Sunday, November 27, 2005

The home stretch

      Yesterday was a better day for words. I wrote 3,000 on Darkness, Oklahoma. I'm about to get started today. I need at least 2,000. I'd like to get 3,000 if possible. NaNoWiMo ends Wednesday at midnight. I'm taking it right down to the wire.
      Nancy asked what are my plans for the novel when it's finished. Well, first thing is that I'm going to print it out and see exactly what I have. There will be plenty of corrections, I'm sure, and plenty of changes. I already know it will need another 20,000 to 25,000 words to be published. I want to add more descriptions, more character interaction and more humor. Right now, it's a bit grim. It's not a comedy, but many of these characters are intelligent and funny. I need to bring it out. I also know that some of the narratives -- I'm using a lot of viewpoints -- need to be united. A couple of them might even be eliminated, their information better served in another character's narrative.
      Anyway, that's my January project. I intend to continue writing a 1,000 words a day through December and January. Naturally there will be days off in there, and I'm not going to sweat it like I did NaNoWriMo, but I'd like for the first draft to be finished by the end of January. After that, I'll be asking some of you to read through it and give me your opinions and suggestions. From there, I'll revise and revise and revise. Somewhere in that, it will finally reach the limits of my writing skill. Then I'll start submitting it to agents and publishers.
      What are my writing plans after that? I want to go back and finish Dragons Gather. I have a lot of time and words invested in that story. It needs to be completed so that I can finally see what exactly I have there. I also plan on self-publishing a book of my humor pieces. I have over 200 humorous stories, some published in various newspapers and magazines, and of course, the ones here and in my monthly newsletter. I think I'd like to put them all in a collected form. I also want to revise Murder by Dewey Decimal and Murder by the Acre and turn the outline of Murder by the Mile into a book.
      Anyway, that's some of my plans for 2006 writing projects. Oh, and in there, I plan on doing NaNoWriMo 2006. I'm hoping I can convince some more of you to join me in that madness. Speaking of which, I need to stop stalling and start writing.
      Talk to ya later.

27 comments:

CrystalDiggory said...

3,000 words! Yay! The end is in sight! (Hmm..that last statement could be taken so many ways. I meant it in the best possible, supportive way.) :P

It sounds like a great plan for 2006, especially your idea for the humor pieces. I will want to buy a copy of that book, for sure. An autographed copy, of course.

Although, when Slim mentioned a reward for winning NaNoWriMo, I don't think more work was what he had in mind. :) Since you're having trouble figuring out a reward for yourself, I think it's up to your blogging buddies to figure it out for you. Here's my contribution. Start your day off with this:

A Day at the Beach

Ingredients:

1 oz Coconut Rum (Malibu)
1/2 oz Amaretto
4 oz Unsweetened Orange Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
Shake rum, amaretto, and orange juice with ice. Pour into a highball glass over ice. Top with grenadine. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a strawberry.



(And, wow, I'm the first to comment again!)

Michelle said...

Yeah! Congrats Tech. Very adventurous for 2006, but you seem a man determined.

A reward...hmmm...so many things come to mind but then I have to question as to who's reward it would be? Ahem..

The drink sounds yummy, I would add to not enjoy it alone. :)

Jaime said...

Murder by Dewey Decimal, Murder by the Acre and Murder by the Mile sound like my kind of series! I'm a sucker for that sort of titling.

Curious Servant said...

I'm blog skipping, going from one blog to another via the blogs they are linked to and I had fun reading through yours.

I am surprised at how erudite the blogosphere has become. A few years ago, when I was checking out chat rooms, I thought the anonymous nature of the internet was creating place full of rude and self-centered people.

But with blogs the trend seems to be in the opposite direction. For example, the number of links you have to worthy causes is amazing. It gives me renewed hope.

At any rate, I thought I'd stop and say "thank you" before I moved on.

Take care.

SBB said...

Yeah, Crystal, I'm so close. I got 2,000 words today. Just 5,000 more to go!

Of course, you'll get an autographed copy. How much do you think I should charge for the autograph? :)

SBB said...

Hey, Michelle, I'm curious about what rewards you were thinking of! Please share. And send photos! :)

SBB said...

Jaime, I have a bunch of titles like those, which were part of a mystery series that I planned. So far, no publisher had taken them. I have a clear idea on how to revise them so I'm hopeful.

SBB said...

Thanks, Frenzied! And share those reward ideas. I'm good at keeping my nose to the grindstone, not so good on that rewarding business.

SBB said...

Thank you, Curious Servant. Your visit gave me a nice boost to my spirits. Drop by again!

SBB said...

Amber, I'm always glad to see you. If I could just get the other Defenders to read this blog, I'd drop clues in here. I might do that anyway and let you enjoy them all to yourself!

SBB said...

Congratulations, Joel. I hope to join you at the finish line soon!

SBB said...

Oh, you'd share, Amber. You're not a hoarder, but you could dole them out slowly and make them beg! :)

Gloria Williams said...

Wow. You're close to winning NaNoWriMo! Just three more days of writing, and you can take a break and enjoy a reward!

Just keep writing, Tech. You can do it!

SBB said...

Thanks for the encouragement, Gloria. I can't believe I'm so close. This has been harder than I thought it would be, but it has been good to stretch my writing muscles.

Linda said...

Go, Tech. You're so close. I like your plans for after NaNo. :)

Linda

SBB said...

Thanks, Linda! I'm proud of myself for sticking to it. It's been harder than I expected, both the writing itself and getting family and friends to understand how important it is to me to finish.

Slim said...

Tech, you're almost there! I bet you can see the finish line. I hope you figure out a good reward. You deserve it.

Hey, I want to be one of those first readers, too!

SBB said...

Thanks, Slym. And yes, I'll ask you to be a reader! I'm making a list. :)

Michelle said...

Me too! Puhleese?

Anonymous said...

Oh come on, We do read this blog but just don't respond. I like lurking in the background, listening and watching. But don't let that stop you from posting clues. We need all the help we can get. Ok, I need all the help.
I am in awe of your writing and concentration. I am waiting to read the results. Yes I am lurking again to swipe the results and run and hide and read them all! Have a great day!
Roen

SBB said...

Definitely, Michelle. You're on the list!

SBB said...

Yes, but responding makes me happy, Roen! And a happy me is a more giving me -- particularly in regards to clues! :)

Glad to see ya!

SBB said...

Susan, I was thinking about you guys this weekend and how sad it was that I don't see you much any more. Y'all need to move back to Oklahoma, ya hear!

Anonymous said...

Guy, you're doing great! I'm looking forward to reading this masterpiece! :)

SBB said...

Thanks, Patriot.

SBB said...

Thanks for the support, Randall. Hey, that "round" is pretty cool. It's impressed everyone I've shown it to.

Anonymous said...

Aw, fergit all them dang discriptions and all that characterizin'.

You done gone and went and wrote a book already!