The idea of rewarding myself with a sweet treat (choc-coated nuts, to be specific) for every 2000 words is working quite well so far. Now up to 14,000 words. Very fast and bad writing, just chasing that candy, letting things fall as they may. I have a general idea of what’s going to happen, but details of how it happens are working themselves out in the typing.

I had actually written a bad first draft of this novel before, but that time there was no plot. This time there is some plot, so it’s a better bad first draft.

I don’t like writing sloppily — I look at it and wonder nervously how I’m going to rewrite it — but on the other hand, when I try to write well in the first draft, I get caught up in details and things stall. (There’ll be plenty of opportunity to get caught up in details later, I’m sure.)

Having a candy reward is helping me, I think, to ignore the demon of doubt and just put words down. It gives me an immediate, tangible reason to write. I assume I’m dealing with a rather primitive part of my own brain here — but, hey, whatever it takes.

Break over. On to the mainstream novel, working title Unfurnished Souls.

I have put 35 chocolate candies in a jar, because that was all that would fit, and it might be enough. Every 2000 words, I get a candy.