In re-evaluating the self-imposed deadlines I set for myself, I started thinking about the wisdom of writing the books sitting in my brain.
On the one hand, I feel like there are so many characters and stories in there right now there isn't room for more, for different. That's the biggest factor that makes writing these stories right now so appealing.
On the other hand, all these books hinge on Woven and its trilogy getting published. Events that are the crux of the story in Heirs of the Seven Realms inform the events of pretty much everything else. Characters sometimes cross over from book to book, and sometimes one story's book will have a side or tertiary character whose offspring appears later.
Someone remind me not to ever come up with and entertain so many stories that cross each other again, okay?
If you have a question you're dying to ask me, something you want me to address either here on my site or over at the Dojo, send it to info(at)stephanie-mcgee(dot)com
Comments and other fun stuff can be sent to stephanie(at)stephanie-mcgee(dot)com
Showing posts with label epic fantasy project. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epic fantasy project. Show all posts
Monday, October 8, 2012
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Update Tuesday 11/6-11/12
Wow, is it Tuesday again already? Where does time go?
So, this past week was not so great for me, writing-wise. Why? I always struggle to get back to everything that I like to do, all the routines, when something new comes along that impacts my scheduling.
What impacted my scheduling? My job. I started last week and while I didn't work a full week I still struggled to get to my writing/revising projects. I did manage to get a little bit in though on Saturday night, finally.
I've started revising Mirror, Mirror and it's going okay so far. As I wrote the first draft there were definitely things that came up that I knew would need to be addressed in revisions. At one point I entirely redesigned the geography of a city my MC starts out in and returns to several times throughout the book and the trilogy. But only after I'd written the opening scene where she sneaks a prisoner of the crown out of the city.
I made note on the inside of the cover of each notebook when there was something that came up to be addressed in revisions. These included noting where I needed to revamp to match the new city layout, ideas that came up that need to be foreshadowed throughout what came before that moment, etcetera.
I'm dealing with those right now on this first pass through the manuscript. Hopefully that will also help me beef up the word count since this one ended quite short of the mark of where it should be. I'm aiming to bump the count up to somewhere in the 70-75K range. We'll see if people want it longer.
With what I started on Saturday night, and I didn't get too far, I added 564 words to the story. It now is just shy (by about 160 words, give or take) of 56K. So I have a ways to go. But I'm okay with that. When this pass is done I'll be going through and making a revision outline and then looking for beta readers.
How are your WiPs going?
So, this past week was not so great for me, writing-wise. Why? I always struggle to get back to everything that I like to do, all the routines, when something new comes along that impacts my scheduling.
What impacted my scheduling? My job. I started last week and while I didn't work a full week I still struggled to get to my writing/revising projects. I did manage to get a little bit in though on Saturday night, finally.
I've started revising Mirror, Mirror and it's going okay so far. As I wrote the first draft there were definitely things that came up that I knew would need to be addressed in revisions. At one point I entirely redesigned the geography of a city my MC starts out in and returns to several times throughout the book and the trilogy. But only after I'd written the opening scene where she sneaks a prisoner of the crown out of the city.
I made note on the inside of the cover of each notebook when there was something that came up to be addressed in revisions. These included noting where I needed to revamp to match the new city layout, ideas that came up that need to be foreshadowed throughout what came before that moment, etcetera.
I'm dealing with those right now on this first pass through the manuscript. Hopefully that will also help me beef up the word count since this one ended quite short of the mark of where it should be. I'm aiming to bump the count up to somewhere in the 70-75K range. We'll see if people want it longer.
With what I started on Saturday night, and I didn't get too far, I added 564 words to the story. It now is just shy (by about 160 words, give or take) of 56K. So I have a ways to go. But I'm okay with that. When this pass is done I'll be going through and making a revision outline and then looking for beta readers.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Update Tuesday 10/30-11/5
Well, let's see. I've totally lost all resolve for taking November off from anything writing-related. I spent a couple of hours on Saturday figuring out some elements of the book that still needed filling in. There were lots of places in the draft where I'd just put [Insert such-and-such here] and moved on.
