I'm pretty sure I wrote about this, but maybe I didn't...anyway, as a film geek I'm always interested in the fake titles film companies use when shipping movies out to theaters (the idea being no one would want to steal BLUE HARVEST but they would want to steal RETURN OF THE JEDI).
To amuse myself, and before I had a title--I named the file for THE MOSQUITO VINE, "[Blue Harvest]" (with brackets). I'm getting closer(r) to starting my second book and I've decided to continue the tradition by dubbing the file "[Green Harvest]."
This is just a lame tidbit.
GALOOT
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing. Show all posts
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
First Reader & The Loneliness of Writing
"Writing, at its best, is a lonely life. Organizations for writers palliate the writer's loneliness, but I doubt if they improve his writing. He grows in public stature as he sheds his loneliness and often his work deteriorates. For he does his work alone and if he is a good enough writer he must face eternity, or the lack of it, each day"
--Ernest Hemingway
--Ernest Hemingway
Today was a good day. It was also a bit "historic." Maybe I'm making too much of it. Anyway, this weekend someone, other than myself, finished reading THE MOSQUITO VINE. I can't believe that there is another person out there that's read it. Despite the dread that comes with "the first reader" it was very exciting. Finally I'd be able to talk to someone about my book. I'd hoped that Leah would be the first person to read it, but my mother in KC has A LOT of free time on her hands right now, and so she beat Leah to the ending (I think Leah is half-way through).
I love both of these women, and they love me so how they feel about it--while important to me, cannot be trusted. Of course my mom liked my book. She's my mom, that's practically her job. So I still don't know how good (if at all) my first attempt at novel writing is.
BUT I got something much better than validation: I got to talk about my book. Imagine having an important secret (at least you THINK it MIGHT be important). You think about it everyday for two years straight. You battle it, unsure if you're doing the right thing...all the while everyone around you is oblivious.
I didn't bounce ideas off my wife. I didn't call my cousin up and say "I can't figure out the ending" or "I've gotten myself into a corner...help!" I did this all on my own. It's 100% me and my struggle. Sure, I posted a few things (including an excerpt) but other than the title I gave no details. It was very lonely, one of the loneliest things I've ever done.
One of the many (many) things I asked my mother was, "Did you like that? Did you like going in completely in the dark?" She said she did. She said her experience reading it was different (but probably better) having no idea about any of it. I think that's true for Leah too. I LIKE that I did it that way...but damn is it hard. I'm a chatty fuck, and like most writers I love to talk about myself and my shit.
I am gearing up for book #2. I have two equally interesting ideas. Two different directions. I can handle the solitude, but I don't necessarily look forward to dealing with it again.
A year and a half. That's how long I spent with this thing, in my head. In the back of my mind...in the front of my mind.
I've never been a big "people" person to begin with, but the isolation of writing can be a bit much even for me. I sometimes wish I wasn't compelled to do it. But I no longer feel that I have any other choice.
Friday, April 24, 2009
SAVAGE YOUTH: "Last Blast" Full-Text Posted
Another oldie (but a goodie?) that will never see the light of day anywhere but the Interwebs.
I remember writing "Last Blast" in my dorm room...visions of S.E. Hinton dancing through my head.
A rip-off of THE OUTSIDERS? Yeah.
Is any of it good? Some.
"Last Blast" is kind of the great-grandfather of THE MOSQUITO VINE. You know, that CHALKBOARD JUNGLE-genre of young rebels (that are naturally out-of-control)? That what this is.
I call it 'Savage Youth.' I don't know why, but that's what we call it, here at THOUGHTS OF A LIMEMONKEY.
On a personal note: don't laugh too hard at a policeman named 'Hammer.' Believe it or not (go ahead, don't believe me) I worked with a KC Policeman named Hammer. He was just as badass as his name implies.
Oh, and I do regret not going out like Johnny “Cools” Whitmore.
I remember writing "Last Blast" in my dorm room...visions of S.E. Hinton dancing through my head.
A rip-off of THE OUTSIDERS? Yeah.
Is any of it good? Some.
"Last Blast" is kind of the great-grandfather of THE MOSQUITO VINE. You know, that CHALKBOARD JUNGLE-genre of young rebels (that are naturally out-of-control)? That what this is.
I call it 'Savage Youth.' I don't know why, but that's what we call it, here at THOUGHTS OF A LIMEMONKEY.
