Progress Report V1.3

I managed zero words over the weekend :c(

Did I have opportunity? A couple but they were for small amounts of time to sit at the keyboard and I don't work well in snippets.

So I spent the weekend, while doing other things, thinking about how to move the story forward and the central question of why this was all happening in the first place. (Check out Alexandra Sokoloff's blog to see what I'm talking about if this makes no sense to you.)

Result: I have the next couple of scenes firmly planted in my head (down to descriptions of some very creepy stuff) and why this is all happening.

The story is coming together, but I now have three days to finish it. I doubt I'll get it done in time for anyone else to read before I submit - if I get it finished in time to submit.

I've decided not to submit my backup piece if I don't make the deadline. A pre-existing story with small tweaks to try and implant some of the requirements stated by the editor does not my best effort make.

I've also not yet subbed to FableCroft yet--maybe sometime this week...

My day job currently blows big time, which isn't helping with my energy levels to do after hours work of any form, including writing. Normal life sucks when it gets in the way...ah well, it's not like I'm stopping world hunger.

Progress Report V1.1

Last night I began writing a new short story I've only got vaguely outlined in my head and I'm desperately trying to figure out which way it will go. Normally I'd plot all this before I begin writing but the deadline is just too tight for me to work that way this time round.

So - the currently unnamed story stands at a touch under 1000 words. The main characters have all been introduced and the setting has been firmly woven in. Now if I can just figure out which one (or more) are the ghosts...

WIP Wednesday

...it's still Wednesday somewhere in the world!

We're still waiting on confirmation from one author included in the ToC but everyone has now been notified, and all ToC authors (except the one noted above) have replied. Phase three is a go. The editing process has begun in earnest.

Once more I'm in a very lucky position. I'm working with writers who are exceptional with the English language. In particular, I have the good fortune to be working with my own Guru of all things language so there is also trust pre-built-in to the whole thing. It may be my name on the cover, but the copy editors will be listed inside and they are doing the majority of the leg work. I go over their edits, make final decisions and pass it on to the publisher who interacts with the authors on our behalf - it's a pretty sweet deal I've got.

In other news, I've placed a book on my nightstand to actually read! I've read one novella in the last couple of months. Yes, I've read hundreds of submissions for Dark Pages but that left very little time for reading anything else. I am going to get back into it in a big way very soon.

With my reading, so went my writing. I've not written very much since I started this whole editor gig. I've done bits and pieces, started a couple of stories which have ended up going nowhere, jotted down an idea or two, but I've done nothing that has that over-riding passion, that spark of inspiration which drives a story through to completion. I'm hoping this is changing as well. Yesterday I wrote a little over 1800 words on something new (and currently unnamed). It's a dark fantasy set in modern times with magic, zombies, lost love, and possibly sex - it's not finished yet but it definitely could be headed that way - we'll see. I'm guessing another 1000 words or so and she should be done. Fingers crossed I get this one finished and off to the critique group. It's been a while since I submitted anything for them to rip apart ;c)

Ah...an excerpt. Let me see. Let's set the scene to begin with (paragraph two)

In the centre of the yard, just in front of the marble-look bird bath made of hardened plastic, a mound of freshly turned earth marred the manicured lawn. With the full moon hidden behind heavy clouds, and no hint of wind to help reveal its comforting light, the mound took on the countenance of a small hillock of coal waiting to feed an invisible engine. The shovel speared into the ground beside it helped complete the setting

WIP Wednesday...On A Thursday

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:

Still, 7333 words for the week over all is pretty good. The next seven days should be interesting...

Progress

Four posts in one day, must be something in the water.

A good night tonight. I've been researching my second to last chapter as my female lead steps into the spotlight for a moment to show off her musical talents. A shout out to Talie for pointing me in the right direction. I've listened to a lot of good music tonight.

Anyway, I managed to add nearly another 1500 words tonight so it's been good night. This week I'm fast approaching the 5k mark with only another 1500 or so to go till the first draft is done. My subplot characters have just stepped up to the plate but I'm not happy with how they want it played out. I may have to tweak things a little to put at least one of them back in his place.

Either way, this first draft should be done by next weeks WIP update if not before. Woot! I can't lie, I'm looking forward to knocking this one off and having a break with something different, but it's getting late and I need to be up early.

A good night's work. I'm happy.

Almost There

It's been a few days since I last posted. It's had nothing to do with illness this time round. As many of my regular readers will be aware, I don't tend to post on a weekend anyway.