That is what I spent my time Saturday worrying about. And I finally figured out what I wanted there and am mostly satisfied with the results of such at this juncture. Sure what was added might change in edits. (I'm sure some betas will not like what I put in.) But that's what editing is for. I just needed to get it in there so I could actually have words to edit. After all, you can't edit what isn't on the page.
I really love this book and these characters. Almost as much as I love the characters from the first book I ever set out to write. (Which I'm still determined to save someday.)
How are your WiPs going?
That is what I spent my time Saturday worrying about. And I finally figured out what I wanted there and am mostly satisfied with the results of such at this juncture. Sure what was added might change in edits. (I'm sure some betas will not like what I put in.) But that's what editing is for. I just needed to get it in there so I could actually have words to edit. After all, you can't edit what isn't on the page.
I really love this book and these characters. Almost as much as I love the characters from the first book I ever set out to write. (Which I'm still determined to save someday.)
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Update Tuesday 10/9-10/15
Okay, that time again!
Mirror, Mirror:
FINISHED!
Ahem. Sorry. Just a little excited. I stayed up uber-late on Tuesday night and finished the book. Estimated word count for notebook 2 on this one brings me to just under 60K for a total word count. It's okay, though, because there are lots of floating head scenes that need fleshing out after I finish transcribing everything.
NaNo Project:
Well, I've opted not to participate in NaNo this year. So this is the last you'll hear of NaNo for the year from me. The reason for this is that some other things have come up that make drafting a new novel the lowest of my writing priorities right now.
Top Secret project:
This is what's taken over. It's a project I've worked on before, but I'm not saying which one it is or what specifically is happening with this one. I'll tell you when I can.
How are your WiPs going?
Mirror, Mirror:
FINISHED!
Ahem. Sorry. Just a little excited. I stayed up uber-late on Tuesday night and finished the book. Estimated word count for notebook 2 on this one brings me to just under 60K for a total word count. It's okay, though, because there are lots of floating head scenes that need fleshing out after I finish transcribing everything.
NaNo Project:
Well, I've opted not to participate in NaNo this year. So this is the last you'll hear of NaNo for the year from me. The reason for this is that some other things have come up that make drafting a new novel the lowest of my writing priorities right now.
Top Secret project:
This is what's taken over. It's a project I've worked on before, but I'm not saying which one it is or what specifically is happening with this one. I'll tell you when I can.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Update Tuesday 10/2-10/8
Another week gone by. Another week closer to my goal. And, yes, friends, I'm much closer to my goal.
I wrote two and a half chapters or so last week. My characters have finally caught a break and the distractions/diversions from their goal have vanished. Writing those chapters (I'd left off in mid-chapter the week before) left me with two chapters and an epilogue to write.
Which means that perhaps even as you're reading this I'm writing the last period on this manuscript. (I always put the epilogue after "The End" so it doesn't really work to use those two words as the final touch on the draft.)
I'm still debating which project to go with for NaNo. (Also, I really must sign up on the official website for that one.) I'll keep you updated on that once I finish the draft of Mirror, Mirror.
How are your WiPs going?
I wrote two and a half chapters or so last week. My characters have finally caught a break and the distractions/diversions from their goal have vanished. Writing those chapters (I'd left off in mid-chapter the week before) left me with two chapters and an epilogue to write.
Which means that perhaps even as you're reading this I'm writing the last period on this manuscript. (I always put the epilogue after "The End" so it doesn't really work to use those two words as the final touch on the draft.)
I'm still debating which project to go with for NaNo. (Also, I really must sign up on the official website for that one.) I'll keep you updated on that once I finish the draft of Mirror, Mirror.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Update Tuesday 9/25-10/1
Hello, friends! Another week gone. And now we're in October. (Seriously, I think that some paranormal being sneaks into my life and steals days from my years. How is it already this close to the end of the year?)