On a personal note: don't laugh too hard at a policeman named 'Hammer.' Believe it or not (go ahead, don't believe me) I worked with a KC Policeman named Hammer. He was just as badass as his name implies.
Oh, and I do regret not going out like Johnny “Cools” Whitmore.
"Sea Change" Full-Text Posted
Not sure that anyone will care, but I've given up on trying to get "Sea Change" published. It's a failed little experiment in weird, but it was fun to write.
Anyway, I had posted an excerpt up a few months (years?) ago, but now the whole thing is up over at the (often forgotten) WRITINGS OF A LIMEMONKEY.
Leah and my Mum are (supposed to be) reading THE MOSQUITO VINE, so they are not allowed to read "Sea Change." Everyone else may do so.
Anyway, I had posted an excerpt up a few months (years?) ago, but now the whole thing is up over at the (often forgotten) WRITINGS OF A LIMEMONKEY.
Leah and my Mum are (supposed to be) reading THE MOSQUITO VINE, so they are not allowed to read "Sea Change." Everyone else may do so.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Where do we go from here?
So I finished "principal" work on my first novel (meaning, I'm sure there are a few edits/changes/corrections coming down the pike, but for the most part it's done) this week.
But as I sit here, I wonder "what's next?"
I have a few vague ideas. I'm bored right now, so let me run some of them by you:
1. Short Stories--I never did crack that short story market. Maybe it's time to go back to writing shorter fiction. I could apply the lessons learned from the novel to a ten to fifteen page story. It's hard getting a novel published, and maybe a few publication credits might one day help the cause.
2. Novel #2--Part of me thinks that I've moved beyond short stories, and that instead of trying to work with a smaller canvas, I should focus on novel writing. I'm happy with the way a lot of THE MOSQUITO VINE turned out...but I'm nowhere near 100% satisfied. Part of the problems stem from a lack of experience sustaining a narrative...but some of the problems are from a simple lack of proper planning. I also have decided that the next book will be a 180-degree shift from what I did in the first one in terms of theme, tone, and style. I think THE MOSQUITO VINE is in a lot of ways a very safe, very traditional way of writing. I don't want to get crazy or anything, but I think I need to try something a little more dangerous.
Thoughts on the my first attempt at novel writing:
I made a TON of mistakes writing my first book, but one thing that I feel like I did RIGHT is not get anyone else involved. Case in point: none of you have any idea what exactly my book is about. My wife knows about as much as you do...which isn't much. My own mother, one of the few people besides myself to actually HOLD a completed copy of this thing asked me recently about it. She asked, "Is it about some sort of monster?" No. "Is it some sort of police-thing?" No again. See, what's I find so cool about it is, people who know me are going to be surprised by my book--because unlike a lot of "writers" I've known over the years who yap, and YAP about their fucking books/stories, I don't feel the NEED to brag and talk endlessly about my shit. Oh my God, there was a chick in one of my English classes back in UMSL that had fucking sketches of her characters that she'd show us...
I'm the opposite, I guess as a reaction to meeting people like that.
Anyway, what's so cool is that people who know me THINK they have an idea of my book. They might think that because I like certain types of books (or movies) that that's what I'd naturally create myself, but that's not the case.
In fact, now that I think about it, other than actually FINISHING the damn thing...not flapping my yap about it (and letting the prose do the talking) is about all I'm really 100% proud of.
Things I will never do again:
I will NEVER, come hell or high-water, stop working on a novel until it is finished. After NaNoWriMo I fucked up by waiting. You gotta keep plugging away.
Taking time off = death
I'd never written so much in such a short span of time, so I forgive myself...but next time I'm going to man-up and keep going UNTIL IT IS DONE! The other way that I fucked up is by not having an "exit strategy." I won't beat myself up too much over this, after all the USA government had a similar problem recently (that I won't get into here) and in both my case--and theirs, nothing good comes of rushing in without a plan to get the fuck OUT of Dodge. I will never start writing without (at least) a vague notion of how I'm going to end things. I spent almost the same amount of time trying to come up with an ending for my novel as I did writing the first 300 pages. And while we're on the subject of page counts, I'm done with the word-count/page-count obsession. THE MOSQUITO VINE is the longest thing I've ever written, so I've marveled at it's length...but outside of NaNoWriMo, there is no reason to keep "score" of these (in my opinion) trivial matters of length.
