Night of Squeeness!

Ok, no one is allowed to hassle me over not writing for the last couple of days. You know why? Because I got to see Jim Butcher tonight!

It's the second one of Jim's book signings I've been to, and even though I've heard a couple of the stories twice now, they're still hilarious and he seems to be a genuinely great guy to be around.

I got all books signed (including Gita's, she'll be happy to know), and while I still have an entire list of things I would have liked to say to him but didn't, I DID manage to get the courage to ask for a picture!

Gods Bless Beta Readers

In particular, today, bless Theo and Chie. In a matter of an hour or so, they've managed to pinpoint things that are going wrong already in the first few chapters, AND add a new character that's going to add an unbelievable new element to this story. It's so amazing what a fresh pair of eyes can do, as well as people to just listen to me babble, and bounce ideas off of.

And to my utter joy, the problems they've found are easily corrected, and the new character is easily inserted without major rewrites. I am sans child, this weekend, and while hubby is sleeping today, I may rework those first six chapters to add the things needed, then move on with chapter 7. Perhaps, when I see the changes in the flesh so to speak, chapter 7 won't seem nearly so daunting and I can get it underway.

Detachment

I finished chapter 6 today, coming in above my word count goal. But I've been pondering something.

I don't feel emotionally attached to this new project. I mean, yes, my heart pounds at the exciting places like it is supposed to, and I love my characters and the world they're in but... I don't know what it is.

I wrote project 2 in a flurry of inspiration, scrambling to get it all down on paper while it was still hot in my brain. Sure, I outlined the chapters first, but even that was a trial and error process, figuring out what worked and what didn't. I stumbled a lot, and blundered my way through unknown places, but it came out good in the end.

With project 3, I made extensive notes, did research, made most of my outline way in advance. And now, I more feel like I'm following a map with the trail well marked. I don't know that it's a bad feeling, per se, just different than my previous experiences.

It's also possible that I feel this way because, while I wrote project 2 only when the inspiration hit me, I'm forcing myself to write on project 3 whether I "feel" it or not. It's going to do wonders for my word count and progress, but I wonder if it adds some distance as well.

I suppose part of me has believed that I would eventually find the method that "worked" for me, and I would stick to the same process for every book that followed. But maybe it will always be a work in progress, and what worked for project 5 won't work for project 8 and project 189 will have to be done in some completely off-the-wall manner.

Meh. I'm rambling. It's the allergy meds talking, maybe.

And on and on and...

Honestly, there's very little to report. I hit my writing goal today (almost doubled it). Seems I either blow it out of the water, or don't write at all during the day. I'm sure that means something, but I'm not sure what.

I'm about 2/3s of the way through chapter 6, still moving on nicely. Even more importantly, I can already see things I want to go back and flesh out. It always makes me feel better when I can see the room for editing, even before I get to that point. Gives me hope for the future. (and in the case of project 2, it gave me 33,000 more words that I desperately needed)

I just have to keep reminding myself, waiting is not unproductive time so long as I am writing something new. And if project 2 doesn't sell, in the end, project 3 might. Or 4. Or 12. Or whatever.

Sunday Funny

No, not my cat. Theo's cat. I needed the giggle.


moar funny pictures

Zoom!

So, to console myself for the reject, I sent another query to a new agent. Only to have it rejected in less than two minutes.

Wheeee!

Friday blahs

I didn't want to work today. I didn't want to write today. All I wanted was to be out of my office and somewhere else. It probably had to do with the fact that the sun was shining for the first time in like forever.

Of course, when I get home, I find a lovely rejection e-mail from one of my partial submissions. This one has me kinda down. The first rejection wasn't so bad, because I know that particular agent doesn't truly rep what I've written. But this one... This one has me questioning my skill, my plot, my characters, everything. And the agent didn't even say anything negative! Oh the neurosis one standard form rejection letter can breed. It's a wonder any writer is sane.

I still have two partials out, and two queries. One of the queries and one of the partials I only sent recently, so I figure I'm in for a long wait on those. And the other query is one of no interest = no response, so I figure another two weeks and I can mark it off my list as a no. And of course, I have an entire list of agents to query, after this. It's all part of the process.

I'll try to keep working on project 3. I know that these rollercoasters of emotion are par for the course, and that I shouldn't take anything as a nail in the coffin or anything. Knowing it doesn't make the disappointment hurt any less, though.