How many words?

I emerge from my cave to say….

The finished manuscript is set for nearly 95,000 words. Out of interest I tallied up the words I have so far in the “finished chapters” and I was at 70,000. I can’t say they are all golden words, but it is 70,000 words of edited language that I consider good. I have volumes of discarded language–no reason to count that.

I wish I could say it has been one flash of genius after another. But like most writers in a project of this size I go through moments of great exhiliration, feeling that I am writing something original and worthwhile. At times I feel like I am reading the book that I wanted to read when I was searching for a good biography of Toole four years ago. And then at other times I doubt and question every choice I make. Why did I use that image? Am I going to far in my interpretation? Should I restrain myself or should I give more?

But with over 2/3 of the book more or less ready to be submitted, I at least have some sense that this project is survivable.

Ah–I have breathed the fresh air too long. Back to my cave…