RSW Progress Report 7/20/15

It’s that time again! Ready, Set, Write! Progress incoming.

How’d I do?

How I did on last week’s goals

The road in front of our campsite. Raw image, no post-processing has been done.

~1,500 words minimum on Fireborn (Camp Nano) NOPE. 444 words.
~1,500 words minimum on Covenant (Camp Nano) NOPE. 0 words.
~Work on Survivor outline (midpoint, doorway of no return, and clue/discovery/setback)DONE! And got most of the rough outline done.
~Start book #3 for review NOPE. Still working on book #2…very close to being done.
~Photography stuff: take pics at camp (this weekend), play with new camera if it arrives this week DONE and DONE! Took several lovely infrared pictures. They need post-processing, but they look the way they are supposed to look. (Funny thing. Apparently this model does not have the option to shoot in B&W like my other one. Oops. So part of post-processing will be converting to B&W.)

Our campsite. Raw picture, not post-processed yet.

This week’s goals

~500 words minimum on Fireborn/rework current scene
~500 words minimum on Covenant
~Finish book #2 for review
~Start Survivor Rewrite…again.

A favorite line from my story OR a word or phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised Not. Enough. Time. (Okay, three words!) I had some issues finding the time — sounds crazy, but it’s true. Hubby and I went camping this past weekend, so a lot of my time went into packing and prep and seeing the in-laws. I had bad eye pain on Tuesday that made me want to stab my eyeballs so that wasn’t helping matters. While camping I thought about writing, but because I got sick from the heat (yes, that is possible), all I did was lay in the camper in a haze. Seriously. I did nothing. Oh, I did nap a few times.

The biggest challenge I faced this week (ie finding time to write, getting sick, having writer’s block, etc): See above. It just wasn’t happening for me last week.

Something I love about my WIP: Talking more about Survivor (sorry!), I love the dynamic between the different characters. I have several POV characters and their lives intersect in interesting ways. In my new outline, I was able to bring that more to the surface and increase tension and conflict. Yet the original bones are still very much there. I *may* need to split the book into two (or three — I have a sort of sequel planned) and that part is about 50k so far. Might work better, but we will see.

How did you do?

 

Update and future projects

Been sicky for the past few days, so not much has been accomplished.  However, before getting sick, I’d broken 11k on Alpha Female.  And, yes, I’m admitting it — this is kind of a rewrite/edit/revision.  Because I’m basically doing everything at once so I can send it to critters once the “draft” is done.  I say “draft” because I’m not really sure what to call it. 

That’s my crazy process for you.  It took me two false starts to get it right.  Put me behind, but I’m doing okay.  I’m not really worried.  I guess I’ll start worrying in two weeks when I need to have it done. 

I’ve been doing alot of thinking about future projects.  I’m definitely going to take another whack at Pirouette once Alpha Female is done and submitted.  That’s the top priority.  Next, the big question is, do I want to do a mini-NaNoWriMo in November?  I can’t do the full NaNo anymore (50 in 30 days) because of my wrists, but I’ve had some success with doing a 25k “mini-Nano.”  I’m tempted to start a new novel.  It’s one that’s been patiently waiting for oh….I want to say at least 5 years.  It was going to be my 2006 NaNo novel but I changed my mind at the last minute.  The story has been haunting me for five years.  A lot of it has changed — for example, the main characters were all vampires (“vampira”) and now they will most likely be a type of Dark Fae.  A few days ago, the phrase “a battlefield of souls” popped into my mind, and at first, it felt like a seedling of a new idea, but when I probed it deeper, I discovered that it could work with this novel, which is called Darkweaver.  A few weeks to a month ago, the first line — hell, the first damn page — came to me, again out of nowhere.  At work, no less.  I was even going to type it up before I forgot (I haven’t).  So it’s been really strong in my head.  Muse says it’s about damn time.  I’m trying to wait, because I have three unfinished projects that need to get done.  But then again, what would 25k hurt?  Of course, it’ll take another month of work out of the equation, and will leave me with a hanging manuscript, but I just don’t know.  I’m completely and utterly torn.  Broken could use another 25k (it’s sitting at 12k at the moment).  Flamebound needs a revision and most likely a rewrite. 

How does one choose?  Lately I’ve been going according to one, the market (which I heard isn’t the way to go, but hey — I don’t want the paranormal market to die while Pirouette sits for another 5 years) and where the project is in the process.  I’ve been making a conscious effort to finish my unfinished projects and get them submitted.  So far, Pirouette’s 3rd draft got done last year, and Survivor’s first draft last year as well.  Speaking of Survivor, there’s another one that’s haunting me.  It needs a rewrite.  I am toying with the idea of making it a trilogy.  Again, market considerations.  And the sheer time would be massive.  So that one is probably going to have to wait, probably until I sell something.

What to do, what to do?  There’s just not enough time anymore, you know? 

Soooooo I guess we’ll see what happens.  I’ll decide….later.

Writing and rewriting…at the same time.

