Um, how exactly can one get this close -- *THIS CLOSE!* -- to the ending of a 110,000 word novel and get the biggest surprise yet? I'm still shaking my head. How can I not have seen this particular thing coming in my own book? Who's writing it, anyway?? And this, coming after that surprise on Saturday from another character. This lot's been seriously holding out on me. And I mean SERIOUSLY.
In hindsight, every "surprise" this bunch of characters has hit me with was actually there in the manuscript long in advance. They aren't really surprises, they're logical outcomes of events and personalities I set up back in November. But somehow, I still managed to not see any of it coming. That's what floors me. That I could set it all up and not see what I was setting up.
This has definitely been an extremely unique novel-writing experience.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Getting there
Still on schedule. Finished Chapter 20 tonight. Just Chapter 21 left to go. 6000 words or so.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
Progress
Not so bad. Approx. 3000 words, most of that written tonight, while I squandered the daylight hours away. Chapter 19 and the first scene of Chapter 20 are done. Got partway into scene two and am calling it quits. If I can finish Chapter 20 tomorrow, then I'm right on schedule. If I can get further... even better.
What's left
Outlined what remains to write of current novel this morning so I could get a grip on what is left to do... and WOO! Boy, did I get surprised. Big time. Appears my bad guy is far cleverer than I gave him credit for. He had another twist up his sleeve. And as much as I still loathe his tactics, right now I absolutely love him for his brilliance. Never thought I'd say this, but the bastard just managed to earn my grudging respect as he turned the final outcome of the novel on its head again. Damn him!
Anyway: what's left to do (unless one of the other characters decides they have to mess with me too):
Chapter 19 - finish last scene
Chapter 20 - three scenes
Chapter 21 - five scenes
The End
Anyway: what's left to do (unless one of the other characters decides they have to mess with me too):
Chapter 19 - finish last scene
Chapter 20 - three scenes
Chapter 21 - five scenes
The End
Friday, February 10, 2006
Cheers!
While browsing blogs (procrastinating, of course) I found this odd little amusing thing called: discover your drunken name. Type your first name with your elbows and see what you get. I got:
dxceblloraznh
dxceblloraznh
With the best of intentions...
My goal is to finish my current novel by the 14th, which is a fitting conclusion date for about ten different reasons. I'm figuring another 15 - 20,000 words, which is hard, but doable if I just stay focused and keep on writing. I don't think I've ever done more than about 6000 words in a day, but if I can really WORK over the next two full weekend days, then that should finish most of it.
Monday, February 06, 2006
I say, old chap, stop mocking my bloody spelling!
All right, all right, all right! It's not just "towards." ALL of my written English tends towards British spellings. I typed "smoulder" in an email earlier, and, on reading it back, I thought...um, is that U supposed to be there? But "smolder" didn't look right, so I left it. Checked the dictionary later and got what is turning in to an eye-rolling cliche response: Chiefly British....
So, on a whim, I found these other things I do on a daily basis. They're all British:
Judgement and arguement. There's no E in American: judgment and argument. My spell checker always changes these on me automatically, but it doesn't stop me from typing them with the E originally. Though it could just be me. Same with travelling. I always put in two L's and spell checker removes the extra.
Dreamt, leapt - and similar words ending it T - American would be dreamed, leaped.
Even my sentence structure, I'm discovering reading up on various links, tends to the British... One example -- I would almost alway say: "I've just seen a movie." It appears that most Americans would simply say "I just saw a movie."
And it goes on and on.
So, does this mean my books will be naturally better sellers in Britain (don't I wish!), or will I simply drive my future American editors insane??
So, on a whim, I found these other things I do on a daily basis. They're all British:
Judgement and arguement. There's no E in American: judgment and argument. My spell checker always changes these on me automatically, but it doesn't stop me from typing them with the E originally. Though it could just be me. Same with travelling. I always put in two L's and spell checker removes the extra.
Dreamt, leapt - and similar words ending it T - American would be dreamed, leaped.
Even my sentence structure, I'm discovering reading up on various links, tends to the British... One example -- I would almost alway say: "I've just seen a movie." It appears that most Americans would simply say "I just saw a movie."
And it goes on and on.
So, does this mean my books will be naturally better sellers in Britain (don't I wish!), or will I simply drive my future American editors insane??
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Words
This sentence fascinates me no end:
"Beware the man who looks in the mirror of his name."
Page 96, "Wanderer" by Sterling Hayden
"Beware the man who looks in the mirror of his name."
Page 96, "Wanderer" by Sterling Hayden
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Making those words count
I love discussions like this, and I love reading Elizabeth's Bear's journal precisely because she jumps right in. I tend to save these kind of entries out to a Word file to read back later. This one got filed under the "editing" notes folder.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Stay on target....
Passed 94K on novel last night. Getting so close now! Besides the need to simply reach the end, I've got two scenes I'm especially looking forward to writing that are keeping me going each night. The first I'll hit this weekend -- one of the main characters gets his much-anticipated moment of vengeance on my hero. Which I'm not looking forward to writing so much as passing, cuz then I'll loathe him so badly that getting to the final confrontation where I can take care of him once and for all will be that much more satisfying. The other scene is the big three-way confrontation finale. That will simply be fun.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
"We followed a trail of lilies."
Had a mini-vacation, now back to work writing again. Had an idea for a flash fiction story, but discarded it immediately because it meant too much to me, if that makes any sense. Those are the ones best left unwritten.
So, I wrote novel instead. Thought it'd be hard to get back into the swing of things after a week of inactivity, but the scene I had to write involved my favorite character, and writing his stuff is effortless and grinningly fun. Over 92K total now. 100K is just around the corner if I can keep up the 1000 words a day minimum.
Had an odd realisation the other day. I've worn the same necklace for over four years now. Silver pendant of the Norns in swan form on a choker chain. I've never taken it off, not for any reason; it's part of me. But I realised that on the day I finish the first draft of this novel, I will take this necklace off and put it away. As if its purpose will have been served. And the weird part is that it feels right to do so. It's time for a change. Which means I now have to start looking for a new necklace. I know what I want, but I've never turned up anything remotely like it. We'll see.
So, I wrote novel instead. Thought it'd be hard to get back into the swing of things after a week of inactivity, but the scene I had to write involved my favorite character, and writing his stuff is effortless and grinningly fun. Over 92K total now. 100K is just around the corner if I can keep up the 1000 words a day minimum.
Had an odd realisation the other day. I've worn the same necklace for over four years now. Silver pendant of the Norns in swan form on a choker chain. I've never taken it off, not for any reason; it's part of me. But I realised that on the day I finish the first draft of this novel, I will take this necklace off and put it away. As if its purpose will have been served. And the weird part is that it feels right to do so. It's time for a change. Which means I now have to start looking for a new necklace. I know what I want, but I've never turned up anything remotely like it. We'll see.