I got much writing done this week, friends. Mirror, Mirror is coming along nicely. I'm fairly certain at this point that I'm going to have to brainstorm more rug-pulling events for my characters to build out my word count.
But that is where beta readers will come in handy. Because they'll be able to tell me where they want more information/details/etcetera and I can use that to round out my word count.
I love writing longhand, though, because it forces me to focus on the story and not word count. I'm telling the story as I see it in my head and not trying to throw in needless information just to reach a certain arbitrarily chosen number.
I'm aiming to finish this by mid-October as I've pretty much committed to participating in NaNoWriMo this year. Keep your fingers crossed that life doesn't blow up in my face, as it is wont to do, preventing me from accomplishing said goal.
How are your WiPs going?
I got much writing done this week, friends. Mirror, Mirror is coming along nicely. I'm fairly certain at this point that I'm going to have to brainstorm more rug-pulling events for my characters to build out my word count.
But that is where beta readers will come in handy. Because they'll be able to tell me where they want more information/details/etcetera and I can use that to round out my word count.
I love writing longhand, though, because it forces me to focus on the story and not word count. I'm telling the story as I see it in my head and not trying to throw in needless information just to reach a certain arbitrarily chosen number.
I'm aiming to finish this by mid-October as I've pretty much committed to participating in NaNoWriMo this year. Keep your fingers crossed that life doesn't blow up in my face, as it is wont to do, preventing me from accomplishing said goal.
How are your WiPs going?
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Update Tuesday 9/18-9/24
I can't remember exactly where I left off at the end of the previous week. I do know that I fell into this trap where every time I sat down to write, I ended up spending my writing time working out some niggling little detail of world-building that I didn't think about when I did that initial push in that department.
This was both good and bad. Good in the sense that going forward I have a clearer idea of some things, but bad in that it means some revision in what's already been written. But then good because that'll actually beef up my word count some and really (I hope) make my world seem more vivid.
I'm pretty sure I wrote a couple of chapters last week. How's that for being accountable? I need to keep better track of my work each week if I'm going to continue doing these update posts. And I will track it more diligently. After typing this I've gone and written out a sticky note for myself marking where I'm starting the next week at.
I figure I need to fill this spiral notebook and one other to have an appropriate word count; but then I remind myself that the point of writing longhand is so that I'm focused on story and not word count. I can always find places to add in words. (I am generally pretty spare in my descriptions and I know readers would like to see more scenery so my characters aren't just talking heads.)
How are your WiPs going?
This was both good and bad. Good in the sense that going forward I have a clearer idea of some things, but bad in that it means some revision in what's already been written. But then good because that'll actually beef up my word count some and really (I hope) make my world seem more vivid.
I'm pretty sure I wrote a couple of chapters last week. How's that for being accountable? I need to keep better track of my work each week if I'm going to continue doing these update posts. And I will track it more diligently. After typing this I've gone and written out a sticky note for myself marking where I'm starting the next week at.
I figure I need to fill this spiral notebook and one other to have an appropriate word count; but then I remind myself that the point of writing longhand is so that I'm focused on story and not word count. I can always find places to add in words. (I am generally pretty spare in my descriptions and I know readers would like to see more scenery so my characters aren't just talking heads.)
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
WiP Wednesday 9/11-9/17
So, yeah.
I probably only wrote like 1400 words in all of last week. If I don't step up my game I'm not going to finish this book before the end of the month.
Although, I did do something really important that will help me finish. (Not necessarily finish by the end of the day September 30th.) I realized I needed a little bit more going on in the book to flesh out a proper word count. So I let that thought simmer and when I wasn't looking the perfect idea struck me. It's not anything I have to weave into what's already been written, just a couple more stumbling blocks to throw at my characters before we reach the end of book 1.
One night instead of writing I ended up re-outlining the rest of book 1 so that I have a framework to build from. Which was important. Unfortunately, I kept getting sidetracked and didn't yet make it to sitting down and writing by the time the week was over.
How are your WiPs going?
I probably only wrote like 1400 words in all of last week. If I don't step up my game I'm not going to finish this book before the end of the month.