Ok, before you think I’m crazy, hear me out.  I’ve been working on Survivor since finishing Pirouette on May 21st, and my crazy  muse inssted that I needed to add a new scene into the rewrite file.  In the original, a certain character is introduced in chapter 3 or 4.  My muse says that she should be introduced sooner — like, right away.  And the scene was vivid and so there that I decided to break down and do it.  And, the crazy part is, I’m considering continuing the rewrite with some new ideas I have.

While finishing up the endgame.

Yeppers.  Both.  Simultaneously.  I must be insane.

So there’s that.  Next up is the Flamebound rewrite (ha!) which I might try to sneak in on my vacation.  It seems to be becoming a yearly tradition.  Write while vacationing.  Maybe I can break my current record of 17k in one week.

I’ve got roughly 5k written on the endgame.  It’s been going a bit slow, mainly because I am plotting as I go.  No formal outline, yikes.  But it feels right, so I’m going with it.  And I’m not putting pressure on myself.  I’m 25 days from my wedding (!!!!) and work is nuts, and I finished Pirouette two weeks early and I really don’t want to stress myself out.  So I’ll probably continue like this till after the wedding, after which I’ll kick it up into high gear.

I anticipate about 10k or so to the end.  I’ve been in this place before, but the ending ended up being farther than I thought.  So now, I believe I’m actually there.

I started this book as part of a writing class at Forward Motion 5 years ago.  I kept putting it aside (Pirouette ate my life, quite literally) for other things, thinking it was too complex, too much work, yadda yadda yadda.  Well last year, I decided that enough was enough.  It’s brilliant, at least in my opinion, and there’s a small chance I might split it into 3 books: Stranger, Endgame, and Ghost.  The Survivor trilogy.  I’m not sure how easy or hard it would be to sell that way, but the entire thing is about 225k right now.  I have some ideas on cuts, so we’ll see, but the possibility is there. 

So that’s where I’m at.

Figured Survivor out. *wipes forehead*

I was sweating bullets for awhile, worrying about how to integrate two separate –very good — outlines for the end.  I went over them today and made notes and…..they will fit almost seemlessly.  Go me!

And of course, naturally, Survivor will need its own “rewrite of doom.”  I’m going to work backwards from the scene I wrote this week, connecting it to the existing parts, then try to finish each individual plot thread.  I have quite a few.  *rolling eyes*  My muse just wouldn’t shut up.  She kept adding things.  Luckily, the bulk of it will stay.  There are a few tangents I took that will be going, though.

And the body count?  Currently, it’s at 2.  Paternity of the baby of the MC?  No clue.  It can be one of 3 men, and I’m just not sure which one would be best.  I could, theoretically, leave that unanswered until Ghost.  Must give that more thought.

But it’s finally shaping up!  I’m very excited.  This one’s been in progress for almost 2 years.  I had started it for a class at Forward Motion — where you take novel creation from your idea all the way to submitting the finished book to a publisher.  As I wrote it, I got deeper and deeper into this twisted tangle of a plot (and some very creepy psychological stuff) and fell in love.  But NaNo was approaching, and I wanted to participate, and Pirouette took over, save for a new first scene I wrote mid-last year.  And I’ve been poking at it ever since in between projects.  Now, I’d like for it to take some priority.  I want to finish the first draft, at least, this year.  The rewrite might have to wait, as getting Pirouette out to agent rounds is #1.  But I will fit this in someplace.  It’s just really cool, and I think it could be a very good book.  🙂  At least, I hope!

Also wrote 998 words of Requiem today.  A very creepy scene indeed.  Tomorrow, it’s gonna be working on editing Pirouette and Survivor’s Timeline of Doom.

Survivor news

A few days ago, I wrote a very intense, emotional scene close to the end.  Prior to this, I’d re-outlined the bulk of the ending chapters.  I’m going to kill off two characters.  Both were unexpected, but especially one of the MC’s love interests.  I’m using his death as a catalyst for her to discover…some things (sorry, that would be a spoiler!) about herself.  I think it will be stronger.  I also don’t much care for this character — he’s, well, a jerk.  I made him that way.  He’s a sharp contrast to her other love interest (who survives, by the way).

I added in more of an element that I skimped on from before.  Was going to touch on it; now, it’s becoming more central.  Will it work?  I’m not sure, but I’m trusting my muse on this one.

The evil people get their due, the groundwork for Ghost will be set up, and the MC will have her own HEA.  It’s not a total HEA like in romance novels, but it’s an HEA that is true to her and what she goes through.

And boy, she goes straight to hell–and lives to tell about it.  I still get shivers.

Here’s a short snippet.  With the caveat that this is raw first draft and thus has not been edited at all.

I looked at the strange gravestone as if I’d never seen it before.  I looked around me — the graves surrounding me like silent sentinels.  The wet grass.  The cool breeze.  The sunlight.  Two trees to my left, identical, their branches intertwined as if…

As if they were married.

The name on the gravestone had to be wrong.  He wasn’t dead.  I’d just seen him a few weeks ago.  Yes, that was it.  This was a terrible mistake, someone’s idea of a cruel joke. 