What I've decided as I write this post:
I think I'm going to spend the rest of this month and May working on a game plan for my next book. I think that's the most logical route at this point. I need to come up with three wonderful ideas and develop them as far as I can--then pick the best one. My goal is to have draft #1 of my second novel by January 01, 2010.
Leah, God bless her, will want to slow my progress down...because I she knows that once I finish my 12th book I intend on lying down and dying. But that's the plan (even if it brings me closer to the grave).
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Novelist
What a long, strange trip it's been. If you'd have told me back in November 2007 that it would take this long to finish my first novel--I'd have laughed. After all, NaNoWriMo was challenging, but I met the 50,000 word quota. Surely it would only take a few weeks in December to wrap things up, right?
Well it wasn't that easy. I took some time off (which was a mistake) after the marathon writing session that was November 2007. Then I went back and read some of what I wrote--and I loved some parts, but didn't like others. I was too scared to cut what needed to go, because I knew I'd be losing a lot of what I had (and after all I was trying to ADD to the thing, not have LESS). So I put it away, and six months slipped by.Eventually, it was time to get married, and I felt my life start to pass me by. I realized that if I didn't finish the book soon, I might never finish it.
I had tried to start something new, but I couldn't go forward until I finished THE MOSQUITO VINE. So, the week after the wedding, I started editing and writing again. I finished the first draft the week of Thanksgiving 2008. During the second round of edits, I did what needed to be done, I killed the secondary--weaker, plot thread. Thus killing my ending. Once the editing was done, I sat down and over a period of one week wrote a new ending.
Yesterday, I sat next to my mothers bed and edited those final pages. And today, a day that will forever be historic in my own personal life, April 15, 2009 I went and printed off the second (and very-readable) draft of my first complete novel:
I want to thank everyone for encouraging me, but special thanks to Leah who put up with me shutting the door and working every night for a month (November 2008). Thank god you like playing solitaire so much. Beyond just tolerating me working though, she's also a key reason the book is finished. I was totally prepared to give up many times, and she never let me.
One down, eleven to go baby.
Well it wasn't that easy. I took some time off (which was a mistake) after the marathon writing session that was November 2007. Then I went back and read some of what I wrote--and I loved some parts, but didn't like others. I was too scared to cut what needed to go, because I knew I'd be losing a lot of what I had (and after all I was trying to ADD to the thing, not have LESS). So I put it away, and six months slipped by.Eventually, it was time to get married, and I felt my life start to pass me by. I realized that if I didn't finish the book soon, I might never finish it.
I had tried to start something new, but I couldn't go forward until I finished THE MOSQUITO VINE. So, the week after the wedding, I started editing and writing again. I finished the first draft the week of Thanksgiving 2008. During the second round of edits, I did what needed to be done, I killed the secondary--weaker, plot thread. Thus killing my ending. Once the editing was done, I sat down and over a period of one week wrote a new ending.
Yesterday, I sat next to my mothers bed and edited those final pages. And today, a day that will forever be historic in my own personal life, April 15, 2009 I went and printed off the second (and very-readable) draft of my first complete novel:
I want to thank everyone for encouraging me, but special thanks to Leah who put up with me shutting the door and working every night for a month (November 2008). Thank god you like playing solitaire so much. Beyond just tolerating me working though, she's also a key reason the book is finished. I was totally prepared to give up many times, and she never let me.
One down, eleven to go baby.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
100% Done
This morning, after I made my mother breakfast, I got to work editing the new ending for my novel. It took about an hour and a half to read through it and make a few changes. Then I spent about twenty minutes transferring those corrections to the digital copy (which always sucks and is tedious).
And now, I AM 100% done with the second draft of my novel.
I know that it's not "finished." There's nothing written that's ever really finished. I'm sure there are a few kinks and what have-you that need to be worked out...but for the first time I have something I am comfortable showing people.
Once my sisters come home later today I'm planning on running to Kinkos and printing this thing off--I can't do it at home or here on my sisters printer, because this thing WOULD KILL a printer.
Anyway, once it's been read by Leah and my family I'll be in need of a few volunteer readers to help me with the third/fourth draft.
And now, I AM 100% done with the second draft of my novel.
I know that it's not "finished." There's nothing written that's ever really finished. I'm sure there are a few kinks and what have-you that need to be worked out...but for the first time I have something I am comfortable showing people.
Once my sisters come home later today I'm planning on running to Kinkos and printing this thing off--I can't do it at home or here on my sisters printer, because this thing WOULD KILL a printer.