Although, I did do something really important that will help me finish. (Not necessarily finish by the end of the day September 30th.) I realized I needed a little bit more going on in the book to flesh out a proper word count. So I let that thought simmer and when I wasn't looking the perfect idea struck me. It's not anything I have to weave into what's already been written, just a couple more stumbling blocks to throw at my characters before we reach the end of book 1.
One night instead of writing I ended up re-outlining the rest of book 1 so that I have a framework to build from. Which was important. Unfortunately, I kept getting sidetracked and didn't yet make it to sitting down and writing by the time the week was over.
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
WiP Wednesday 9/4-9/10
Wow.
Okay, first off, the WiP posts are changing. These posts will now cover the calendar week previous to this rather than Wednesday-Tuesday following the last update. That way, I can write (hopefully) all the week's blog posts in one session and then move on. This is aimed at streamlining the time I spend social networking and freeing time for writing and real life duties, such as gouging my eyes out, er, job hunting.
On to the updates.
Mirror, Mirror
So, yeah. I finished typing out everything that I had written. That topped out at 31,230 words. I won't transcribe more until I've filled this second notebook.
I do still hope (*fingers crossed*) to finish this book by the end of day September 30. Hope.
How are your WiPs going?
Okay, first off, the WiP posts are changing. These posts will now cover the calendar week previous to this rather than Wednesday-Tuesday following the last update. That way, I can write (hopefully) all the week's blog posts in one session and then move on. This is aimed at streamlining the time I spend social networking and freeing time for writing and real life duties, such as gouging my eyes out, er, job hunting.
On to the updates.
Mirror, Mirror
So, yeah. I finished typing out everything that I had written. That topped out at 31,230 words. I won't transcribe more until I've filled this second notebook.
I do still hope (*fingers crossed*) to finish this book by the end of day September 30. Hope.
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
WiP Wednesday 9/7
Well, it's that time again. This time I only have one project to update you on.
Mirror, Mirror (YA traditional fantasy)
I've made some progress. Thanks to a temp job and a sudden move across state lines, August was a rather unproductive month for me. I'm settling back into a semblance of normal and have been getting some writing done. Usually this happens at night right before bed. Which I'm fine with.
I filled the first notebook (I'm writing this one longhand) and moved into the second. When that happened I also started to type out what's already been written. I'm probably sitting around 29K-30K words right now so I am probably going to end up adding a lot in when I go through and revise. There is room for it as I tend to be pretty spare in my setting and action descriptions on the first draft. Especially in dialogue passages. The first revision usually largely addresses the floating head syndrome.
In all, I plan to be done with this book's first draft by the end of the month.
How are your WiPs going?
Mirror, Mirror (YA traditional fantasy)
I've made some progress. Thanks to a temp job and a sudden move across state lines, August was a rather unproductive month for me. I'm settling back into a semblance of normal and have been getting some writing done. Usually this happens at night right before bed. Which I'm fine with.
I filled the first notebook (I'm writing this one longhand) and moved into the second. When that happened I also started to type out what's already been written. I'm probably sitting around 29K-30K words right now so I am probably going to end up adding a lot in when I go through and revise. There is room for it as I tend to be pretty spare in my setting and action descriptions on the first draft. Especially in dialogue passages. The first revision usually largely addresses the floating head syndrome.
In all, I plan to be done with this book's first draft by the end of the month.
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
WiP Wednesday 8/3
First off, I'm thinking of taking a new picture to use for the WiP Wednesday posts. What think ye, friends?
Secondly, you might not be getting a photo of me any time soon. I've likely torn all my hair out over query package items.
On to the updates!
YA fantasy WiP:
I finally got the redesign of the capital city and the palace grounds and interior done so that meant I could actually go back to writing. Which is going slow, but I think that this chapter is really coming alive thanks to the time I took in redesigning everything. Plugging away at chapter 7 (there are currently 15 planned chapters) and trying to balance everything in my world right now.
How are your WiPs going?
