| But I will finish "Dusk" by midnight on Monday.
That is all. | comments: Leave a comment   |
| Chapter 11 is finished. Onto the final chapter of "Dusk". I will complete it by next week, I believe.
Est. word count: 75,000 words.
Not bad for a first draft. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| A quick update before I dash off to work:
I hit a snag in the writing last week--my father was taken to the hospital on Monday and discharged on Wednesday. Needless to say I got little writing done during that time. Instead I read "The Lost Symbol", "Armor", "Brimstone", "Dance of Death", and "The Book of the Dead".
I hope to have the first draft done by sometime next week--I am resisting the idea of going back and retooling the outline until I go back and re-read it and make sure that the outline jives with what's in my text. I haven't been doing that all along (whoops). But at some point very soon I will post that the first draft is done, and clocks in at somewhere around 75,000 words.
--C. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I'm homing in on the last stretch of "Dusk"--there is an important scene to finish up between to characters, and then the climax of the novel, followed by two reaction scenes.
Then the first draft will be done.
In many ways, it is MORE daunting to realize that much of the first draft (some 73,000 words) won't make it into the 2nd draft. That you need to go back and work out more detail, add things to "the world bible," as it were, and begin to expand on what's there.
I'm very excited by the prospect of going back--now that I have a complete draft, I at least have something to work with, even if it's not 100% complete. It will be, if all goes according to plan, about this time next year that I will be reasonably happy with it and can begin handing it off to an editor to work on. Maybe.
I still don't know if I'm going to submit it to agents, etc. to see if a publisher is interested, or find an on-line site to serialize it.
*shrugs* At this point, I'm happy that I'm honing in on the conclusion. My plan to be done by Thanksgiving is still likely at this point. :-)
--C. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| So it's been nearly three weeks since I last updated this lovely journal--in that time, I have finished chapter 9, and moved firmly and resolutely into chapter 10.
It is progressing very well, and I am planning on finishing the work before the end of the month. It is "national novel month," or whatever. I am very pleased with the way that the story is going--it will end up being the beginning to quite the epic work once all is said and done. I'm glad that I've gotten all of this out on paper--it's not exactly like it would have sprung forth before this.
Chapter 10 is the "beginning of the end"--well, we moved firmly into the end stage in chapter 9, but in 10 I am tying off characters for the story, opening new doors, bringing things to heads, etc. It's a good thing.
I'm very proud of myself for reaching this stage--this project was simply to get me through the summer, and instead I've begun to let it take flight and become something larger. Maybe even one of you will want to read it. :-P
As I write though, I recognize that there is a TON more to do on the research end of things; which is one of the reasons that after it's written I'm going to take some time to revise it, research what I need, re-write, do more research, re-write again. I have a feeling that it's on the 3rd or 4th draft that I will be able to begin to say that it's ready for submission to anything. I also want to flesh out the rest of the series. I know where I want it to go, but I need to make sure that the groundwork is laid out so that I can make it go there.
I will hit 60,000 words today. Not bad at all, if I do say so myself. In a couple of weeks I'll be able to say it's the longest thing I've ever written. :-)
Happy Sundays all!
--C. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| Why is it that I always seem to update on the first day of the week, and none other? No idea.
I tried to write over the three day weekend (thanks to Columbus for 'discovering' the Americas) but with me not feeling too hot, I couldn't really focus. Instead I made soup, pumpkin bread, applesauce, and limeade. And helped make cookies.
I hope to get quite a bit written this week, perhaps even push through to the last scene in 9, but we'll see with work, etc. how it all goes.
After 9 gets written, it's just three more chapters--I might even have a working draft by Thanksgiving, which would be amazing. It might even mean that I have a full first draft by the first of the year; depending. If not, then certainly by Valentine's Day.
Onward & upward!
-C.
P.S. Anyone interested in reading a draft? :-P | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I FINALLY finished chapter 8. It is becoming more and more clear to me as I write how much I'm enjoying the characters and their interactions, but also how much I simply *like* the world. At the beginning of the writing stage, so much of the world was hazy and unclear--I had a vague sense of what was going on, but through the initial "write" as it were, I've discovered quite a bit about my characters.