Anyway, once it's been read by Leah and my family I'll be in need of a few volunteer readers to help me with the third/fourth draft.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
99.99999999999999999% DONE!
After a week of hard work (with one day, Friday, off) I sat down this morning and completed work on the "new" ending of my novel. I am now, as they say--finished writing my first book.
The second draft is 328 pages and 85,000 words exactly.
Whereas before I was only so-so about my ending I am not 100% behind it. I feel like I didn't pussy out but didn't end on a totally depressing note. It's the best of both worlds. I'm going to print the last 28 pages and edit them this week.
Then I'm going to Kinkos and I'm going to run 3 or 4 copies off. I'm going home to KC next week sometime for a funeral/emergency visit (which I'll probably explain later this week). While I'm out there I'm going to leave a copy for my folks and Amber to read.
Which by the way, last night Amber called me and told me SHE'S GETTING MARRIED! I am so happy right now, for her and for me. As I write this I'm listening to Queen, and I feel like a fucking Champion! I feel like I just got laid, scored a touch-down, and won the lottery.
Basically I feel good right now.
The second draft is 328 pages and 85,000 words exactly.
Whereas before I was only so-so about my ending I am not 100% behind it. I feel like I didn't pussy out but didn't end on a totally depressing note. It's the best of both worlds. I'm going to print the last 28 pages and edit them this week.
Then I'm going to Kinkos and I'm going to run 3 or 4 copies off. I'm going home to KC next week sometime for a funeral/emergency visit (which I'll probably explain later this week). While I'm out there I'm going to leave a copy for my folks and Amber to read.
Which by the way, last night Amber called me and told me SHE'S GETTING MARRIED! I am so happy right now, for her and for me. As I write this I'm listening to Queen, and I feel like a fucking Champion! I feel like I just got laid, scored a touch-down, and won the lottery.
Basically I feel good right now.
Monday, April 06, 2009
(Another) Partial Victory
Well, other than an ending--the second draft is complete.
I know, I know...without and ending...it's NOT complete. But I finished all my editing. Boy did I do some damage. I'm not sure how interested any of you are in the "stats" of this little projects, but here they are:
I "axed" 17,328 words total. This was primarily a secondary, un-related plot-thread that was both unnecessary and cliched. This was about 54 pages of material, a majority of this crap was written back in the NaNoWriMo days (when I had to write, even when I had little to say).
But I've cleaned all this up, and now I'm just in need of an ending.
Ugh...
I know, I know...without and ending...it's NOT complete. But I finished all my editing. Boy did I do some damage. I'm not sure how interested any of you are in the "stats" of this little projects, but here they are:
I "axed" 17,328 words total. This was primarily a secondary, un-related plot-thread that was both unnecessary and cliched. This was about 54 pages of material, a majority of this crap was written back in the NaNoWriMo days (when I had to write, even when I had little to say).
But I've cleaned all this up, and now I'm just in need of an ending.
Ugh...
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Partial Victory
The end is nigh folks.
While not a 100% success, this weekend's "lock-down" has moved me MUCH closer to having a completed second draft. I left the apartment once this weekend, a few hours ago to get some gas for my car (so I didn't have to do it in the morning). Other than that, I stayed in an worked.
The digital edit is nearly complete. I'm 40 pages away from having that done. Once that is complete, I'll need to write the ending--and then I'll have a novel.
My target completion date is Friday April 10, 2009.
Wish me luck.
While not a 100% success, this weekend's "lock-down" has moved me MUCH closer to having a completed second draft. I left the apartment once this weekend, a few hours ago to get some gas for my car (so I didn't have to do it in the morning). Other than that, I stayed in an worked.
The digital edit is nearly complete. I'm 40 pages away from having that done. Once that is complete, I'll need to write the ending--and then I'll have a novel.
My target completion date is Friday April 10, 2009.
Wish me luck.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Status of Draft#2
I can't believe it (and you probably won't either) but I actually DID what I said I was going to do. I woke up, read in the bath-tub for an hour...then I got out and had breakfast (veggie burger)...and then I worked.
And I worked.
Guess what? I got it done. I finished making the physical edits today on the second half of my novel. I'm drained. While the first half had 20-30 pages lopped off, the second half (written last September) was mostly okay. I did kill the last 15 pages (the ending problem I'm having).