Secondly, you might not be getting a photo of me any time soon. I've likely torn all my hair out over query package items.
On to the updates!
YA fantasy WiP:
I finally got the redesign of the capital city and the palace grounds and interior done so that meant I could actually go back to writing. Which is going slow, but I think that this chapter is really coming alive thanks to the time I took in redesigning everything. Plugging away at chapter 7 (there are currently 15 planned chapters) and trying to balance everything in my world right now.
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
WiP Wednesday 7/27
How is it Wednesday again? Anyway.
Lodestar:
I finished the final major revision. I had the manuscript printed and coil-bound on Monday and am using that for final proofreading and to help me with the synopsis. (More on that in tomorrow's blog post.)
It's exciting and unnerving at the same time to think that I might be sending this darling into the world as early as sometime next week.
I continue to revise and tweak my query letter. Hopefully I'm close. Once the main synopsis is done I'll have to set about contracting it to one page, two pages, and maybe even five, depending on how long it starts out at. My list of agents to query have varying requirements on the length of the synopsis they want, if one is asked for at all. So that adds an extra challenge to the process but I'm up for it.
Mirror, Mirror:
Well, first off, CHAPTER 5 IS DONE!
Ahem. Sorry.
Secondly, I have to come with a new (working) title. See, I discovered that a pretty popular author has already used this title for one of their books. I know you can't copyright titles, but I'm just not going to go there with this one. So, I'm back at the drawing board.
I decided over the weekend that I needed to re-design a palace and city that my characters are headed for in the next chapter so that's stalled me a little as I sit stumped at my computer trying to figure out a layout for both that will both be realistic and serve the needs of my characters and story.
Lodestar:
I finished the final major revision. I had the manuscript printed and coil-bound on Monday and am using that for final proofreading and to help me with the synopsis. (More on that in tomorrow's blog post.)
It's exciting and unnerving at the same time to think that I might be sending this darling into the world as early as sometime next week.
I continue to revise and tweak my query letter. Hopefully I'm close. Once the main synopsis is done I'll have to set about contracting it to one page, two pages, and maybe even five, depending on how long it starts out at. My list of agents to query have varying requirements on the length of the synopsis they want, if one is asked for at all. So that adds an extra challenge to the process but I'm up for it.
Mirror, Mirror:
Well, first off, CHAPTER 5 IS DONE!
Ahem. Sorry.
Secondly, I have to come with a new (working) title. See, I discovered that a pretty popular author has already used this title for one of their books. I know you can't copyright titles, but I'm just not going to go there with this one. So, I'm back at the drawing board.
I decided over the weekend that I needed to re-design a palace and city that my characters are headed for in the next chapter so that's stalled me a little as I sit stumped at my computer trying to figure out a layout for both that will both be realistic and serve the needs of my characters and story.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
WiP Wednesday 7/20
Lodestar (Adult fantasy WiP):
Revisions have begun in earnest. I'm hoping to get this polished and querying within the next couple of weeks. Fingers crossed.
This round is going pretty smoothly so far. But inconsistencies breed like dust bunnies. Going through the manuscript and highlighting (in a different color for each) the spots where my inconsistencies are showing up and/or where I need to address that element of the story has been very illuminating. (Pun not intended.)
I started off with one color. There was an inconsistency in whether these characters have a way of communicating over any sort of distance. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't.
That grew into 13 different colors for various issues. Some issues with the science behind the fantasy (using science in a very loose meaning), some random issues that only crop up in one or two spots, and then my crutch mannerisms. (Eye/eyes/eyed/eyelid, variations on smile/smiled, shrugging, and shaking of heads.)
Yeah. It's gonna take some time going through this and getting nitpicky. Oh well.
YA fantasy WiP:
I'm still stuck in chapter 5. This chapter will not end, I tell you. Soon. But not soon enough. This will be my biggest nightmare chapter when it comes time to revise.
The writing itself is going a little slow. I feel like there's something off with the book and so I think that's stalling me a little. I keep getting the urge to write a new chapter 1. But the new chapter I'm seeing in my head will drastically effect the rest of what's already written and that's putting me off making the change. I mean, I've written no few words on this book already and the thought of having to start over now makes me freeze.