Chapter 8 (which is no longer really chapter 8, but for my purposes at this point it remains so) is a doozy, clocking in at nearly 10,000 words. It's not one chapter, but really 5, so I'm not terribly concerned. Chapter 9 is a bit shorter, but has many important and critical things in it, so it will probably end up being 6-7k
I finally hit 50,000 words as well. The initial write is, I think on track to hit 75,000, and the 2nd write, well, we'll see. I have a feeling its going to top out at over 100k, but we'll see. Not bad for someone who hasn't really written anything in four or five years.
Once the first write is done, I'm going to take a week break and rest my thoughts before diving into the first total review/write. The 2nd draft will probably take me into January, at this rate, which is just fine. We'll see.
Hope all is well with everyone! | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Chapter 8 moves along at a glacial pace. It's not for lack of trying, nor is it for lack of inspiration. Rather, lack of time, and previously, lack of wireless. It is difficult to write at one's desk if one does not have wireless, and needs to be tethered to a modem in order to connect to the internet. Now that that little problem has been fixed, I am writing away happily. Chapter 8 will be finished soon, and then four more chapters to go.
Then a week off. Then I edit in what I've done so far.
Then read everything.
Then read everything again, taking "big picture" notes, with commentary on what I'm missing, or plot threads that need to be re-worked, etc.
Then write the sucker.
Then another edit, with more big picture notes, making sure that everything makes sense.
Then another edit, with a fine toothed comb.
After that, I have a few readers lined up--while they're reading it, I begin outlining, etc. book two. Repeat!
Once the readers have read, and commented, add their comments/questions, etc. Then begin posting. :-) | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I will finish chapter 8 this week if it kills me (and it might). I am only 1/2 of the way through the chapter, and the next two sections are going to be very, very detailed, and very important in setting up the end of the novel.
We'll see.
Maybe I won't make that October 1st deadline after all...which would not be the end of the world, I can assure you.
Besides, the posting date of April 1st is months and months away.
--C. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| So work is getting busier, and thus I cannot devote as much time during the day to writing. I am still (rather happily) stuck in chapter 8, with a scene in the Senate between the High Speaker and her nemesis. Hopefully I'll be able to get through the novel before the start of October, but we'll see.
Life is also picking up--I'm audition for the Boston Gay Men's Chorus in a few weeks, and am working with a historical society on a few projects over the next year. And maintaining seeing my bf, etc.
I maintain that it will be possible for me to finish "draft .5" before the start of October. This draft is literally just to get words on paper--after that, I go back in, especially to the first 1/2 of the work and edit & revise. It is that edit I think that will show the most promise. I'm hoping by the first week of March to be able to begin posting the work, once a week.
I will take a few weeks off to work on a short side project, while I outline book II.
I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but it's great fun, and I am v. excited.
How is everyone? | | comments: Leave a comment |
| A strange feeling washed over me yesterday--that of "wait, what am I writing again?"
I'd just finished a section of "chapter 8" with my two heroes, and thought to myself--am I writing fantasy or romantic comedy, or both? I then decided that I am evil, and that I enjoy playing cat and mouse with Odon, the poor thing.
I'd say that this section is probably my strongest written text yet--it's a nice balance of description and dialogue, and internal and external thoughts.
I am hoping to finish chapter 8 before the end of next week--it's a long one, and I don't know how much actual writing I'll get done over the weekend. I'm in no rush, as I want to write and make it the best possible story. If I get done with 9 & 10 before school starts, I will be in good shape to finish the main sequence before October 1, which is my goal.
Did I mention I've five more books after this one? I said the story was epic, and I meant it. Not perhaps as epic as "The Wheel of Time" which will top out at nearly 4.5 million words, when everything is all said and done (14 books later), but probably in the 800k range, which is still very respectable.
I will begin posting character histories, etc at some point for Odon, Simar, Rollodon, Suldarnos, Meli, and a few other important characters, as well as brief histories of the seven or eight nations that populate the continent.
Anyone interested in reading the section from yesterday? :-D
Have a fantastic day all! | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Progress update for 8/10/09:
I am firmly in (old) chapter 8 at the moment--my lead characters are about to hurdle into an uncomfortable situation (again). They seem to do that frequently.
I hit 40,000 words (or so) late last week, and will probably be around 44,000-45,000 by the end of this week (probably, but we'll see, maybe less).
School is starting up again, so the amount of time I can distract myself from lack-of-activity is becoming smaller and smaller, so the progress forward will be less and less--I plan to have everything written sometime in September, however. Outlines are a joy to work with, even if you've scrapped most of the beginning and need to rework it.