In my lap sat a small bouquet of tulips.  I caressed the petals with a fingertip, realizing with a jolt that I must have brought them here.  For what?  I saw the freshly dug mound, and it hit me, like a physical blow.  All the air rushed out of my lungs.  My heart pounded frantic.  Skipping, jumping.  My thoughts swirled around, making no sense to me whatsoever. I was looking at Brad’s grave.  It wasn’t a mistake.  It was real.  So real I could reach out and–

My fingers grazed the stone.

–touch it. What had happened to him?  And why couldn’t I remember? No matter.  I took a breath, then another. It is real it is real it is real— a mantra, over and over again, sang in my mind.

If I could close my eyes forever….

So appropriate.  So fitting.

I found out that my dad has cancer.  It was caught super-early, thanks to his wonderful doc, and he needs surgery, but it’s looking good.  He doesn’t even need chemo.  I’m still in shock, because we all were convinced it was nothing, but damn — life sure throws you curveballs when you least expect it to.

Dad and I are very close, best friends, actually.  I was okay till I actually hugged him, then I cried.  I’m still scared for him.  I’ve seen too many loved ones pass away.  It’s sad.  But his spirits are good, he is going to fight it, and that’s wonderful to hear.  So if there’s anyone out there reading this, please send up some prayers for him.  He is the most wonderful father, a good man, and I can’t lose him.

I just can’t.

So.  Onward.

In other news, the weather here is most surprising.  We’ve gone from snow (yes, you read that right) to near-perfect spring weather in less than a week.  Very strange.  Know that I’m keeping my eye on it.  I’m starting to worry about global warming and all that.  Coincidentally, in the fictional world of Requiem in Blue, earth has become almost completely immersed in water…due to global warming.  Go figure.

I’m completely and utterly jazzed about Ghost.  I sat down at work during a lull intending to make a few notes so I wouldn’t forget anything.  What I ended up with was a rough, very interesting, very twisted outline.  Lord knows it will mutate, even as I write the draft, but the bare bones are there and rattling, trying to get my attention.  It is going to be amazing.  And twisted.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Edited most of Pirouette part 5.  Took me almost all afternoon.  Most of it, unfortunately, it about to meet the chopping block.  One subplot in particular hurts to let go, but it’s just too involved for the Rewrite (of Doom).  There’s no way I can work it in.  It will however be saved for another book altogether or another book in the series.

I also caught a few issues that I’d forgotten…..plot threads and twists that I, in the course of frantic writing and then taking a breather in December, must pick back up and plug in.  And complete.  I really am proud of myself.  I had some good ideas.  😉  Just gotta prune them and make them work.

I’m waiting anxiously for my materials to arrive for my book indexing venture.  I’m taking a correspondence course that will teach me how to make those handy-dandy things at the back of most reference books.  Apparently it is a freelance market, which I didn’t know.  And with my Journalism degree, and love of books and knowledge, I think I would enjoy it.  So more news on that as we go.

Lastly, I just wanted to say that I feel so lucky to be a writer.  It’s times like these that it truly carries me, helps me cope.  I’ve been jazzed just about all day about Ghost and the Rewrite (of Doom).  Imagine that.  It’s awesome to escape into your own little world, for just a short time.    Sometimes I complain about having so many ideas hitting me all at once, but in reality, I love it.  I love every part of this life.  I love that I will get to do this for the rest of my life –whether or not I go pro.  And you’d better believe it, I will be writing until the last breath leaves my body and my hands are still.  Only then will I stop.

But my words will live forever.

Life is truly an interesting thing.  I was depressed when I started, but now I’m uplifted.  Is it the talk of writing and my projects?  Is it that my Dad will most likely come out of this ok?  Or is it just the fact that I’m alive, that spring is on its way?  I’m not sure.  But maybe I should keep my eyes open just  a little longer.

Survivor’s sequel has a name. Here we go….

Survivor‘s sequel came to me with a singular clarity last night.  The insidious plot of the protagonist is frightening and twisted….and absolutely perfect.  The nice thing is that I can tie in the recovery of Survivor’s protagonist, Amber, which will be a natural continuation of Survivor.  So, without further adieu, I give you the title:

 Ghost.

I wanted a one-word intriguing hook of a title for this.  It’s going to seriously rock.  Only issue is, when?  I imagine probably not till 2008 at the earliest.  I’ll have to put it on the back burner.  Survivor really needs to get done first, preferably first-edit passed.

If the muse will let me, that is.

‘Tis good.  I keep trying to remind myself that getting ideas all the time is not a bad thing….right?

On the darkroom front, it’s coming along nicely.  I anticipate a few more weeks and we will be open for business. 

I might take another stab at Survivor tonight, while the juices are flowing.

Why, for all that is good and Holy, why?

The Muse demands a sequel to Survivor.  Never mind that I have this gi-normous project that needs to be done by the end of the year, never mind that I haven’t touched Survivor  in a really long time, never mind that the first damn draft isn’t even finished yet.  And, the kicker: I must change my plans for one of the characters.  Something was supposed to happen to her at the end, but now….it’s not.

Crap.