I know, easier to restart now than after I've written 80K words.
Oh, and also? I decided on a title. It's a working title for now, but it works. *drumroll*
Mirror, Mirror
We'll see how long it stays but I needed the file to be named something more than "Draft 1" for locating purposes.
How are your WiPs going?
Revisions have begun in earnest. I'm hoping to get this polished and querying within the next couple of weeks. Fingers crossed.
This round is going pretty smoothly so far. But inconsistencies breed like dust bunnies. Going through the manuscript and highlighting (in a different color for each) the spots where my inconsistencies are showing up and/or where I need to address that element of the story has been very illuminating. (Pun not intended.)
I started off with one color. There was an inconsistency in whether these characters have a way of communicating over any sort of distance. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't.
That grew into 13 different colors for various issues. Some issues with the science behind the fantasy (using science in a very loose meaning), some random issues that only crop up in one or two spots, and then my crutch mannerisms. (Eye/eyes/eyed/eyelid, variations on smile/smiled, shrugging, and shaking of heads.)
Yeah. It's gonna take some time going through this and getting nitpicky. Oh well.
YA fantasy WiP:
I'm still stuck in chapter 5. This chapter will not end, I tell you. Soon. But not soon enough. This will be my biggest nightmare chapter when it comes time to revise.
The writing itself is going a little slow. I feel like there's something off with the book and so I think that's stalling me a little. I keep getting the urge to write a new chapter 1. But the new chapter I'm seeing in my head will drastically effect the rest of what's already written and that's putting me off making the change. I mean, I've written no few words on this book already and the thought of having to start over now makes me freeze.
I know, easier to restart now than after I've written 80K words.
Oh, and also? I decided on a title. It's a working title for now, but it works. *drumroll*
Mirror, Mirror
We'll see how long it stays but I needed the file to be named something more than "Draft 1" for locating purposes.
How are your WiPs going?
Thursday, July 7, 2011
A Day Late
And many dollars short. Hee hee.
Sorry for not getting a WiP update to you guys yesterday. I've fallen into a funk. There's a lot going on in my personal life right now that is really dragging down everything else.
I'm plugging away at chapter 5 in the traditional fantasy WiP. This chapter has turned into a beast of a thing. It won't end right now. It just keeps going. I'm either too much a slave to the rough outline I wrote out for myself or I'm throwing in too much unnecessary stuff. Or both.
Revisions on the contemporary fantasy will commence when I've finished beta reading for two friends. Which I'm hoping to get done by the end of the weekend. (I'm sorry, guys. I'm a total fail at beta reading right now. :( )
Fortunately for me, the muse seems to be really focused on the current project. I haven't had an SNI hit me yet in this project. *knocks wood*
How are your WiPs going?
Sorry for not getting a WiP update to you guys yesterday. I've fallen into a funk. There's a lot going on in my personal life right now that is really dragging down everything else.
I'm plugging away at chapter 5 in the traditional fantasy WiP. This chapter has turned into a beast of a thing. It won't end right now. It just keeps going. I'm either too much a slave to the rough outline I wrote out for myself or I'm throwing in too much unnecessary stuff. Or both.
Revisions on the contemporary fantasy will commence when I've finished beta reading for two friends. Which I'm hoping to get done by the end of the weekend. (I'm sorry, guys. I'm a total fail at beta reading right now. :( )
Fortunately for me, the muse seems to be really focused on the current project. I haven't had an SNI hit me yet in this project. *knocks wood*
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
WiP Wednesday 6/29
Yay for progress update day!
Short story:
FINISHED! As of yesterday, this story is done. I'm still undecided as to whether I'll attempt to get this one published. It ended up being just over 13K. Wordy for a short story, yes, but that's how all of mine seem to go.
