Today I have about 5 contiguous hours to write. I intend to make the most of it (I'm hoping about 6k words, or so!).
That is all! No more news, just writing!
A Good, Exhausting Week
On Tuesday, I sat down and crunched some numbers.
The basic numbers I crunched are these: I write about 5,000 words in a given day. However, I only write twice a week (Tuesdays and Sundays, if anyone is keeping score). This amounts to approximately 10,000 words a week.
Realistically, this is closer to 9,000, but let's go with 10,000 to make the math easy.
A first draft of one of my novels is usually around 100k words before the first series of cuts (which usually brings it down to around 70-80k). 100k words for the novel, 10k words a week... 10 weeks to write a novel at this pace. Usually, that's all fine and well.
However.
The reason I only write Tuesdays and Sundays is because of my pays-the-bills job, and Tuesdays and Sundays are the only days I get off. As we head into November, I'm going to be losing one of those two days. As we head into December, I will lose both and be working a solid 7 days a week until Christmas.
That means... no writing days. Less in November, and probably none in December... and that's not a good thing.
So on the one hand: yay for money to pay for editing, cover art, and food. Yay!
On the gripping hand: I have to write faster. I think if I can manage 15,000 words a week, I should be able to finish the new Tintian before November, which means I can send it off for editing during the time I have no time.
Plans! Woo. It's a start, at least.
Reading Some Steampunk YA
Technically speaking, I am neither a YA author, nor a Steampunk author. I mean, the genres both interest me in a "ooh, that's cool" sorta way, but I'm reading this series ("The Leviathan Series" by Scott Westerfeld) on the recommendation of an artist friend.
They're fun! Not super deep, but good action, some really interesting fusion of bio-tech and steampunk ("Darwinists" vs "Clankers" in the parlance of the book). It's a neat spin on an alternate-world WWI, and the lead characters are both interesting and fun.
They were certainly good enough to push me through reading the first two in a couple days... I'm languishing a little on the last one just because I hate saying goodbye to cool characters, and this is the last book they're in (for now, at least).
Anyway! Thoroughly enjoyable read, and I'm looking forward to incorporating some of the better aspects into my own work.
I'm also past the 9,000 word mark on my first draft of the new Tintian book (again? I think I was up past 10,000 a little while ago, before cutting an entire chapter). Slow, but happy progress.
Found an Editor!
Not much else to say today. Found an editor out of PEI, who has started work.
I'll keep everyone posted about progress, but this should be a very positive step!
Finding an Editor!
So I've gotten a couple freelance editors to do a sample chapter substantive review of "Starconvoy EH-76". A couple look really, really good, and a few less so (not "bad", necessarily, but not quite my style). Still, one in particular looks almost exactly like what I want... so I'm just waiting for the last one to get back to me to see if she's even better, and then I'll pick.
On the one hand, it's a lot of money (I think I've mentioned before? The cheapest was around $750, the most expensive just shy of $3,000). On the other hand, it'll be nice to have it done, and then dive back into the work with a fresh perspective and some expert commentary to help tighten up the story.
And then... off to publishers and agents. Hopefully before mid-November, otherwise it has to wait until January (nobody sends out work in December if you can at all help it... editors and agents are just too busy).
Progress!
Looking for an Editor
So it's time to send out "Starconvoy EH-76" to an editor for a good substantive edit.
The story is done, but as any good writer will tell you that's really only a fraction of what needs to happen to turn a good story into a great book. Substantive editing is tough work, and while I've done a few passes on the story (obviously) to clean it up a bit and tighten it as much as I can... it's time to get better, wiser eyeballs onto it and see what we can do.
Editors are expensive (I mean, in an absolute sense... relative to what a good editor can do for your work, they're cheap as heck!), but I've saved up enough that I should be able to afford it without too much of a hit in my lifestyle for a few weeks.
Anyway! I've sent out some polite inquiries to some Canadian editors, and we'll see what happens! With any luck, by the end of September to mid-October, they should have their feedback back and I should be ready to polish this one off to agents and publishers!
Glee!
Almost September!
Yeesh, this summer is just blitzing by.
Oh well! Writing is going well. Finished the first 3 chapters on the new novel, and am actively searching for an editor for the last one. So that's something. I have enough money in the bank to pay for a cover artist if this one isn't picked up by an agent/publisher, and all things considered, I'm moving slowly but moving.
So, that's something, at least!
