Hooyah! I'm done with the first draft of my novel!
It was such an amazing feeling of satisfaction when I wrapped up the first draft of my first completed novel a few days ago. I know it still needs a LOT of revision, but I'm really excited to move to that phase. I've been letting the book 'cool' and will start my edits tomorrow.
Editing Plans:
As my blog readers know (hello family!), I've already made some fairly detailed editing plans. After re-reading and making notes from Donald Maass' Writing the Breakout Novel, I've decided my first editing pass will focus on my male protagonist, Canice aka Connie: his characterization, motivations, and conflicts. Then I'll do the same thing for my female protagonist, Yarrow aka Herb.
Maybe a successful book can have two primary characters? When I think about Karin Slaughter's novels about Dr. Sara Linton and her sheriff husband Jeffrey Tolliver, I realize they both seem to have equal 'playing time,' and they both change significantly over the course of the several-book series. Ditto Meg Gardiner's series about freelance writer Evan Delaney and her paraplegic attorney boyfriend Jesse.
Stay tuned for more as I wade through the editing process!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The end is in sight!
I decided the last draft of my novel needed work. The plot went this way, then it made a 180 and headed the other way. Then it zigged off skyward, and then it came back around to dive-bomb southward.
So I started all over again. I’m now around the 95% point. Writing this novel has been a long journey, often very frustrating.
Editing Plans:
It will be important to review the entire manuscript for what I'll call 'plot logic' and 'plot timeline' and 'research holes.' For example, if my timeline starts on a Monday with granny's disappearance, how long can she be trapped underground before she dies from thirst or starvation? How cold is it underground?
One of the most important parts of my review will be the characters . Are they interesting? Likable? Are they authentic? (i.e. flawed, just like all of us).
What are my odds of getting published?
I read an article from some agent saying that yes, there is a bias against older writers getting published for the first time.
Well, drat. I’m gonna finish my novel and try to get an agent anyway. I only have this one life. Writing/publishing a book has been my dream for a very long time.
Stay tuned as I write more about ..uh..writing.
So I started all over again. I’m now around the 95% point. Writing this novel has been a long journey, often very frustrating.
Editing Plans:
It will be important to review the entire manuscript for what I'll call 'plot logic' and 'plot timeline' and 'research holes.' For example, if my timeline starts on a Monday with granny's disappearance, how long can she be trapped underground before she dies from thirst or starvation? How cold is it underground?
One of the most important parts of my review will be the characters . Are they interesting? Likable? Are they authentic? (i.e. flawed, just like all of us).
What are my odds of getting published?
I read an article from some agent saying that yes, there is a bias against older writers getting published for the first time.
Well, drat. I’m gonna finish my novel and try to get an agent anyway. I only have this one life. Writing/publishing a book has been my dream for a very long time.
Stay tuned as I write more about ..uh..writing.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The road to publication has pot-holes.
A dream of mine since childhood has been writing and getting published. I have no idea why I want to do this. I saw a quote on Google’s home page that says “I can't understand why a person will take a year to write a novel when he can easily buy one for a few dollars" (Fred Allen). Very funny. Hoo hah! I'm falling off my chair.
To date, this is my writing resume’:
· A poem (published in the now-defunct teenage magazine Ingenue at age 16)
· A reader-feature (published in Playgirl (blush) at age 56 or so). I SWEAR I am not/was not a regular connoisseur of Playgirl. I only read the articles. Well actually I read in Writer’s Market that adult magazines pay pretty well. I believed that until I got a contract for my feature for $50.00. I guess you had to write a longer article.
· A novel (uh oh…not done/not published).
At this rate I’ll be uh, quite OLD when my novel hits the shelves. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to rack in the royalties (yes I know I’m being wildly optimistic on the odds of getting a book published at all).
Time to get to work!
To date, this is my writing resume’:
· A poem (published in the now-defunct teenage magazine Ingenue at age 16)
· A reader-feature (published in Playgirl (blush) at age 56 or so). I SWEAR I am not/was not a regular connoisseur of Playgirl. I only read the articles. Well actually I read in Writer’s Market that adult magazines pay pretty well. I believed that until I got a contract for my feature for $50.00. I guess you had to write a longer article.
· A novel (uh oh…not done/not published).