Anyway, tomorrow I'm going to start working on the "digital edit" which is boring and tedious. Hopefully I'll find the courage/will-power to get through that tomorrow...which leaves the ending...which will take me all week I'm sure.
This time next week, I'll have the second draft of my novel done--and I'll be ready to let people (Leah) read it. I'm excited.
Friday, April 03, 2009
The "Weekend Plan"
Say it again:
"I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend. I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend.I'm going to edit this weekend."
Now, I've said this before...but this time I have a plan and a goal. Tomorrow, I'm getting up in the AM and I'm going to shower/get dressed...then I'm going to finish editing my book. This is the plan. By Sunday night I should be working on the digital edit.
Next week I'm writing the new ending. The goal is to be have a 100% finished second draft by the end of next weekend, so that a week from this Monday *someone* can take a look at this damn thing (i.e. start reading it).
This is the "Weekend Plan."
Monday, March 30, 2009
25% Left + A Twinge of Panic
So this weekend was terrible (or at least, parts of it were).
Friday sucked--I couldn't get my check into the bank because I got stuck at work. I got into a fight with Leah. Saturday started out good but became TERRIBLE. Listen to this: so we went to the mall (me and Leah) and we walked around and saw MONSTERS VS. ALIENS in 3-d (so far so good, right?). When we got out of the flick, Leah's car wouldn't start...she'd left the lights on. I dialed the Mall Security from my cellphone and five minutes later Leah got to find out first-hand why I HATED security work. The FIRST guy they sent out was a complete idiot. Seriously, I don't think he knew the difference between his ass-hole and the sky (that dumb). He was no help, and actually STOPPED helping us so he could go help ANOTHER family with a dead battery. The second guy knew what he was doing, and within 2 minutes of his arrival, we were on our way.
So we got something to eat then went home. As we pulled up to our apartment guess what I saw? My car--with a flat tire. Leah tried her magic "fix-a-flat" foam but the tire was too far gone. I couldn't find anyone to help me put the spare on...and it was raining...so I paid a towing company $50 to do it. Sunday I got up early-ish and wasted the whole day at Walmart buying two tires and an oil change ($175 total).
While I sat there and waited (and dealt with their stupidity) I edited my novel. I'm now 75% done with the second draft. I just need to finish up the last 25%, make changes to the digital copy, and write the new ending. Then I'm done. Then people can read it. I know Leah will be the first person (as she is physically and emotionally the closest person to me). I'm not sweating that reader too much...BUT my cousin (who also writes) emailed me last week and said he wanted to do a "novel swap" (I read his, he reads mine) and that's given me the willies.
I love my cousin, and I know he loves me--but I feel like he kinda looks down on my writing sometimes. This got me thinking about ALL THE OTHER people who want to read it...and now I'm freaking out. People fall into 2 categories:
1. People I am close to who I don't want to "let down"
2. People who want to read it who I know will be "let down"
And, of course, I don't want everyone to think that I'm a hack...and I don't want people (especially Leah) to feel like I've been wasting my time this past year (and a half). I know I don't have OLIVER TWIST on my hands...it's very much a first attempt at writing a novel (i.e. not perfect) but I'm proud of the work I've done.
I'm freaking out.
Friday sucked--I couldn't get my check into the bank because I got stuck at work. I got into a fight with Leah. Saturday started out good but became TERRIBLE. Listen to this: so we went to the mall (me and Leah) and we walked around and saw MONSTERS VS. ALIENS in 3-d (so far so good, right?). When we got out of the flick, Leah's car wouldn't start...she'd left the lights on. I dialed the Mall Security from my cellphone and five minutes later Leah got to find out first-hand why I HATED security work. The FIRST guy they sent out was a complete idiot. Seriously, I don't think he knew the difference between his ass-hole and the sky (that dumb). He was no help, and actually STOPPED helping us so he could go help ANOTHER family with a dead battery. The second guy knew what he was doing, and within 2 minutes of his arrival, we were on our way.
So we got something to eat then went home. As we pulled up to our apartment guess what I saw? My car--with a flat tire. Leah tried her magic "fix-a-flat" foam but the tire was too far gone. I couldn't find anyone to help me put the spare on...and it was raining...so I paid a towing company $50 to do it. Sunday I got up early-ish and wasted the whole day at Walmart buying two tires and an oil change ($175 total).
