Almost...there...!

The end of the year is in sight, and the last of the official "holidays" is coming up shortly. So far, I have survived, and it looks like my continued survival is inevitable. Yay!

I've written some new scenes for Project 2, and my goal tomorrow is to sit down for three hours of uninterrupted editing. Kat has graciously provided me with this, a constant reminder that my self-imposed deadline is ticking down.

I have also written the first two chapters to Project 3, as well as doing quite a bit of research and brainstorming on plot and such.

And lo and behold...there is also a Project 4! I've been researching and brainstorming that lately too (damn you, protagonist, why won't you tell me your name?!). I'm actually torn on whether to pursue 3 or 4 next, after I'm done editing 2.

And then we have Project 1. Poor Project 1. It languishes there in abandoned novel limbo. I think the story still has merit. I think the characters need tweaking, and I think the writing was horrendous, especially the earlier-written pieces. It needs a rest, it needs a makeover. So if anyone asks, Project 1 has gone away to live on a farm somewhere with a nice family that loves it.

Tis the Season

Argh, I am seriously learning to loathe Christmas. If it wasn't for the kiddo, I'd probably boycott the entire mess.

Don't get me wrong, the holiday itself is a great thing, even if you're not necessarily Christian. It's full of hope, giving, generosity, and goodwill toward man. (I should have left the typo, which was "foodwill" toward man. I don't think it was entirely incorrect) And stuff. But it's the commercial side of things that really get me down. I'm tired of shopping for people, I'm tired of trying to plan the perfect schedule to run between everyone's houses (and my current one involves travelling faster than the speed of light, so it's going to have to be revised)

On the writing front, I am 13 chapters through my latest editing pass. I've written the first of at least four new big sections, and made some nice polishing-type decisions on other sections.

I re-read the chapter I wrote for the new project, today, and I find that I still really like it. I think that bodes well.

Several people that I "know" on the Absolute Write boards have been offered representation by agents and/or book deals in recent weeks. It's so strange, being this happy and this jealous all at once. But I really hope this is a herald of many good things for all the people there, myself included. I mean, if I can't make a book sale, at least someone I know should.

This should not be this hard

Somehow, my brain was created defective. I can take a simple random comment from one person and turn it into an entire world/plot/character/drama in a matter of moments. But I simply cannot write a query letter. There is some switch in my brain that never got thrown (or installed) or something.

I have dabbled with this query for three months now, popping it open from time to time when I felt like being depressed. I know it's horrible. I can even tell you some of the reasons WHY it's horrible. But for the life of me, I can't seem to wrap my brain around how to fix it!

One thing I think I've settled on is voice. This book has a very unique voice, and it isn't even remotely relayed in the query. I may actually have to try and have my protagonist write this query, just to make sure his voice gets in there.

And again

I got Theo's notes (and some from his lady love, which was an extra bonus!), and I'm currently letting them sink into my brain. A lot of it dealt with things I've already addressed (but it made me glad to know that my instincts seem to be right). But both he and his lady love have agreed that my protagonist has it too easy.

And this made me think of something I heard Jim Butcher say, at a book signing I attended. He said "If I think it's going to make my hero's day worse, I put it in." So now, I'm pondering how to make my hero's day worse, without totally adding in a new plot thread. (because honestly, I think my plot is pretty tight as it stands, and I like it.)

I think I've figured out some areas I want to tweak, but I decided that I simply could not do such extensive editing on the computer screen, so once again utilized Kinkos and their wonderful online printing option. This time, I even got it bound, so it almost looks like a real book!

Within ten minutes of picking it up, I had it adorned with sticky flags and highlighter marks, already making my plans. I have decided that, after THIS round of editing, it's done. No matter how long or short it is, this is the last batch I'm doing.

Greetings from the Arctic!

Well, at least it feels like it.

Yes, I am one of those currently stuck in the midwest under a rather pretty (but destructive) glaze of ice. In fact, we had no power here at the house from sometime last night until about 5:09 this evening. Kiddo and I were in the middle of packing bags to go to a hotel when the lights came back on.

(Needless to say, I have one very disappointed five-year-old. *sigh* I have offered dinner from Wendy's as a consolation. She's a Frosty addict.)

And the sad thing is, all I could think, knowing that I had no home computer/internet was: "Thank gods I'm at a 'taking a break' place with my book". I'm sure, somehow, that makes me a true writer.

The Research, it is strange...

In preparation for two new projects, I have been making a list of things to research. Included on this list is:

Greek gods
Steampunk
Royal Canadian Mounted Police

These things don't necessarily belong to the same project (well, ok, the first two do, but the third is for its own thing). But I do find some amusement in the varied state of my interests. Gita, my medical consultant, gets questions ranging from "How would a pre-technological society drain fluid off the lungs" to "what easily obtainable narcotic can be dissolved in juice and be strong enough to kill a small human?" I have also given her the challenge of deciding how many ribs can feasibly be removed before complications ensue (but that question was for someone else's book, not my own)

At any rate, I made a ton of notes and a loose outline today for yet ANOTHER new project to be completed sometime in the future. That brings my total to 2 new projects, 1 abandoned project to pick up later, and 1 sequel to my current project (which is still in the editing phases)

Theo's very close to having his notes to me. I think he's enjoyed this. And Kat says I am free to bribe her with chocolate and/or books to read for me again in the future. This makes me happy. (because if I sucked, she wouldn't wanna read for me. See the logic there?)

I Haz Plan!

If I had my brand new digital camera up and functional, I'd start accosting my cats to make lolcatz pictures illustrating said plan. But I don't, so my cats are safe for yet another day.

I buckled down at work today (on my lunch break, I'm not a total slacker) and at the end of it all, I have only one chapter left to revise based on my own notes. Then, Theo's going to deliver me his long-awaited treatise on my work, and I'll be going through what I have again, with that in hand. THEN, I'm going to spend the bucks to print it out one more time (might even bind it, that'd be cool), and go through it yet AGAIN. And that, my friends, will be that. It will be finished, done, finito. Length will be set at whatever it ends as.

I have sworn an oath in front of three people (which makes it official) that I will have a submission-ready manuscript and a submission-ready query letter AND a list of potential agents ready by January 31st. You heard it here. Deadline is set, people know, if I chicken out now I'm gonna look like a giant goober.

I have survived!

All in all, I had a really great birthday! My friends/beta-readers from all over the place have lavished books upon me! I spent waaaay too much time reading this weekend. (I read four, total, still got three more to go) Two of them were even "work" related, in that they are also research materials for the new project.

I worked on three more chapters of Project 2 today, slowly muddling my way through it. I'm trying to catch as much as I can, but I can already tell I'm going to need a fourth draft after this, just to polish. Theo keeps teasing me about finally getting his notes on it. I think he's having waaaay too much fun, but I'm glad to see him enjoying himself.