We’re coming up on the end of the month, and I am desperately trying to finish my manuscript. As I write this, I am on my 83rd page written this month and I’ve just started with Chapter Twenty of the book. I’ve mapped out the ending and now I just have to write it. But I guess that is precisely the hard part.

I’m planning on 23 chapters right now. And I will give my best over the next two days to get it all written down. I do have some work commitments coming up in the coming week, but aside from that I will still channel all my energy into getting project Grim February done. It might expand a bit into March, but let’s be honest, I should be allowed a few extra days anyway since February is an unreasonably short month.

Expect to not hear anything from me until this is done. I will provide you with a final update once I emerge on the other side of this dark night of the soul.

I’ve just gotten back home from a few days in a lovely little cottage on the vineyard slopes of the Moselle, where I spent my time cooking, chopping wood and writing in front of the fireplace. Grim February now stands at 50 handwritten pages – which is probably about 17,500 words written this month.

I’m currently finishing Chapter Fifteen and have now definitely entered the final act of the novel. So things are heating up, both in the story and with my goal of trying to finish the novel this month.

Alright. I think I’m finally making some progress with Grim February. I’m still in Chapter Twelve, but last night, I finally managed to finish that scene that was giving me so much trouble. I’m now 18 hand written pages into the effort (which should mean I’ve written around 6,300 words) and I’m feeling the story picking up steam once again.

I’m sitting down to write some more this morning. Got the coffee brewing and I’m ready for a big push.

The start of Grim February has been brutal. I’ve been trying for days, desperately, to write myself out of this scene I’m stuck in. Eleven hand written pages later, I think I nearly have it now. Hopefully I can move on soon, pick up some momentum and get this novel moving onto the home stretch.

In some good news, I spent much of the last two days figuring out the ending of the novel. And I think I pretty much have it now. Including the murderer. As my wife said in her infinite wisdom at this point: Now you only need to go and write it all down. Ha!

Today, I’m starting a month of doing nothing but trying to finish the first draft of my novel. Something I’m calling Grim February.

Some of you might know that I work as a freelance journalist and podcaster to make my living. And in the months since finishing NaNoWriMo 2021, I haven’t gotten much work on the novel done, because I’ve been very busy with assignments. Therefore, I’ve taken the whole next month off from my other work to concentrate on GRIM DEEP in the hope of bringing my government grant to a successful conclusion.

I will keep you updated on this blog and my Twitter account as to how this effort is progressing. My current manuscript stands at 11 chapters and 73,103 words. I have no idea how long the novel will be, I don’t even know the details of how the story will end yet. But I will give my best to finish it in February. Wish me luck!