While I sat there and waited (and dealt with their stupidity) I edited my novel. I'm now 75% done with the second draft. I just need to finish up the last 25%, make changes to the digital copy, and write the new ending. Then I'm done. Then people can read it. I know Leah will be the first person (as she is physically and emotionally the closest person to me). I'm not sweating that reader too much...BUT my cousin (who also writes) emailed me last week and said he wanted to do a "novel swap" (I read his, he reads mine) and that's given me the willies.
I love my cousin, and I know he loves me--but I feel like he kinda looks down on my writing sometimes. This got me thinking about ALL THE OTHER people who want to read it...and now I'm freaking out. People fall into 2 categories:
1. People I am close to who I don't want to "let down"
2. People who want to read it who I know will be "let down"
And, of course, I don't want everyone to think that I'm a hack...and I don't want people (especially Leah) to feel like I've been wasting my time this past year (and a half). I know I don't have OLIVER TWIST on my hands...it's very much a first attempt at writing a novel (i.e. not perfect) but I'm proud of the work I've done.
I'm freaking out.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Novel Update
I'm not feeling well...this week it's a cold (which has left me with a raspy-mucus-voice). I got off work early yesterday because I didn't feel good (I mean well), and I promptly headed home--so I could go do laundry at the laundromat. Which sucked in a way, but I got some editing done.
Tonight I came home and did some more editing. It's going slow. In fact, it's going damn slow. Glaciers have moved faster actually. But I am making progress. I stopped early tonight because I was approaching a section I know is going to be trouble.
Part of me wants to take off work for a week and just finish the damn thing. Except I know that if I did that, I would just surf the web...play XBOX...etc. I'd do EVERYTHING BUT edit.
Ugh. Editing sucks. Back when I was writing the damn thing, I remember thinking, "I can't wait to edit. Editing is pretty easy compared to writing." Boy was I stupid. What's worse is, I'm starting to get that itch...that writing itch. I came up with a few ideas that I'd LOVE to explore, but alas...I have to keep plugging away at this damn thing.
I'm starting to lose perspective about how good (or bad) it is. It's like a horrible fight that you get stuck in (I was going to say "like Vietnam" but I'm not sure if this is like Vietnam) and you kinda lose sight of everything and just go about it all mechanically. I'm hacking away at it, but I'm not able to judge it anymore. Anyway, I know some of you wonder what's going on with that, so I thought I'd let you know.
It's going.
Tonight I came home and did some more editing. It's going slow. In fact, it's going damn slow. Glaciers have moved faster actually. But I am making progress. I stopped early tonight because I was approaching a section I know is going to be trouble.
Part of me wants to take off work for a week and just finish the damn thing. Except I know that if I did that, I would just surf the web...play XBOX...etc. I'd do EVERYTHING BUT edit.
Ugh. Editing sucks. Back when I was writing the damn thing, I remember thinking, "I can't wait to edit. Editing is pretty easy compared to writing." Boy was I stupid. What's worse is, I'm starting to get that itch...that writing itch. I came up with a few ideas that I'd LOVE to explore, but alas...I have to keep plugging away at this damn thing.
I'm starting to lose perspective about how good (or bad) it is. It's like a horrible fight that you get stuck in (I was going to say "like Vietnam" but I'm not sure if this is like Vietnam) and you kinda lose sight of everything and just go about it all mechanically. I'm hacking away at it, but I'm not able to judge it anymore. Anyway, I know some of you wonder what's going on with that, so I thought I'd let you know.
It's going.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Draft #2: 50% complete
I just finished the first half of the second draft of my novel. It wasn't pretty...I hate editing but what I hate even more is taking my handwritten corrections and affixing them to my digital copy. It's a long, slow, boring process.
But I hunkered down this weekend and got the job done.
Now I have to pick up the second half and do a handwritten edit on it. As mentioned before, I've completely chopped off the weaker/less interesting/cliched plot thread (which cost me 38 pages in the first half). Doing this has made the work stronger, but I'm going to have to do a complete re-write of the ending. But all of that is for the days ahead--today is a celebration day. My second draft is 50% complete.
But I hunkered down this weekend and got the job done.
Now I have to pick up the second half and do a handwritten edit on it. As mentioned before, I've completely chopped off the weaker/less interesting/cliched plot thread (which cost me 38 pages in the first half). Doing this has made the work stronger, but I'm going to have to do a complete re-write of the ending. But all of that is for the days ahead--today is a celebration day. My second draft is 50% complete.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
work ETHIC (Novel Update)
Yikes have I been slacking.
