1000 Words of Summer 2025, part 2
I haven’t processed any of it yet, but here’s what I can say:
I wrote over 14k words from May 31 to June 13.
These words make up 93 new documents in my Scrivener novel file.
The longest document is 661 words; most are much shorter.
They took about 30 hours to write and would take about an hour to read.
My approach with this 1000 Words of Summer was to write toward each idea with abandon and, as soon as it lost its spark or I got stuck, open a new document and write toward a new idea. One thing 1000 Words of Summer has taught me over the years: there is always a new idea.
Next step is to read it all and see if anything is usable! I’d like to have a draft of this novel that I can send my agent sometime this summer. To do that, I’m going to have to make choices and say no to some things I’d hoped would be in the book. From the beginning, it’s been trying to be too much — two separate historical plot lines and a present day plot line; Brooklyn, Rockford, and Berlin; architecture and filmmaking and photography; depressions and recessions; philanthropy and conmen. I need to say no to some things so I can say yes to others. For what gets cut… there is always the next novel.
This project continues to be a refuge and an anchor. My family joined the No Kings protest in Manhattan yesterday, demonstrating with over 2,000 cities across the U.S. that we are not onboard with would-be dictators who throw ridiculous birthday parties with our tax dollars. (Recommend
’s latest post: Your Kid’s Art Class is Paying for This Parade.)
There are many reasons one might feel helpless, but we are not helpless, and showing up in the real world to protest reminds us of this, as does insisting on making our art and continuing to put it out in the world.
These two weeks were very busy in my work and personal life and not a great time to add 1000 words a day to the to-do list, but having done it anyway, I feel proud and energized and closer to the person I want to be. Generally, my experience has been that art (making it, witnessing it) improves a situation.
If you were also participating in 1000 Words, I hope it left you feeling energized as well.
Love,
Shayne
p.s.
is publishing a novel on Substack! Read part 1.p.p.s. RSVP for Erica Stern’s Frontier launch event at Lofty Pigeon on June 25, where I’ll be asking the questions!
Thanks for including my novel! Also you wrote so much! That’s huge!