Word count (to the nearest thousand): 20,000
Status: Slogging through the first draft
Attitude: Determined
I’m calling him Bob until I can come up with an official title, which, at this rate, will likely be the last words I type. I’ve really been struggling with titles lately…
Anyway, this is the first book I’ve worked on since I started blogging, the second I’ve written since I started outlining, and I must admit, it isn’t progressing as quickly as I’d like. I would have expected my word count to be double or even triple what it is by now, based on the rate at which I wrote my other first drafts, but it is what it is, I suppose. I suspect the paltry word count has to do with my second child, who isn’t nearly so, er, content as her older brother. And the fact that life, no matter who you are or what your circumstance is, tends to get busier and busier as it goes along.
Still, I love this concept, and I love how the characters are starting to emerge. I’m trying to be a little more purposeful with my characterization in this novel, but they still have to develop page by page, line by line, grimace by grin. Of the unplanned characters, my favorite so far is Ms. Mahoney: She’s pretty large and likes to be in charge:)
No matter how long it takes, I’m committed to making Bob everything he can be--because I really think he could be, might be, really great. Amazingly, stupendously, super-fantastically great. (Not that the project I’m currently querying isn’t great; I’m just easily excitable, I guess.) And to take a little of fellow writer Natalie Whipple’s advice, I’m not going to settle for anything less than that.
Well, I’d better be getting back to it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hang around for a minute and chat. So what projects are you excited about, and how are they coming along?
I just noticed over on Authoress's blog this morning that she's hosting an in-house critique session this week. Submissions should be 250 words from a work-in-progress or completed novel that portray danger in some way.
ReplyDeleteIf you're interested in entering, check out at the complete rules and guidelines at www.misssnarksfirstvictim.blogspot.com. Submissions close tomorrow morning - or whenever she gets (about) 50 entries - so don't dilly-dally!
Hi, Krista. I submitted 250 words to that crit session... and as soon as I looked at the email I'd just sent, I saw something I wanted to change.
ReplyDeleteGood for you for working on Bob. I have about 5,000 words down on a new novel, but I really want to get The Novel From Hell in the mail first.
You mentioned outlines. I want to outline Novel #2. I didn't outline The Novel From Hell and of course had to scrap all kinds of things.
Just keep slogging away. Writing certain scenes makes it all worthwhile -- that, and when the story unexpectedly throws out branches.
Drat! Authoress already closed up shop. I had Jury Duty today and just got on the computer for the first time.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it fun to be excited about your shiny new idea? I alternate between feeling excited and wanting to lean heavily on the delete button, but I have to have a rough draft before I can clean it up.
I'm excited about the YA fantasy I was working on before NaNoWriMo. I'll be reading something (I'm revising) and love how smoothly it's going--you know those sections that are a relief to read--until I realize it reads so smoothly because the scene before it was such a mess. And then I wonder if I actually cleaned up the mess or if it's still there. I think I'll wait until round three to decide ;)
It's good to be super excitable when it comes to your own work! Keep your hands in the muck and the words will come, I promise! It is much harder to write with a few kiddos running around, but it isn't impossible. I have a little piece of pink post-it hanging on the wall near my work-space that says "100 words is more than zero!" to remind myself that even tiny little bits of progress is still progress. Keep slogging away!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement, all. And sorry about missing out on Authoress's Drop the Needle session, Myrna - and about jury duty.
ReplyDeleteSince we moved here three and a half years ago, my husband and I have both been summoned to jury duty. TWICE. Our badge numbers have been high enough every time that we've never actually had to make the trek to Vegas, but that small trickle of trepidation still drips down my backbone every time I see one of those ominous tri-fold notices in the mail:)