But to bring you up to date, Friday saw me get some good words out. 3150 words added (I think - I don't have my word count sheet with me). Saturday found me doing husband, father, man-about-the-house type stuff. Sunday we attended preseason training for cricket and the club's AGM. We kind of blew off Sunday afternoon.

And now I'm back at work (happy, happy, joy, joy - not!)

Lots to do, but thought I'd take a quick time out to lodge this post and then go back to it - may add a more informative writing related post a little later. Hope you had a great weekend!

WIP Wednesday

Another day of veging out as far as the reading and writing goes - not good. September's only 9 days old so there's plenty of time for me to turn it around. I haven't even updated the markets at AHWA yet this month - sick person still recovering here.

As far as the week that was in regards to Inner Voices, which I'm considering changing to Inner Voice - as it sounds less dramatic and less like a horror title. Opinions appreciated...

With the arrival of the subplot, I went back and reread the first 5 chapters where my character, who will become the saviour in the new subplot, dwelt in anonymity. I needed to see how much of him I actually revealed originally (not much), and what I can do to shape him into what I need.

Then I kind of got caught up in doing edits here and there and then just kept going and ended up doing little edits on the first 11 chapters. Chapter 12 and 13 are a little too fresh for me to be worrying about them now.

This was in no way the serious edits I intend to do once the first draft is finished, so don't think I managed to get through 11 chapters because they're all so great (although they're not bad - in my totally unbiased opinion). Seriously, there is way too much dialogue at the moment. The dialogue is needed, but I need to insert more descriptive narrative to break things up and create a greater overall picture - see, lots of work for me to do on the rewrite revision stage.

Sorry - tangent.

Back to the writing managed over the last week. Cue the bean...

An additional 3926 words were added, with 339 of them being due to the little edits of the first 11 chapters (told you they were little - lots of work still to come in the rewrite revision).

When added to the overall total, I now stand at -

Can't Sleep

In the famous words of Robin Williams - it's oh two thirty in the morning. What's the oh stand for? Oh my God it's early!

Yes, it's 0233 here and my mind is running off on fuzzy and weird tangents when all I want it to do is shut down so I can go to sleep.

As it became obvious this wasn't going to happen, I got up and fired up the laptop (note to self: in the middle of winter, when you decide to work at stupid hours, put some pants on - my legs are bloody freezing!)

So, I went back and revisited my, you beaut big climax scene which I think is too short because it's missing the beginning third.

Some good news - the title of the first book came to me. One day you will all hopefully be able to purchase a copy of 'Inner Voices', Book one of the Nathan Steele series. (you'll have to imagine the trumpets and doves, voluptuous women gesticulating gently at the unfurling banner over head - you know, nothing too over the top)

More good news would be that I stopped obsessing over the length of the chapter and just finished writing it.

Bad news is, it currently sits as the second shortest chapter I've written, the first being...the first chapter. A fast start and a fast finish? Maybe...maybe I just need to let them sit and come back later with fresh eyes.

Which leads us nicely to some more good news...I'll be letting it sit where it is and come back to it later with fresh eyes...couldn't see that one coming could you? Oh, you did... :c(

Well, that's enough from me and it's good night from him, so because it's technically Sunday here, and therefore Father's Day in Australia, and I'm going to be tired and not feel like looking at a computer screen at all tomorrow, Happy Father's day to everyone out there.

Time for bed...

A New Type Of Progress Counter For WIP Wednesday

I give you the Happy Bean. It is a happy creature who is always to be found with a beer in hand and proud of the words it has so far committed to paper/binary. It's count is always at 100% because he has totally completed all the words it claims to have completed at the time of reporting.

As it is more than happy to just let the story run its course, there is no target and therefore we are always meeting expectations. We will get there when we get there - wherever 'there' happens to be...

All I'll be adding is a weekly word count on WIP Wednesday, which this week stand at:- 2628 words, for a current overall total of...

WIP Wednesday...On Friday

I'm back! Miss me? No? Then why has everyone decided to add pink to my blog? More on that in posts to follow...

Thank you to everyone for the nice thoughts and comments (and sudden influx of awards).

As for my WIP, aka Nathan Steele, Book 1, (there will be a catchy subtitle here but I haven't found it yet - you're writers, use you're imagination ;c)).

Tuesday night I flew out to Melbourne for work. At least, I eventually flew out to Melbourne after my flight was delayed twice due to unusually high winds at my destination. Strangely the flight was very smooth and my stay was punctuated with only the occasional light breeze while on other sides of the city trees were being uprooted - very strange.