YA fantasy:
I finished chapter 4. But haven't written past there yet. I focused heavily on the short story this week because I wanted to get it done so the creative energy could be concentrated on the YA. I discovered during the process of writing that story that I can't have two first drafts going at the same time. It just doesn't work.
Lodestar:
Still sitting, waiting for revisions. Which will start probably in the next week or so. Just to prove to myself I'm able to revise and draft at the same time. (Preparing for the eventual day when I hope to be writing under contract.)
How are your WiPs going?
And, please, if you missed yesterday's post on the Stories for Sendai Anthology blog tour, read it and put this anthology on your buy list. All proceeds are going to aid survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan back in March.
Short story:
FINISHED! As of yesterday, this story is done. I'm still undecided as to whether I'll attempt to get this one published. It ended up being just over 13K. Wordy for a short story, yes, but that's how all of mine seem to go.
YA fantasy:
I finished chapter 4. But haven't written past there yet. I focused heavily on the short story this week because I wanted to get it done so the creative energy could be concentrated on the YA. I discovered during the process of writing that story that I can't have two first drafts going at the same time. It just doesn't work.
Lodestar:
Still sitting, waiting for revisions. Which will start probably in the next week or so. Just to prove to myself I'm able to revise and draft at the same time. (Preparing for the eventual day when I hope to be writing under contract.)
How are your WiPs going?
And, please, if you missed yesterday's post on the Stories for Sendai Anthology blog tour, read it and put this anthology on your buy list. All proceeds are going to aid survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan back in March.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
WiP Wednesday 6/22
Let's see. Where should I begin.
Lodestar is still sitting pretty waiting to be revised. I have excellent (at least I think they are) ideas for where to go from here. I'm eager to jump back into the revising ring.
My YA high fantasy is trucking along. I'm in chapter 4 and and it's going remarkably smooth. The plot is still throwing some surprises my way, which is entertaining. (Mostly it's character stuff that's cropping up but those character things are having some impact on events of the plot and how things unfold.)
Over the weekend I had a couple of scenes from a brand new story pestering me so I started writing it. This one's just a short story. I'll probably cap it somewhere in the 8K-10K mark. Currently it is titled Blood Blessed though that might change after I finish the story. (I just needed a placeholder since I already have a story on my hard drive named "New story.")
How are your WiPs going?
Lodestar is still sitting pretty waiting to be revised. I have excellent (at least I think they are) ideas for where to go from here. I'm eager to jump back into the revising ring.
My YA high fantasy is trucking along. I'm in chapter 4 and and it's going remarkably smooth. The plot is still throwing some surprises my way, which is entertaining. (Mostly it's character stuff that's cropping up but those character things are having some impact on events of the plot and how things unfold.)
Over the weekend I had a couple of scenes from a brand new story pestering me so I started writing it. This one's just a short story. I'll probably cap it somewhere in the 8K-10K mark. Currently it is titled Blood Blessed though that might change after I finish the story. (I just needed a placeholder since I already have a story on my hard drive named "New story.")
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
WiP Wednesday 6/15
High Fantasy Draft:
I still have no title for the book I'm writing. But that's okay.
I'm loving this story. It's kind of fun, trying to write a YA high/traditional fantasy. I'm worried that my MC isn't sounding teen enough, but it isn't like she's a contemporary teen. Her struggles will be the same, but I think I have a little room to play with the voice. So, yeah. We'll see.
I'm in chapter 3 right now. I know, slow progress, right? But the thing is this book only has 15 planned chapters. (Thereabouts.) So, there's wiggle room for adding chapters.
I'm writing this one longhand, off-computer. Which has its plusses and minuses. I've also decided not to type out what I write until I'm done with the book. Or when I've filled a notebook full of written material. I think I'll make that final call when I get there. But I think I need to fill about 3 notebooks, minimum, to have the book at a decent word count when it's done. Maybe four so there's room for making cuts that will be needed.
Lodestar
This book is in "let it sit" mode. When I finish the first draft of the above book, I'll return to revising this one. I had an excellent brainstorming session with a dear writer friend and now have some very good ideas for what to look at and change in the book.
