I haven’t been writing here, because I’ve been writing there. Well, I’ve also been corralling Frick and Frack hither and yon, since they have Spring Break this week. I must be the least inventive mother on record when it comes to entertaining the young of the species. But I end the day with as many kids as I started, which I consider a victory.
Having the kids on break means I don’t have the regular hours to write. I am nearing the end of the rewrite, and I feel the pull of gravity, propelling me to finish this thing. I already know that when I am done with this draft I will have to go through it again, emphasize on some character things, possibly condense or expand other elements. But I want to finish this whole, complete draft, and I find it’s actually not hard to make the time at the moment. Last night I took the iBook up to my room and wrote from 9 to 10:30.
I went out tonight. I wasted some time IM’ing with Tamar, but then at 8pm I said, “I must write! Talk to you later!” And I opened a new file to write. I have to get my main character to a confrontation with the suspected perpetrator. It’s a totally new scene, and I need a bridge scene to get to it. A simple scene, I decided. Fairly straightforward.
It’s 9:30. I’ve done 1800 words since 8pm. I’m not entirely sure they’re for the same novel I’ve been working on. The scene is weird and moody and spooky, definitely good qualities but a tone shift. And what a surprise: It’s not a simple bridge scene. My main character gets humiliated and then fails in her quest anyhow. It’s okay, I’ll make everything better next time (I sort of have to, because otherwise the book would end here).
Anyhow, that’s where my head’s been. I kind of wish I were just done with this damn thing already — I read Rachel Caine’s blog and she regularly does 5000 to 7000 words a day, it seems, and apparently when she’s done she has a finished book. I’m really hoping that’s a learnable skill. I think I’m getting actually completing a novel down. Now the next step is in a timely fashion.
And if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to writing.