Word count: 1,666 (Seriously, the first chapter was precisely 1, 666 words long!)

Reward for achieving daily goal: Chai latte and belgium biscuit.

Verdict:

Shaky start. Tried to begin with Tail of Two Scions but wasn’t really feeling the ‘love’ so decided to free it up by writing something fun, something light, something just for me (that I may never share with anyone, muahahaha!). I’ve called it Love in Tirra-Inle for reasons that might become apparent if it goes as planned (And it better goes as planned because it foreshadows two other incomplete stories of mine!).

Scrivener: Doesn’t autocorrect my case-related typos (ie: if I type “KAtaryna” it doesn’t adjust it) which is quite annoying as I type fast and often make that error, but there’s probably a setting for it somewhere? On the plus side, it keeps count of my words as I go, so I can see at a glance instead of compulsively clicking “word count” each time, which is super-nice. Otherwise, it’s a writing program. I’m a little here or there about it, really.

As for writing a romance – well, it’s not a romance yet. The only characters so far have been a grumpy coach-master (unnamed); our protagonist, Kataryna; and her pet named Fluffy. I’ve not identified the species of anything, except the cama (camel/llama hybrids) that the furrae use as draft beasts. If I get annoyed by characters being described only by their ethnicity in human-related fiction,  then it stands to reason* that I should also get annoyed by anthros being defined only as their specicity (look, I invented a word!).

Chapter two, Potential Love Interest will be introduced. This is probably too late in the story for it to be a Mills and Boons romance. But then again, the main character is an anthro lemur, with a pet ?????? called “Fluffy”, who has just been stranded in a desert wasteland.

Pretty sure Mills and Boons are not going to be interested (unless they decide to introduce a Furry-Apocalypse themed range with an entomological bend).

Well, I’m writing and I’m having fun. And I’m going to continue trying to jump between Tail of Two Scions and Love in Tirra-Inle and see if I can at least get into writing again. Heck, if I finish this one I might get it printed up and buy a copy of it, just for LOLs. I might even sell some to a few trusted friends.

Tips for getting up the word count: When your character gets dumped in a wasteland with three bags and can only carry one, list everything she decides to take with her and everything she leaves behind. This serves two additional purposes: it shows you something of her personality, and it also gives you lots of useless dribble that you’ll probably have to edit out later.

Extract:

She had three bags, one bulging with reference books, another with her array of scientific equipment. Much of it too valuable to leave by the side of the road — but also far too cumbersome to carry.  The third, which contained her clothing and other personal affects, she supposed she could sacrifice. Surely Tirra-Inle would have some sort of market. Still, staggering in covered in road-dust and stinking of sweat would probably not make the best first impression. She should probably keep at least one set of fresh clothes. And maybe some soap. Oh, and the remainder of the special “birdseed”-and-nut brownies her mother had packed for her. Packed with nutrients; she’d need the energy. The water flasks, well, they were a definite necessity. Although the Deadlands were interspersed with streams, creeks and all manner of watercourses, none were fit for consumption. Deadlands wasn’t just a clever name. Rainwater was probably safe and she’d have to hope the wildlife wasn’t too toxic — Fluffy couldn’t survive on seeds and nuts. She’d have to take her thick jacket too, for temperatures could plummet into levels of dangerous discomfit when the sun went down. Kataryna’s russet and grey fur wasn’t dense enough to provide much insulation. Her ancestors were better suited to a more tropic climate. Now, the books. Well, her notebook was a no-brainer, along with several (slightly chewed — bad habit) pencils. Never know what she might find out here. Observing from ground level was always better than observing from a carriage. A couple of encyclopedias — there was no way she was leaving “Slater’s Guide to the World of the Creepy and the Crawly” behind. That book was invaluable! She’d need to take her butterfly net. Could always use that to catch flutterbyes to feed Fluffy, although that felt perhaps a little too cruel. Better to let him catch his own. He was hopping around, circling her, scenting the air with his forelegs. Probably the “Idiot’s Guide to Wilderness Survival” would be essential too. Even if her brother had given it to her as a joke. A box of fire-lighters. Damn, her microscope was too bulky. She’d have to leave it behind. She cursed, but there was nobody to listen. Dissection kit, a definite yes. Magnifying lens… well, that could be squeezed in. Compass, yes. Book of before-time tales… she’d have to leave that behind. Waterproof slick, well, that would probably be useful. Still, at least she could leave the umbrella, although the sharp end might make it a useful weapon.

Random Factoids I have learned today:

• Spiders hear and smell using the hair on their legs.
• A human can walk around 5 km in an hour.

[* it doesn’t stand to reason.]