Rewatched "The Force Awakens" last night. Good sci-fi is still so rewarding... I'm excited for "The Last Jedi", of course, but am doing my best to avoid any of the previews or spoilers. I just want to go in as blind as I can and hope for the best!
Anyway, back to the book!
A Day for Gaming...
So I have a day off from my job that pays for my writing (a tragic, yet necessary, aspect of modern writing for many). Usually, that would mean a day to write... but today, I'm packing up a few games and heading into Toronto.
On the one hand, I feel weird about this... I have time off, I should be writing!
On the other hand, I deserve some time off occasionally... right? Hmmm. I wonder.
ANYway! Finished my first chapter of the new novel (well, finished the first draft), hoping to get the 2nd chapter mostly finished tonight on my return... see, even when I'm not writing, I'm thinking about writing.
Messy Desk, Clean Mind
I'm not actually sure what a "clean mind" is... but I definitely have a messy desk, so anything positive about my mind I will take!
... unless it means "empty mind", which is okay in the Zen-sense, but less okay in the "gotta write stuff" sense. Ah well! I'm still taking it as a compliment.
Finishing up Chapter 1 of the new book today! Like pulling teeth, but it's getting done!
Ghost in the Shell - Live Action
So I just finished watching the live action remake of Ghost in the Shell.
Except, it's not really a "remake". It's very much a different creature that explores different issues entirely from the original. And I *loved* the original.
How do I feel about the new film? Conflicted. I think I would've been much, much happier if they had just done the original film as a live-action movie instead of what they did do (which was to create something new basically from the ground-up).
But that's not to say it was bad. It was different, and I wouldn't hesitate to say it certainly wasn't better than the original, but since they didn't and this is what we have, I'm not dissatisfied, really.
I loved a lot of what they did do (Battou in particular was fantastic), including a lot of the actor choices they made (the Old Man was spot on in every way), and while I really, really wish they'd have picked a Japanese actress for the Major, Scarlet Jo did a pretty damn good job.
Other than that? I'm going to sit with the movie for awhile, examine it in my mind and my memories.
August-Us!
Sad thing? That's not even the worst pun I've uttered this *week*.
Anyway! It is August, for all of us, and life pushes forward with its unrelenting energy. I stuck my head in at my Patreon page to thank all my supporters (you support me on Patreon, right? 'Cause if you do, you are officially the best... if you don't, that's okay, but it does keep you from being officially the best), and now I'm pondering what to put over here that's new and different.
Basically, I'm thinking a little about restructuring the reward tiers in my Patreon. I worry, first, that it's been very hard to fulfill some of the higher tiers on a consistent basis... I really like giving patrons access to my short stories before everyone else, but as I move towards doing more novels that's going to become more and more difficult (especially heading into the Christmas season!). Nothing definitive yet, but definitely wheels turning.
I'm also thinking about pre-scheduling a few posts a week, just to keep content on the website coming out at a steady pace. I'd really like to manage more than once a week, but since I only have a few days "off" (I mean, days that I'm not focusing every spare moment on writing instead of the *job* of writing), that can be tricky.
Anyway! That's it for now... more as developments develop! Hope everyone is having an amazing summer!
Busy Weekends = Good Weekends!
So it was a busy weekend... sadly, not from a writing perspective (I got absolutely nothing done!), but otherwise it was quite lovely. Got to see lots of good friends, played some enjoyable games, consumed some enjoyable media, and didn't sleep anywhere near enough.
Truly, a blessing on all counts.
I have tomorrow off from my "pays the editing bills" job, and I do plan on getting a lot of writing done then, as well as maybe dabbling a bit in some of the new Mass Effect game (I have low, low expectations, but we will see if it meets those!). Maybe seeing a movie tomorrow night, if the fancy strikes me!
But also getting at least the first chapter done. I've spent too long on it for it not to be done yet!
Chapter 1s are always Really Hard!
I've been considering why the first chapter of a book is always so hard to write. Usually, I don't bother: I mean, I bother, but I do so by writing 2 chapters that I immediately cut afterwards, starting the story well after the point I start writing.
This is an effective workaround (although it is *super* frustrating to cut those 2 chapters consistently), but it doesn't get to the crux of why writing that first chapter is so hard.
And basically, it's because that first chapter must sell the entire book on its own.
In fact, that first *paragraph* kinda has to do that.
In fact in fact, the first *sentence* more or less has to do that. And writing that first sentence? That's basically impossible.
Well, obviously it's not impossible. But it is really hard, and somewhat discouraging.
