Progress Report: December 2020
- Franklyn Thomas
- Dec 5, 2020
- 2 min read
Hey all, how’s everybody doing? Looks like we made it to the final chapter of 2020, and as we close out this year that’s felt like a decade, we mourn the stuff that this year and the pandemic has taken from us, like the ability to gather and celebrate together, or jobs in some cases and lives in others. Political divides have robbed us of friends and family. And we have (hopefully) a greater appreciation of things like life and time, both of which are fleeting and finite.
There’s some good stuff that happened though. Quarantine in the early months clarified who our friends and loved ones are once we spent uninterrupted time with them. Either your bonds calcified or fell away, but I can guarantee you’re better for it. We learned new skills (breadmaking, for instance), or got back in touch with old ones. And for a while, we were able to answer the question of “what would like look like if I didn’t have to work?”
On a personal note, I used the time to rediscover my love for writing and refine my process, and the result is that I finished a couple of short stories (Billy and Searching for Ms. Hero) and got started on a few others. I started a new novel project, and am close to finishing a first draft on another. It’s been a productive year, and I hope you got what you needed out of this year.
And if you didn’t, 2020 is a wash. Try not to make 2021 a rinse.
Anyway, here’s what’s going on in this neck of the woods.
- After three tries (NaNoWriMo 2017, 2019, and 2020), I’ve finally cracked 50K on Urban Legend. Sure, it’s a big, convoluted mess, with plot holes and inconsistent characterizations. But it’s a nearly-done first draft, currently sitting at 55,021 words (and counting). I’ll talk about that and the NaNoWriMo experience in my next post.
- I’ve plotted out the second act of Underground Rhapsody, a project I started in May as part of an online course called Writing Your First Novel. It’s shaping up to be a solid idea for a redemption story, and I look forward to working on it as the calendar flips to 2021. More about that on my next post.
- Not writing related, but this happened. (Show a GIF of Biden winning the election).
- I’m looking at ways to refresh the site, so keep an eye out in the new year for any updates I can work out.
- And there are some book reviews incoming, like the one for This Body’s Not Big Enough for Both of Us by Edgar Cantero. Keep an eye on this space for that.
As we wind down the last bit of this beast of a year, it’s my hope that we remember to take care of ourselves and take care of each other. Make sure you get outside every so often, even though it might be cold. Embrace the Christmas Spirit and be kind to strangers. And for the love of humanity, wear your goddamned mask.
Love y’all!
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