It's not all my fault--Leah's new work schedule means that we spend out nights together...meaning I now have to try even harder to stay on task. I'd like to think that I have a pretty good work ethic when it comes to my writing, but the sad truth is: I don't.
I work in spurts. Tonight I did a little more work.
I've decided to completely axe a whole, separate plot thread (the lame one). This, as you can imagine, requires a new ending (the old one tied them together--it was weak). It's also taking the page count down a bit (I've yanked out 23 pages, and I'm only 75 pages into the edit). Still, I think the second draft, once a new ending is attached will be readable.
Not that I'm going to let anyone read it until AT LEAST the third draft.
Ugh. It's going to be awhile.
Okay, here's what I'm going to do: work on it tomorrow night...take this weekend off...then HIT IT HARD next week. I'm talking seriously hard...like when I hit it, my fist will come out the other side (thus ruining the paper). Hmm...maybe not THAT hard.
It's not all my fault--Leah's new work schedule means that we spend out nights together...meaning I now have to try even harder to stay on task. I'd like to think that I have a pretty good work ethic when it comes to my writing, but the sad truth is: I don't.
I work in spurts. Tonight I did a little more work.
I've decided to completely axe a whole, separate plot thread (the lame one). This, as you can imagine, requires a new ending (the old one tied them together--it was weak). It's also taking the page count down a bit (I've yanked out 23 pages, and I'm only 75 pages into the edit). Still, I think the second draft, once a new ending is attached will be readable.
Not that I'm going to let anyone read it until AT LEAST the third draft.
Ugh. It's going to be awhile.
Okay, here's what I'm going to do: work on it tomorrow night...take this weekend off...then HIT IT HARD next week. I'm talking seriously hard...like when I hit it, my fist will come out the other side (thus ruining the paper). Hmm...maybe not THAT hard.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
First 8
Well I've slogged through the first eight chapters. The editing is going about like it did LAST time I did this--slowly. I find myself at times amazed at my brilliance and embarrassed by my short comings as I read. The rough patches have all been work-able, and other than one or two paragraphs, nothing major has been slashed.
But dear God it's coming. There was one section that I'm dreading (BESIDES the ending, which still needs work). I remember thinking "this is going to need some revisions" as I was writing this one section, somewhere after page 250.
Editing sucks but I know I need to do it. My manuscript is physically split in half so I figure I'll edit (with a pen) one half then go back and transfer my corrections to the electronic file before heading into the second half.
Ugh. It's hard.
But dear God it's coming. There was one section that I'm dreading (BESIDES the ending, which still needs work). I remember thinking "this is going to need some revisions" as I was writing this one section, somewhere after page 250.
Editing sucks but I know I need to do it. My manuscript is physically split in half so I figure I'll edit (with a pen) one half then go back and transfer my corrections to the electronic file before heading into the second half.
Ugh. It's hard.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Finished.
Just wrote the last of it--the first draft of THE MOSQUITO VINE is complete.
356 pages.
95,136 words.
356 pages.
95,136 words.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Close.
I am very close to finishing my novel. If not Sunday, then Monday for sure. This thing is so close to being done. I worked my @$$ off this week, waking up and writing before work AND working at night. I took Thursday off, because I got a little burned out...but I've re-charged my batteries, and am ready to finish if off.
Wish me luck.
Wish me luck.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Going "Dark" for a while
I thought about it, and I really want to get the first draft of THE MOSQUITO VINE completed before Thanksgiving (which is a little more than a week away). I'm not sure if I can do it, but that's the new goal.
So, in the meantime, I'm going to be avoiding things like TV and the Internet (the two great time wasters of Western Civilization). I wasn't going to say anything, but I know (some of) you freak out when I disappear (like anyone will notice, right?).
I'll still do a Classic Album's Revisited (which by the way, you can help choose if you take a look over to the left) on Saturday...but other than that, I'm not posting anything until this thing is done. I feel like I am THAT close...
Wish me luck.
~The Limemonkey
So, in the meantime, I'm going to be avoiding things like TV and the Internet (the two great time wasters of Western Civilization). I wasn't going to say anything, but I know (some of) you freak out when I disappear (like anyone will notice, right?).
I'll still do a Classic Album's Revisited (which by the way, you can help choose if you take a look over to the left) on Saturday...but other than that, I'm not posting anything until this thing is done. I feel like I am THAT close...
Wish me luck.
~The Limemonkey
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