Current Project: Faith's Book
Status: Chapter Two
It's that time again. How's it going? Are you up against a locked gate, or do you hold the key to open it and keep on going?I'm on Chapter Two after YET AGAIN revamping Chapter One. The project is currently called Faith 11 because that's how many formal files exist just because of Chapter One. I've topped my old record by far. So much for the advantage of experience, every book is different. So, I guess you could say I'm digging in my pockets for the key -- sometimes it seems I left it back in another coat or on the counter...
How are you doing? Meeting goals? Forming new ones? Those of you doing NaMo (did I get that right?) are about to begin the last two weeks. Are you satisfied with your progress? With me, currently, it's not writing a lot of words that's the issue, it's writing the right words.
I hope everyone thinks to check in today. Here's hoping you all have a great weekend!
10 comments:
Wouldn't you know I screwed up inserting my photo and making the top all nice and pretty? Oh, well. Next time. Sorry...
I like the locked gate analogy. My "gate" is writing every day. That's why I'm doing NaNo -- to get into that habit. Not so much for the wordcount. Good thing, too, because by the NaNo timeline I'm w-a-y behind at 6118 words (I should be at about 25,000 at this point). But I've managed to write something every day so far and that's what's important to me.
They aren't the "right" words, yet, but that's okay for me. My second goal is to finish a first draft--just get the story down on paper and not worry about whether it's perfect. Writing every day is putting me on my way to getting that done.
I'm with Debbie on the NaNo progress. I want progress, but I don't really care about getting 50,000 words down. Two people in my region made their 50k goal already and that's just nuts. I don't write that fast and never will.
Like Debbie, I'm writing every day. I can usually get about 1000 words and change, so I'm happy with that. And I've reached a point in the story where trouble is flying at my characters from all directions, so I'm having a good time, which is most important to me.
I haven't approached a locked gate, but it stuck a bit and needed a shot of WD-40 to loosen it up. That usually happens to me at about page 100 or just before. So I introduced a couple of new characters and new relationship twists, and then I was off and running again.
Sorry you had to play tug of war with your first chapter, Alice, but good to see you found your key to get the gate open. If it goes missing again, check under the rock on the front porch.
Hey, Alice!
Nice photo. I thought you'd found another piece of property for me to look at. :)
Perhaps your current book will absolutely set the keyboard on fire once you're pleased with chapter one.
I'm on track with my unofficial and modified NaNo--rekeying and editing a story previously drafted. If I slipped some days, I've made them up the next day. I've rekeyed 24,300+ words so far. That sounds impressive...
HOWEVER, this is just rekeying at a very comfortable pace and mostly only notes on where to make edits.
Since I drafted this story several years ago, I've also realized how much editing there will be. I've spotted jumping points of view, telling instead of showing, starting numerous paragraphs with the names of characters, just to name a few things--oh, yeah, and strengthening the hero's motivation. DEFINITELY a draft. LOL! Guess being able to spot these issues is a sign that I've learned a few things in the last several years. I hope!
But I still like the story and still chuckled as I went through it (it's a romantic comedy).
Now, I'm off to help my son build the cover on the back deck. It's shaping up already and we're planning to make major progress today while the sun shines.
Hope you all make major writing progress and enjoy the weather!
Debbie, I think, especially at the beginning of your writing career or when dividing your time between writing and another job, writing every day is a perfect goal. I hope you meet your additional goal of finishing a manuscript. Right now, the knowledge that I can fix this, I can figure it out, I've done it before, it will happen again is about all that's keeping me from drop kicking the computer out the second story bedroom window. Accomplish a completed manuscript and you have a prize no one can ever take away from you!
Karen, 50K words in to weeks? I think at some point you have to question the quality of the words. Yikes!
I hear you about the WD-40.
You are so right about writing being fun! I think this aspect of writing can suffer so much under the baggage of deadlines and editing and second guessing. Good for you with the fun. I heard another writer say that once, she reminded me that we write for entertainment, that our books should be fun for people to read. Isn't that the truth?
!,000 words a day ain't nothing to sneeze at.
Genene, good luck on the roof!
When you said you were going to cut a book by half, I was flabbergasted! And here you are doing it. It's nice to see how much you've learned and grown, too, isn't it? I read an old magazine story of mine the other day and egad, I was rewriting the whole time I read it. I'm tickled pink for you that you are chuckling as you read your story and continued good luck!
Sorry this novel is giving you so much trouble, Alice. Let's hope this new chapter one is the charm.
I'm up to 19,400 words on my NaNoWriMo (or "very tiny rhino" as Jim calls it). I find myself much too far along in the story for the number of words I have and think I could easily wrap it up by or before 30,000 words. I tried going back through the story today and adding more description and detail to some of the scenes I'd previously written, but that didn't add much in quality or word count.
Perhaps I'll just wrap it up and put it away for awhile and follow Genene's idea and key in the rest of the 50,000 words from a non-fiction book I wrote and self-published in 1978. I've been wanting to see if I could update that book and make it available online anyway.
Happy writing, everyone!
Barbara, thanks for the sympathy. Had a couple of insights provided by a friend who also writes Intrigues that really helped me refocus -- have done more rewrites, so hope springs eternal.
Doesn't sound like writing short is your problem, does it?
Good luck deciding what to do next, so glad you have an alternate project to pursue.
Just now getting a chance to check in. DH hauled me off to our Daughter's in baker City on fRiday and to an auction in Emmet ID today. We went after a backhoe came home with three pipe wrenches! LOL
Anyway, I managed about 6500 words this week. Not quite what I was going for, but better than none. My goal had been to have the first draft of this book done and partials shipped on to the agent who requested and other agents by Thanksgiving. I'm keeping my fingers crossed it happens. Not looking to good at this point, but we shall see.
Alice, your beginning has given you grief, but I bet now you know this character well and the rest of the book will percolate along.
I've found the books that are the hardest in the beginning are easier toward the end and the ones that come quickly in the beginning are the boogers at the middle/end. (this book right now)I didn't realize trying to keep some things secret for later books and still have enough mystery in this book and closure would be so hard!
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