About 300 words today, mostly reading over the last 15 pages or so and getting back into the groove. The total stands at almost 43,000. I plan to go back on my 1,000 words a day until finito starting tomorrow. See you guys on the way to the finish line.

G

Words since last update: 1012
Total words: 43,291

Sharyn read the three chapters and synopsis. She thought they had rough spots, but were promising, and wants to see the rest. There *is* no rest! I'm not sure if I go ahead and tell her that, and tell her I'll need a few months to draft the rest, or if I go ahead and race and just draft it now. I mean, I have no day job at the moment. My dissertation is in the hands of my committee, and I probably shouldn't do much on it until they get back to me. So there's no good reason I can't just sit down and write ten hours a day (which I did while writing Classics) ...which means that in theory, I could finish a draft in two weeks, if I don't get stuck. Eep. Eep eep eep.

Well, there are certainly worse positions to be in. My first instinct is to confess the truth, but that's just me. On the other hand, I couldn't finish a complete draft in two weeks.

Well, it's all plotted, so in some sense the hardest work is done -- it's just a matter of getting it down on the page. I write about a thousand words an hour, when I've plotted in advance. So with 10K done and about 50K to do, we're only talking fifty hours, so it's actually more like five hours of writing a day for ten days. But that assumes a) that I don't get exhausted, b) that I don't get stuck, c) that I don't encounter some horrible problems with the book, or get tangled up in intricacies, or whatever. None of which is predictable, really.

I think I'm inclined to just tell her that the rest is still in very rough shape (does an outline count as very rough?) but that I should be able to give her a readable draft within a month, and sooner if possible. Does that sound reasonable?

I'm trying not to actually get excited about her interest, btw, because an agent warned me that while Sharyn gets interested in many books, she buys fairly few of those. But at the least, it's encouraging to know that she didn't think it was horrible. And if I go ahead with this plan, it'll give me plenty of incentive to keep my butt in the chair and write write write for a few weeks. Which can only be good, right?

Today and yesterday's words: 1989
Total words: 45,280

I think Sharyn's pretty cool and would be understanding whichever way you go.

Edited by author 06-20-2003 10:09 AM
Thanks for the advice, guys. I went ahead and told her pretty much what was up, and that I'd try to get her a draft within a month. So I'm upping my goal here to 3000 words a day. We'll see if I can keep it up.

I do love (hate) deadlines.

Yesterday's words: 1066
Total words: 14105

Forgot to post yesterday. Obviously didn't make 3K mark, but at least got something accomplished. Hopefully today better.

Today's words: 2476
Total words: 16,719

I'm off to go read the new Harry Potter book, so it may be a bit before I write anymore. But it's research, is what I say. Hey, somebody else post something. I feel like I'm taking over Greg's board...

Good going, Mary Anne. I forgot to post yesterday too, but will update later. I plan (wishin' and hopin') to finish the dam... I mean, lovely book while Christopher's off SycHill-ing it this week. If it will just cooperate.

Just now I am on the way to an Imax to watch dinosaurs with my dam.. I mean, lovely nephews.

G

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Imax exhausting. Something like 600 words above my last word count. I think the book is going a few thou past 50. Everything else still stands. I plan to finish before Friday.

Today's Words: 1076
Total Words: 20,140

Whoo! I hate going in fits and starts, but it's something. After the next thousand words, I'll be out of this part that's hard to write, and into stuff I'm more sure about. I hope.

You guys are rockin' inspiration, though! Keep up the good work!

Still making notes and contemplating the rewrite.

Words for the last three days: 2,325
Total words: 47,605

This book will end. This book will end soon. This book will end soon, whether it wants to or not. That is all.

Edited by author 06-23-2003 01:09 PM
Nothing yesterday; dinner guests and housecleaning.

Today's words: 1689
Total words: 18,499

Almost to the end of chapter 5 -- just have to write a fight scene.

Toda's words: 1564
Total words: 49,169

And the kitchen floor has been mopped. A pretty fucking productive day, I'd say.