Thankfully... I'm done! I have written the first chapter of my new book, and I like it.
Now all that remains to be seen is if, in 2 more chapters... I end up cutting this one completely.
Ah, writing. ^_^
New Story went Up!
Of course, you already know that (because you frequently check the "Short Stories" section of this blog, right?).
Now we reach something of a crossroads. See, the problem is that I am running out of backlogged short fiction. Lots of longer work, but short stuff? I haven't written a good short story since my submission to the Toronto Star back in February. And I'm concerned about posting chapters or excerpts from my longer work, since some publishers want only completely unpublished work (and they have every right to request it!).
Oh well!I'll figure something out. I have the entire month of July to do so!
Until then, I hope you enjoy(ed) "Articles of War". It's not great, I'm not 100% on the ending, but I did enjoy writing that one and I'm pretty proud of the end result!
New Story Going Live Soon!
Just so everyone knows, I'll be posting another free short story soon.
If you were a Patron of mine on Patreon, you'd have already read it of course... but patience is its own reward, I guess?
Anyway, I'll let everyone read it soon! Hope you enjoy it!
Biking to Work!
I've just started (technically, re-started, more on that in a moment) biking to work every day. I enjoy it, and hopefully it will help get me in better shape.
I used to bike to work over a decade ago, in a different city at a different job, and I enjoyed that a lot. Also gives me time to listen to my podcasts again, and that'll be nice. Plus, I sorta suspect that the heavier I am, the more difficulty I have writing... healthy mind in a healthy body and all that.
Anyway! I still have a short story to put up on this site, and since my plans after work for today and tomorrow fell through, I should have time to do that!
How is it Halfway through June Already!?
Blargh!
Okay, okay, it's not all bad. Started writing the next Tintian, that's nice. This one will be loosely based on "The Shooting Star", and I'm already pretty excited about it!
And I have a short story written for my lovely Patreon supporters, which is excellent news... just gotta put in the work to get that on this here fancy website!
And tomorrow is Father's Day in Canada (or is that Fathers Day? Could work either way, really... might be Fathers' Day, even!), which means spending a bit of time with ye olde family, which will be nice!
But holy snakes, does time every slip away...
Tough Being A Creative...
Yeah, yeah, I know. Cry me a river, you bleeding-heart-liberal-snowflake-whatever. Being an artist is tough.
It is, though. I mean, many things are difficult. I imagine being a head-in-the-sand conservative is very difficult for some people. But being an artist is my thing, and at times it's very tough.
For example: last week I had the... pleasure?... of meeting a fellow writer. A very successful writer, by all accounts. This gentleman is full-time, has published 17 books (and is working on number 18), and, sadly, is not a very nice human being.
I mean, in the grand scheme of things, I didn't witness him kick any puppies. But he had that loud, brash, forward-facing arrogance about everything that just oozed "I'm so good at this writing thing, and you never, ever will be."
Me: "Hey, do you know any good editors? Mine, unfortunately, is too busy these days."
Him: "Oh, sure! My editor (name drops famous editor) is great, but is booked solid for the next 8 months and costs $12,000 per book."
Me: "... huh. I guess a 'no' wouldn't have worked?" (Out loud, I said "Oh, that's too bad" because I'm not a jerk)
And it just kinda sucks. You want to believe that people who succeed are nice, ya know? That they work hard, and therefore understand how hard it is to do what it is we do... but then you meet somebody like this guy, who's an arrogant jerk-face, and you think "Right. These are the kinds of jerks that make money, not the nice ones."
Oh well. Nothing I can do about him except try to become successful so that there are a few more not-jerks in the general writer-population, I suppose.
Hope your week was great!
Sunday = Writing Day
Sundays are rapidly becoming my favourite days to write. Mostly, because they're completely free (aside from chores, of course), but also because there doesn't seem to be much expectation that I do anything besides write!
So today I'm going to go downstairs to my study, pull out some source material, and do some research followed by cranking out 5,000 words.
So it is written, so it shall be done. Hope all of you are having great weekends too!
Back to Tintian?
You know, I think I'm going to get started on the next Tintian.
The long and short of it is that I'm not great at short stories, and I really don't enjoy writing them. I've done a bunch, some are pretty good (if I do say so myself), but I think it's time to go back to what I really enjoy.
And I think Tintian Book 2 might be a good place to get back into it. Thankfully, I have all day off tomorrow, so plenty of time to research, outline, and start getting down to brass tacks!
Anyway, more as the story develops!