After four posts yesterday, and for some reason thinking it was actually Tuesday, I ended up not posting my progress for the week.
I managed three writing sessions this week which is pretty good for me. Last Friday I knocked out a little over 3K, and then on the real Tuesday night, I did another 1500 or so, and yesterday I managed a whopping 2742 words! The problem is yesterday's efforts had nothing to do with Nathan Steele or Inner Voice.
I don't know why, but during a slow period at work, I decided to browse through the anthologies listed on Duotrope. I'm guessing it's because of my recently reading KC Shaw's Jack of all Trades but I was attracted to a fantasy antho - Through Blood & Iron. I don't know why I do these things to myself. The deadline is October 1st! I have one week to write, edit, polish and submit - I ask again: why?
On top of that, I was aiming for something around 5K. I'm over half that already and will struggle to rein it in. I have three plot points which could be expanded out quite significantly. Two major characters have been introduced and two of four antags have made an appearance (plus two red herrings who were necessary just to put things in motion). Things are about to ramp up significantly. At the very worse, I'm hoping to pull this in at under 7500 words.
But, seriously, how stupid am I? I have a couple of thousand words left to finish Inner Voice first draft. I have a week long, fairly intensive course to attend every work day next week. I want to begin work on my self made writing resources bible. I have two books I need to read and review in the not too distant future.
So what do I do? I begin another story, with an extremely tight deadline, and introduce a complex plot.
Why?
Oh, my progress for the week in regards to Inner Voice. The total is an additional 4591 words for a current grand total of:
The Time Machine Australia Bound
2 weeks ago
Good look with the new story. I guess you just have to go where your ideas take you. I wouldn't be complaining.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the story for the anthology. Sometimes when we're nearing the end of a project, I think we self-destruct and try to find ways not to finish it. Well I do anyway.
ReplyDeleteYeah , my self-destruct buttton is stuck in the ON position, I think.
ReplyDeleteGood luck. What a happy looking bean.
ReplyDeleteI had a story in the Black Dragon, White Dragon antho, edited by the same guy. He's a good editor; if I could think up an idea, I'd have already sent something to him for this antho. He likes plots that center on characters without losing action, if that makes sense. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteWhy do you do it? Because you can, of course! Sounds exciting to me-- good luck with it, and keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteThanks, guys. KC - Thanks heaps for the insight. I'm thinking I need to inject a little action earlier but that can be done when/if I get the first draft out of the way. I think I've gone all Conan meets Wallis meets Sweeny Todd on this thing. I think the plot works, i just need to tighten and speed things up - once the first draft is done (didn't help leaving my USB key at work last night!)
ReplyDeleteIf we weren't slightly insane we wouldn't be writers ; )
ReplyDeleteI say go for it! If you don't make the deadline, you'll still have a great story to shop!
Nat - the terrible thing about that is I like to think I'm not all that creative a person, that my writer side hides easily behind the realist, the straight sensible person I am day-to-day. Unfortunately I think I'm kidding myself and I have a thin veneer which is presented to the world and underneath I'm just a loon like everyone else here :c)
ReplyDelete