18: Bulala’s Benchmark
11/8/2011
Just Finished scene three of “The Fever”, where Bulala is gathering the cinchona bark and Wanyana’s violet. It was good work for a single day. 2,000 words in one day I think is a record for me. Plus, it turned out amazingly well. The writing is adequate for a first draft, and the imagery is excellent. The action is good. The pacing is good. The scene adds well to the overall plot and fills out the characterizations. All of which is pretty good for a scene involving only one person.
I think I’m getting better at this. Or else I just had a good day. We’ll see.
Present-Day Reflection
6/12/2026
I was right, I’d finally found my writer’s voice for the entire series that day. I haven’t always stuck with it, but that scene – which would eventually become a chapter all its own – remains a benchmark for my writing even today. There have been moments since where I’ve somehow managed to surpass that benchmark, but it still remains the standard to which I strive for.