Speaking of that--even if the .5 draft is done, I don't expect to be finished with my edits until January or so. I've only a limited amount of time that I can work on something like this, alas.
Once that's done, I've a couple of "select" people who are willing to work with me on it. After they've done so, their suggestions/comments will be added into the work, creating a very seamless product. Then who knows. Perhaps sending cover letters out to agents, or perhaps not. It is a first novel, and I'd rather write a whole bunch more first. :-P
In any case, I suspect I will found a blog, or find a site that hosts and submit it to them. Then, like clockwork, every week or two the story will be published until it's finished, and then probably without interruption I'll be able to begin posting books II-VI. Yes, there are six.
In other news, life is good--saw a fantastic production of Macbeth last night, made gingersnap cookies over the weekend, and generally enjoyed the beautiful weather on Saturday. Not so much so on Sunday, ah well. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I've been up since 4:15 or so, for no apparent reason. It's hot here, but that shouldn't be the only reason I only slept from 10:15-4:15.
In good news, I finished chapter 7 yesterday, and am diving into chapter 8 this morning. It's not really chapter 7 or chapter 8 any longer, but for the sake of continuity, that's how I'm thinking of them.
I also finished a review/edit of the first 1/3 of the book. It's not too bad--there are two plotlines that I need to insert, and that will change the structure of the story significantly, but all in all, it's not too bad at all.
This novel has taken over my life--I walked to one of the dining halls yesterday for lunch, and proceeded to walk right by one of my bosses, who proceeded to say hello to me. I was off in lala land somewhere. I think I was trying to describe in my head a future scene.
My sad excuse for iced coffee is water, tasteless, and delicious this morning.
--C. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| An update:
Word count today: 1100 words.
Total 37,500.
The period that the both the story and the novelist is entering is fairly perilous. Why does he say that, you may be asking yourself. Simply put--I recognize that the first 1/2 of the book is not nearly as complete as it needs to be. There are two major sub plots that are currently not in the story at all, or barely, and they need to be there. In addition, the text that is there is needing to be greatly expanded upon. Bits of the 2nd Odon chapter will remain, I'm sure, as will parts of the various conversations, etc. Overall, however, the text will not remain as such.
I've begun as I think about bits to add, etc to add them in bold to the text that exists, so that I recognize that the text isn't perfect, but that it is present.
What does this mean? Well, it means that my plan of being done for September was wildly optimistic and unrealistic, and so I have a feeling it'll be October, maybe even November before all of the major scenes are there and I can start working with the whole text. I think though, that this round of "this scene and plot is missing this" has created a cohesive enough plot for me to work with. We'll see.
I'm happy to post part of the 2nd Odon chapter if anyone is interested. It's the part of the novel I'm happiest with--my lead characters are so awkwardly cute together at this point. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I love bus trips, for they allow me to edit my work uninterrupted.
I am headed up to Maine this weekend (home) for a nice little break. I've been editing the first 22,000 words or so of the text and oh my does it need some tlc. The trip up there and back should allow me to give it some of that very much needed tlc.
I had trouble concentrating yesterday, subsequently I did not write very much. But I did write, and that's the important thing, as I try to write at least a little bit every day. Ah well. I'll get there. :-)
At this point, barring some major catastrophe, I will be finished with the main body of the text by early September. Then the fun begins. *takes out machete* | | comments: Leave a comment |
| It's been a good few days, writing-wise. Am almost to the end of editing the first chunk of the work (well, so far). It's been rather interesting to do so--each of the chapters has been edited before, but it's fascinating to see what you catch and don't catch each time. Eventually there will be a "tight" edit, but I am a LONG way from that. Writing is consuming me at the moment.
I've written a very awkward scene for my two main characters. It's been almost a month since they've seen each other, and it's just...awkward. It soaks through the screen, well, at least it does in my head. Ah well.
I've decided also to move the "end" of my novel to the beginning of the 2nd--start things off with a bang, as it were. This frees up much more time in the middle to develop some of the plotlines that I've been working on & towards, and gives several minor characters MUCH more page time.
It's been years since I've written anything of this length, and it feels so...good to have complete control over what the characters do and say. I am revising constantly as I go, and adding scenes and moments in, almost backfilling, you might say, as I realize that important things need to happen.