At this rate I’ll be uh, quite OLD when my novel hits the shelves. That doesn’t leave a lot of time to rack in the royalties (yes I know I’m being wildly optimistic on the odds of getting a book published at all).
Time to get to work!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Weird Aggie
Here's a weird thing about Aggie, my cat. She loves, loves, loves to go to the bathroom. I mean that literally. She'll accompany me and anyone else who innocently lets her in the water closet with them.
Aggie's bathroom habit:
So the human sits down on the throne. Hope you're following me here. That's when Aggie jumps up behind said human (yes, you read that right) and then hops up onto the sink. Where she sits and waits for said human to turn on the faucet. For her to take a drink. It's a long wait for anyone but me of course. Whodathunkit?
Cool water please. Then she bends her head around and starts to sip daintily from behind the stream of water.
Why doesn’t she just sip from the front? It would be easier. I decide she wants to keep an eye on what’s happening. Like the stories you read about the Mafia always sitting in restaurants with their backs to the wall and facing the door? That’s Aggie. She doesn’t want to miss a thing.
When the human she's followed into the bathroom is me, I wait until she’s done getting her drink before I wash my hands. Wouldn’t want the princess to drink warm or soapy water.
Aggie's bathroom habit:
So the human sits down on the throne. Hope you're following me here. That's when Aggie jumps up behind said human (yes, you read that right) and then hops up onto the sink. Where she sits and waits for said human to turn on the faucet. For her to take a drink. It's a long wait for anyone but me of course. Whodathunkit?
Cool water please. Then she bends her head around and starts to sip daintily from behind the stream of water.
Why doesn’t she just sip from the front? It would be easier. I decide she wants to keep an eye on what’s happening. Like the stories you read about the Mafia always sitting in restaurants with their backs to the wall and facing the door? That’s Aggie. She doesn’t want to miss a thing.
When the human she's followed into the bathroom is me, I wait until she’s done getting her drink before I wash my hands. Wouldn’t want the princess to drink warm or soapy water.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Retirement is hard getting used to!
I’m retired. Now what?
It was a lot easier thinking about how I’d spend my retirement before I actually did the deed. I actually had a long list of fun things I’d do. Now that retirement is here, I find myself reviewing the list and mentally adding up the costs of taking pottery and art and yoga classes, cruising the Mediterranean, camping in the Grand Canyon, traveling all over the US, etc. Maybe I'll delay that stuff a bit. In today’s economy, retirement can be scary.
New Morning Routine
I sleep later than I used to and get awakened by Aggie, my cat. Generally she tries to rouse me around 6 a.m. by sniffing my nostrils. I’m not making this up. After a few sniffs, she presses her cold wet nose to mine. I thought it was cute at first but lately I’ve been gently nudging her away. She comes back. Sometimes she licks my nose. Lately she's been licking my face.
After I convince her I’ve survived the night, she leaves me alone for about an hour and then repeats her routine. I give up and get up. She’s happy.
A friend who retired several years ago told me that I’d start to lose track of what day of the week it was (check), and the date (check). She predicted that trips to the grocery store would be my new high-points. Oh gawd. I need to get focused.
It was a lot easier thinking about how I’d spend my retirement before I actually did the deed. I actually had a long list of fun things I’d do. Now that retirement is here, I find myself reviewing the list and mentally adding up the costs of taking pottery and art and yoga classes, cruising the Mediterranean, camping in the Grand Canyon, traveling all over the US, etc. Maybe I'll delay that stuff a bit. In today’s economy, retirement can be scary.
New Morning Routine
I sleep later than I used to and get awakened by Aggie, my cat. Generally she tries to rouse me around 6 a.m. by sniffing my nostrils. I’m not making this up. After a few sniffs, she presses her cold wet nose to mine. I thought it was cute at first but lately I’ve been gently nudging her away. She comes back. Sometimes she licks my nose. Lately she's been licking my face.
After I convince her I’ve survived the night, she leaves me alone for about an hour and then repeats her routine. I give up and get up. She’s happy.
A friend who retired several years ago told me that I’d start to lose track of what day of the week it was (check), and the date (check). She predicted that trips to the grocery store would be my new high-points. Oh gawd. I need to get focused.
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