It's weird, but I think I'm kind of excited to attack this round of revisions.
How are your WiPs going?
I still have no title for the book I'm writing. But that's okay.
I'm loving this story. It's kind of fun, trying to write a YA high/traditional fantasy. I'm worried that my MC isn't sounding teen enough, but it isn't like she's a contemporary teen. Her struggles will be the same, but I think I have a little room to play with the voice. So, yeah. We'll see.
I'm in chapter 3 right now. I know, slow progress, right? But the thing is this book only has 15 planned chapters. (Thereabouts.) So, there's wiggle room for adding chapters.
I'm writing this one longhand, off-computer. Which has its plusses and minuses. I've also decided not to type out what I write until I'm done with the book. Or when I've filled a notebook full of written material. I think I'll make that final call when I get there. But I think I need to fill about 3 notebooks, minimum, to have the book at a decent word count when it's done. Maybe four so there's room for making cuts that will be needed.
Lodestar
This book is in "let it sit" mode. When I finish the first draft of the above book, I'll return to revising this one. I had an excellent brainstorming session with a dear writer friend and now have some very good ideas for what to look at and change in the book.
It's weird, but I think I'm kind of excited to attack this round of revisions.
How are your WiPs going?
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
WiP Wednesday 6/8
Hello again! I hope you've all had a fabulous week of productivity when it comes to writing. I know I have.
Lodestar:
I've begun doing just minor edits, all very surface level. I think I'm avoiding dealing with the major issues for some reason. I know I can fix these issues but at the moment they're looking to be more work than writing the book in the first place.
Untitled fantasy WiP:
I finished world-building. Finally. My pantser brain was throwing temper tantrums at me every five minutes when I sat down to writ out my plot synopsis. I wrote the plot for the entire series, starting in Act 0 (as my Shakespeare professor liked to refer to the stuff before the play actually started) and through to the end. Twenty-one pages later I had the series start to finish. There'll be times as I go that I'll stray from that plot synopsis, but at least it's there and it feels cohesive. It feels like I've taken care of the major plot holes.
Except that plot holes have a funny way of breeding like rabbits when your manuscript is in rest mode. Sigh.
I looked through the synopsis and marked where the most natural breaks occurred. Turns out I've got a trilogy on my hands. Which is great because when the idea first hit me, the muse was telling me it would be seven. I'm so glad it was only three. Then I simplified my synopsis into an outline for each book.
I started writing book one. Not terribly far along. But I am also refusing to set a word count goal for this book. I'm just going to write until the outline tells me I've hit the end of book one. Which my planner brain is railing against but whatever. I can only please one side, pantser or plotter, at a time and this is not planner's time.
How are your WiPs going?
Lodestar:
I've begun doing just minor edits, all very surface level. I think I'm avoiding dealing with the major issues for some reason. I know I can fix these issues but at the moment they're looking to be more work than writing the book in the first place.
Untitled fantasy WiP:
I finished world-building. Finally. My pantser brain was throwing temper tantrums at me every five minutes when I sat down to writ out my plot synopsis. I wrote the plot for the entire series, starting in Act 0 (as my Shakespeare professor liked to refer to the stuff before the play actually started) and through to the end. Twenty-one pages later I had the series start to finish. There'll be times as I go that I'll stray from that plot synopsis, but at least it's there and it feels cohesive. It feels like I've taken care of the major plot holes.
Except that plot holes have a funny way of breeding like rabbits when your manuscript is in rest mode. Sigh.
I looked through the synopsis and marked where the most natural breaks occurred. Turns out I've got a trilogy on my hands. Which is great because when the idea first hit me, the muse was telling me it would be seven. I'm so glad it was only three. Then I simplified my synopsis into an outline for each book.
I started writing book one. Not terribly far along. But I am also refusing to set a word count goal for this book. I'm just going to write until the outline tells me I've hit the end of book one. Which my planner brain is railing against but whatever. I can only please one side, pantser or plotter, at a time and this is not planner's time.
How are your WiPs going?
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