Words About Writing

That light I saw? And assumed it was the end of the tunnel nearing? It must have been a hole in the mountain, letting in some light from above ground. I am nowhere near the end. I keep digging myself - or my protagonist - into ever more convoluted holes and tunnels. Dear God, what have I wrought? Yesterday I realized what I had been writing diverged from my original scene notes, and I preferred the scene notes. But not sure that I could make it work, I duplicated the scene to work on it afresh following the old plan - keeping both until I'm sure this works. And now I've realized a new problem with getting to the ending. (smh) BUT the new problem can be saved for the actual first edit. Because although I say I am editing this, I'm really just finishing the first draft. I've done minor edits in places, but the bulk of my current work is filling in blanks and fleshing out summaries left there by my previous self of November 2019. Regardless, I am pushing myself, sp...

(The question mark in my title is for the word "nearing".) In my edit of this WIP, I am "nearing" the climax. Again, though, there are a lot of synopses where action should be, so it's more work than it appears. My scrivener folder shows only a few documents left, but they are the BIG part - where resolution happens or doesn't. In fact, I wrote three different possible endings! I know which ending I like best, though, so I'm looking forward to getting there. I just need to sort out the details of how, precisely, my protagonist reaches that point. All of this aside, my brain has been more in the book that I sent out to beta-readers last fall. I set it up for a major edit, then wrote this WIP instead. In the current state of the world, with people staying home and dealing in some way with a world-wide crisis, the epic quest I'm currently editing seems redundant. When every day is a minefield, who would want to read about a different kind of min...

So this is a writer's life. I tend to simply not post anything when there is little to say, but if I am blogging for integrity, to share - or remember - my process and how it changes, I should share good and bad. And stagnation. I have had a rough week or two, with no energy or motivation to do anything. Running errands in the morning leaves me wiped out for the rest of the day. It happens that way at times, and this is one of those times. As for the WIP, I had reached one of those scenes that was written as a detailed synopsis instead of an actual scene. I was able to write the first part with reasonable ease, but struggled when action changed. Switching to paper and pen helped. I was able to start clean without the synopsis on the screen nagging my thought process. I think it is getting too long, though. I know I need to just get it down. All of it. I can cut and cut and cut in the next edit. But that is sometimes easier said than done. When sitting upright feels like a c...

I'm happy to say that I'm pleased with my book so far! It needs a lot of editing, of course, but this first read-through of what I wrote in November makes me feel a lot better about it. It starts with a big exposition dump, just because I needed to get the information and setting out of my head. As much work as that part needs - including dispersing parts of it throughout the book - I'm okay with starting that way. It works. The setting is unique enough, yet relatable enough, that I was intrigued by reading it. The next scene started the action. Immediately. And it's good. I sent that scene to one person to check how much explaining might be needed for some of the terms I use. It takes place in the future, and there are two cultures involved, so there's some jargon in it. I was prepared for that one scene to be an exception, but the following scenes keep up the pace and intensity. I'm interested in my characters, and am anxious to see what will happen ne...

As is so often the case, life got in the way of my best intentions. C'est la vie. I am beginning a first-re-read of the Nanowrimo manuscript, however. I am well behind what I thought was my schedule, and that's okay. Until I pitch a book and have an agent or editor or publisher to answer to, adjusting my writing schedule to make room for all the crises and emergencies that arise in everyday life is okay. Back on track, though. One, two, three, Here we go!

Well, THAT didn't work! I simply cannot wrap my brain around the editing WIP. I can think of two possibilities. Either: My most recent novel put my brain in a futuristic space that was so extremely different from this simpler story that needs editing that I am unable to get back into its more realistic world to edit. Or... I did a bad thing by breaking out all the scenes into those that need big changes and those that are okay with minor touch-ups. When I opened the edit WIP, it was hard to get a sense of direction or even get into edit mode. Maybe it's a touch of both. After weeks of dissatisfaction at my mental immobility verging on depression, followed by some sincere prayer time, I have decided that I will skip this edit and move into review and initial edit of the Nanowrimo Novel. That shall begin this week, if I can manage my schedule as planned. Best of luck in your plans during this new year!

Somehow a month has passed since I've posted here. Merry Christmas! I finished Nanowrimo with over 65,000 words. There's a lot more to do, but it has a beginning, middle, end, and millions of questions for me to figure out the answers to. So I decided to take some time off from writing. I thought I'd take a week off, then get back into writing, or editing my most recent editing project. (The one that I had all the notes back from my readers.) Anyway, a week off became two weeks off as I slipped into laziness. I'm back at the laptop a bit now, with some direction for my editing. After I do this edit on my previous work, I will attend to my Nanowrimo book. That's all the writing on my end. And clearly, blogging has been a low priority. With Christmas next week, it will probably be at least another two weeks before I have anything to say again. Enjoy your celebration of whatever holiday you prefer!