October 07, 2003
Whew
I can't tell if I'm galloping out of control or just maintaining a steady run. In either case, Chapter 16 is finished--didn't hurt that it was considerably shorter than the average chapter. Two more to go. At this rate, I might well finish the first draft this week, leaving me three weeks to NaNoWriMo, three weeks to rest, recuperate, and outline the next novel.
300!
The Exile's Daughter manuscript just hit 300 pages, and is currently at 87,754 words (my draft format is Times New Roman 12, double spaced). Chapter 16 is going considerably faster than I had anticipated. One more scene and it's done. I may finish the chapter today. I've done 2300 words so far and as of this moment I haven't even broken a sweat.
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE days like this? Wheeee! Two chapters and a scene left to go!
(Edited to add: I checked, on a whim. Using standard manuscript format--i.e., Courier New 12 font--it's at 397 pages. Heehee.)
It's interesting, how time-sucking the
It's interesting, how time-sucking the NaNoWriMo forums are. Not so much today, because I'm feeling quite driven to get some writing done (almost 1500 words this morning, and raring to go for this afternoon), but in general. I'm also remembering why I started largely avoiding the forums last year.
There are a lot of topics with people asking who's written a novel before, who's been published before, who wants to publish their NaNo novel, etc. At first it was interesting to read and to post--kind of watching the vets instruct and encourage the newbies, but at times, seeing just how incredibly naive so many people are about the publication process just makes me blink. Was I ever that naive? Then I remember with what enormous hopes I sent my very first story off to Marion Zimmer Bradley's magazine, and I think, yep, every bit as naive.
For some reason, it makes me feel snarky and cynical. Part of me just wants to sit them all down and reassure them that no, they aren't going to produce anything publishable their first time out, but that that's not the point. That no one's going to recognize their unpolished and heretofore untapped brilliance right off the bat, but that they'll learn and learn and learn, just by putting one word after the other. Then I realize that if I told them that, they wouldn't believe me. I know I wouldn't have.
Then there are the people who rave about vanity presses, or e-publishing their books. They proudly go on about how many books they've published, and it's hard to resist delivering a smackdown. I realize now the appeal of the vanity press--you get to say you published a book. And most people either don't ask or don't think to ask if you had to pay for it to be published. It's the same game I sometimes play with my DP9 credits. I don't always add "they were roleplaying supplements" when I mention that I've worked on four books. It's funny, the things we do for validation.
I don't know. It's a common phenomenon I've seen amongst writers, particularly on the net, a kind of oneupmanship. A game of "I'm more of a real writer than thou." It's rarely put in those terms, but that's what it sometimes comes down to. I hate it when I feel myself start to play along. I don't want to go there. But sometimes I do. It's not like we're all in competition with each other, and yet in a way, we are.
Writing is such a solitary act, it's like we need to give ourselves rivals to push ourselves along.
Momentum
Wrote a scene and a half this morning, and stopped only because I didn't want to miss "The West Wing" again. I'm already itching to get back to it after lunch. This can only be a good sign. The retreat really got me fired up again for finishing this. I had been a little burnt out, I think.
"Midsummer" came back again, and I sent it out again. Yay for me. It's getting close to retirement, I think, but I'll try a few more places.
