Category: writing

The Writing Moment

Another revision has been completed. This novel has kept growing*, but in a comfortable way, like I’m allowing it to breathe more deeply. I think I understand the story now, and grasp characters’ arcs and histories more completely, along with more nuances of the concept the relevant history informing the tale, things which I’d never thought about, simply inserting the pieces as needed, vowing, worry about it later, just get it written.

Even while I call this rev done, I have a small list of issues that need investigation so they can be vetted against the books’ revised story, so I’ll begin again. It’s been challenging but fun, and very, very satisfying. Makes me smile as I think, done again, even as I prepare to begin again.

That’s the nature of the process.

* The novel is now 482 Word pages and 146K.

4

A Fine List

Thankfulness A-Z

Jill made a great list of things which she is thankful for. I didn’t change it, but I’d add some personal names under the letters: Keri, Dee, Frank, Lisa, Gina, Pat, Amy, Sharon, Debby, Jonathan, Jessica, Cynthia, David, Andrea, Michael, Barb, Jon, Becky, Brenden, Landon, Colten, Lauren, Audrey, Rhea, Matt, Vince, and many other nieces and nephews. Beer was added under B, and wine is found under W. Knowledge is added to k, and L is amended with learning.

Oh, yeah, you’ll find pizza and pie under P. Can’t forget them, along with writing. You know where it goes.

Happy Thanksgiving.

1

The Writing Moment

I picked up my laptop bag and headed to the door. “Off to write,” I told my wife. “I’m pretty excited. Just fifteen pages left of this draft to revise.”

“How long will fifteen pages take?”

Pausing, I broke out in a broad grin. “Well, that depends on how it’s written.” As I laughed, she joined me. I went on, “I mean, it really depends on how it reads and if it still fits with the story after the revisions I’ve made.”

“I see,” she answered.

Shrugging, I turned back to the door. “And then I begin again.”

0

The Writing Moment

A new novel concept just stormed my mind. Problem, of course, is that I need to finish the beast I’m working on. Its progress has slowed. The rush of the first draft is like driving somewhere. Some difficulties might be encountered, but overall, it’s just adding up the miles. The real work and the associated tedium begins after that first draft, when I need to seriously address everything and ensure plot points dovetail, characters stay true, and the story is interesting and decently told.

That hard work, though challenging and satisfying, begins to bore my imagination, who feels lost and left out. So story ideas percolate. Sometimes, like this one today, they boil over.

But still, I gotta make a note of this one somewhere where it won’t get lost in the stash of other story ideas I want to pursue, and then make the time to write it.

That’s how it goes.

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