A note about the world: The world that I operate in is a world that almost nine hundred years ago began a huge war between Enkona, a northern power, and the powers of the south, who banded together to defeat Enkona. It took nearly two hundred years to bring Enkona to her knees, and the tides of war swung back and forth several times. Finally, after two centuries of warfare, Enkona was defeated, and at the Congress that settled the war, a mighty Barrier was constructed between Enkona and the rest of the continent, to stand guard against any encroaching for one thousand years. This punishment was deemed appropriate by the powers of the time, such was the extent of the destruction.
To ensure that the Barrier remained whole and strong, the post of Guardian was established to watch over it. These Guardians are not immortal, or omnipotent, they live longer (there have been three), and through their use and manipulation of Stones, they are able to do things others cannot, but they are ultimately still human. Rollodon is the third Guardian, and has remained so for three centuries.
More about him, as well as his apprentice later. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| | Tags: | dusk | | Current Music: | The bus | | Current Location: | My couch | | Subject: | 7/22 | | Time: | 06:43 am | | Current Mood: | ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/happy.gif) refreshed |
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| Yesterday was a wash, in terms of writing; I think I wrote all of 100 words. I did, however, get to 1/2 of chapters 1-4 edited, which was a HUGE accomplishment. I've until next Friday to finish, then I get to make the changes.
I'm hoping to write, write, write today--I'd still like to be to 8 by Friday, even if it's just posting the chapter title. That's about 8500 words...lets see what happens. As I said yesterday, my outline is SO helpful. Haha.
Editing is a great process, and one that I very much enjoy. It enables me to take a step back and see what works and what doesn't work in the context of both the chapter and the story as a whole. Because I'm writing this "all in one" rather than "as I go" as I did in years previous, I'm able to make changes to chapter 1 or 2 even if I'm writing chapter 17, if something needs to be in there. There are several scenes that are really fun, at least so far, and a couple of things that I've edited out; and mostly I'm happy with how the story is going.
Over the course of the next couple of entries, I will introduce people to the "leading" characters. First up: Rollodon, Guardian. | | comments: 1 comment or Leave a comment |
| Accomplishments of yesterday:
1) I've set in motion the build up to the peaks of the book; the scene itself is okay for a "first" run, but will be sharpened and heightened and cleaned up many, many times over.
2) I hit a solid 1/3 of the chapters written. The novel is plotted to 17 chapters, and I'm now into chapter 6. Text wise, though, I'm barely at 1/3, as I'm sure some chapters will be longer than others, although I'm aiming for around 5000-6000 words/chapter.
Hope for today:
1) I'd like to get the rest of chapter 6 written--it helps SO much to have an outline of what's going to happen, so that the text flows from my fingers to the screen much more easily. It's still a struggle, seeing as the characters are still created and sometimes have difficulty speaking, but it makes "where do I go from here" much easier.
2) I'm also "dental editing" as I go with chapters 1-4. This is after an initial pass, where I read the text, ensure that there aren't major pieces missing, and basically go after it with a fine toothed comb. I'd like to get 3-4 pages edited. We'll see what happens.
All in all, it was a decent day of writing yesterday, but I'm hoping today will be much better.
Eventually, I will post snippets, chapters, etc, for y'all to read, but for now, it's mine, all mine... :-)
--C. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I love mornings.
It's not necessarily the getting-out-of-bed that I enjoy, although that is a good feeling (if at 5:30 a.m. anything can be called a good feeling).
It's the sense that the day will be full of wonder and possibility, and that everything that you'd like to accomplish is possible.
At least, for me.
My wonder and hope this morning is that I can finish most of chapter 6 today. I spent the weekend editing a good 8-10 pages of chapters 1 & 2, but during the day (since I'm at work) I end up writing.
So we'll see how I do--I'd like to be well into chapter 8 by Friday, which means I need to finish chapter 6 by the end of tomorrow, and then 7 in two days.
Lucky for me I have an outline.
--C. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Greetings!
It's been a very long two years since I last posted--I think the LJ clock said 98 weeks. I was probably rambling on about the excitement of moving to Boston, and what life was going to be like, etc.
An amazing couple of years has followed, where my hopes and dreams have, literally, come true. Have an excellent job that I love, dating an incredible man (we mark 6 months next Saturday), living in a good neighborhood, and the like.
I am writing again today as I'm working on a novel--original concept, something I've had kicking around in my head for the past decade.
So I'm going to use this journal as a space to lay out thoughts, frustrations and the like as I move forward. I am going to attempt to post everyday, but we'll see how that goes.
Hopefully all are well, and enjoying life! Stop by & say hello! | | comments: 10 comments or Leave a comment |
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