these, in spite of some data loss near the end of the month. I’m set up to make a lot of progress on the rewrite of Asphodel in January, and I’m hoping I’ll also be able to finish the other character’s endings in Diaspora, but that’s something for the next support thread.
Time for my retrospection and ponder post to end 2023.
First,
I could not say this better myself.
I started these threads to fight my imposter feelings, and then added the shared snippets tradition to do so again because a mid-month refocus helps me.
Like others (i. e. @Havenstone and @FireFlyy), I am working slow. My Patchwerks project Is taking forever to cross the finish-line, but this year I reached a few mile-stones.
First, I rewrote everything I had, which turned a 400,000 word project into a 200,000 word project (due to code efficiencies and new features in CS)
Second, I finished the alpha copy of the “Common Route” and wrote about 200,000 words of the three branching routes.
Third, I gathered feedback from those who read my alpha copy. I am humbled with the quality and quantity of the feedback everyone has given me.
Last, I am making improvements to the common route based on the feedback I received, and it is looking good. I can’t wait until I am able to share everything.
I have changed as a writer during this entire journey, and I thank everyone that has been along with me for this.
The other writing accomplishment I achieved was to write a Jam entry and submit it. I was able to use everything that I have learned to put together a story I am happy with and that has reached others in the way I hoped it would. I can not ask for anything better, to know this.
My imposter feelings rage against me daily, but I will continue this fight into 2024.
XD Thank you! I had a resource link I wanted to share, and I wanted to share it here because I was seriously bouncing at having found it! But instead I got to post it in the January one! WOO!
Happy New Year everyone!!! May 2024 bring you health, love, peace and much much inspiration to write! Thanks for the honorable mention on this list. My goal for 2024 is to be able to finish my wip.
Καλή χρονιά και ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος from Greece!
I kind of achieved my goal! In that, I got the writing filled out for my fifth chapter. But I still have a lot of editing and testing to do, and I’m worried about pacing. I feel like it’s probably off, but I’m so close to it, I honestly can’t tell anymore.
How dare you, imposter syndrome! Those are some amazing achievements. I send you a high five through the screen!
Edit: oops, accidentally posted this in two separate comments
That’s a huge amount of progress! Rewriting a project is a massive undertaking, and it sounds like you’ve done a ton in the last year, even if it might feel like it’s taking forever to get to the finish line.
What Jam entry do you speak of? Is this a CoG thing or was this submitted elsewhere?
Thank you for doing these writer threads! I’ll be hopping on the January one shortly.
I am deeply grateful that you and others do participate in the threads. Their success is a collective effort, and I know they are appreciated by many, both who lurk and who actively participate.
Very nice. Thank you for sharing the link so I can check out your entry. I’m a few pages in and you’ve already got magic and dragons. Always a favorite of mine. In fact I rarely write a story without those two elements!
Wishing you a wonderful birthday and happy New Year.
Damn, December flow by rather fast
It is incredible to see my WIP here for the second month, among so many other talented people.
Happy New Year, everybody
Wishing you a wonderful birthday and happy New Year. 
