Writer of Fantasy. Wielder of Red Pens.
Writing for fun has been sadly postponed for the short term. I’ve missed my writing prompt last week – a true tragedy, as I work with so many engineers and have a plethora of stories to share – and am not convinced I’ll get to this week’s either.
Why, you might ask?
Because when I pause thesis work and look over the edge of my computer, I see this.
Taking a break? Temporarily distracted by plotting Peter and June’s next adventure? Thesis cat says no.
And with that, back to work.
Took some time to run away this weekend, including visiting a distillery on the anniversary of prohibition’s start. I didn’t know the irony until afterward, but love it all the same.
But I promise, I’m not slacking. This weekend I’ve managed to get a lot done. Two short stories posted here for Odd Prompts to start.
June and Peter’s story now has some notes on improving Peter’s character. Poor lad needs more depth, desperately, and I’ve deprived him. Also a few plot holes to shore up, and solidified some thoughts that will make several scenes stronger, adding detail and building tension.
I really need to figure out a title for that one, but instead I outlined the next book. I’m a plotter, it seems, but I’ll change half of it as I go and get better ideas. Silly characters, insisting upon their own ways.
A trilogy’s outlined for a story that’s been floating around the back of my head. It’s rough, but enough I can get pressing on short notice when I have time.
A series I’m exploring for short stories on mismatched holidays and colors burst into my head for one of the holidays I’ve been struggling with. I’m too American for the 4th of July to be anything other than red, white, and blue, but the point is incongruity.
And then there’s the thesis annotated bibliography, which is…lingering, but coming together. More work starting tomorrow, as I’ve a few days yet.
Lauren and William will just have to hang on in Ironhaven, I suppose. I’m happy with this amount of work.
Very excited to have June and Peter’s story hit 68K yesterday. I was originally aiming for 90K, but think it might fit better at about 80K.
I’m an underwriter, so the first draft lacks sufficient description. Especially sensory and emotional description, from a quick analysis. All the things DayJob requires me to eliminate, of course.
But then I realized I had notes from early outlining stages at the end of the document. Over three thousands words of notes.
I couldn’t have gotten this far without those notes. I’m grateful I had them. But I wish I’d eliminated them earlier, because going backward is depressing.
A good reason to take a break and get some plot problems analyzed. Made it easy to get started today, and I’m back up above 68k again. Yay!
Edit: I’m calling it, because I’ve reached a point where adding to the story without setting it aside for a while will hurt it more than help. The story itself has been told; it’s just not shiny yet.
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