Still, I didn't get to the hotel until midnight on my first night in so my premonition that I'd not get any writing done that night proved correct and I practically fell into the hotel bed. The actual course I went there for was very good and the instructor was exceptional as well as being a nice guy - in short, it was one of the only courses I've been on, for work, in the recent past that I actually learned anything.

Night two arrived and I walked down to the nearest Subway for dinner, walked back to the hotel and setup my laptop on the nice little work table in the hotel room. It was terrible. It was the wrong height to work comfortably. My shoulders were killing me in no time. So I moved to the large comfortable chairs - better for my back and shoulders but the arm rests were too close to my body and trying to keep my elbows locked in grew old very quickly - I'm not a particularly lean fellow. So I moved to the floor - that lasted about 10 seconds. On to the bed, but the power cord didn't reach that far so I was on battery power with built in smoko breaks to ensure I didn't run out. Unfortunately the hotel is smoke free so smoko meant putting the laptop on charge and riding the elevator down and going outside into the cold night air.

In the end, I managed a paltry 1489 words, about 3K short of what I was hoping for. I just couldn't get comfortable or into the right frame of mind. I saved it and watched Angels & Demons from the inhouse movie menu (work was paying after all). The total for the week ended up being 3212 words. A little short of Cate's brilliant effort, but not too bad for me. I'm happy with it.

I'll stick to writing at home or at work from now on where the desk is the right height, the chairs are comfortable, and having a smoke doesn't involve descending four floors and having dodgy looking taxi drivers stare at you.

It's wonderful to be home.

Cue the Bean:

Ground Breaking New Trend

It seems my Nathan Steele series will be the first in the new trend to sweep once more over YA and middle grade readers the world over.

How do I know this?

Back in the 1970s and 80s, kids and teens from 7-17 were reading teen detective, teen thriller, and teen mystery books. I know because I was one of them. Couldn't get enough of The Famous Five, The Hardy Boys, or what about Nancy Drew or The Three Investigators.

As I grew, I wanted my fiction a little more sophisticated and moved into King, Koontz, Straub, Saul, etc. I also tried to read as many of the 'classics' as possible - Shelly, Stoker, Poe, The Bible, etc.

I think today's kids are a mix of that. They still like to read their thriller and mystery books, but it has to be a little more sophisticated: Harry Potter, Twilight, etc. But Potter started for younger audiences and kind of grew up with them. Twilight is even more finely targeted at teen girls. Enter Nathan Steele!

According to a recent poll over on Nathan Bransford's Blog I may be the only person currently writing something which has a teen trying to solve a mystery, while having to use his nous to create electronic aids, and dealing with the trials of getting his first girlfriend (without any paranormal tropes being used). In other words. I'm the only person writing a teen mystery action book. My vote didn't even register enough interest to allow the category of YA Mystery to tick over to 1%! So, me and possibly six other people (if I assume that over 0.05% would be rounded up) are heading the charge to the good old days.

I'm going to ask around at the local libraries and find out if kids are still borrowing teen mystery novels. My guess is they are, but want something new to reinvigorate the genre and get them all excited about reading again. I can dream...

So how did you measure up in the poll? Care to join me on the front of the wave?

WIP Wednesday

God knows at the moment.

My day off has turned out to be anything but. The better half and I ran around doing stuff for most of the day. We planned some future reno improvements, did some shopping, sorted out the tax (by the way, it cost me over 2k in my efforts to be a writer in the last financial year! Glad we're not in this for the money...).

After picking up the kids from school, I got a phone call from work. Something had gone belly up and nobody else knew how to fix things. They say if you're irreplaceable, you're also not able to be promoted. Not good.

So I reluctantly arrived at work at 4:00 in the afternoon (my normal knock off time). It has just gone 7PM and I'm still here trying to fix things and look like being here for sometime to come.

In an earlier post I waxed lyrical how life would be wonderful if I could just work at night...need to be careful about what I wish for in future. How about 'Wouldn't it be wonderful to win lotto and gain a book deal!' - we shall see!

So, I've added a little over 4k this week, which brings me somewhere over the 35, maybe 38% mark. I can't remember exactly and will have to update tomorrow so if you're hanging out for the Bean - sorry - later.

Just waiting on a server to finish rebooting and I'm back into it.

Hope your evening has been better than mine.

***Update***

I'm finally home and in front of the laptop. Things are still a mess at work but it can wait till tomorrow. I work to live, not the other way round.

This week I added a total of 4038 words. I'd hoped to do a lot more than this as the total is the result of one really good writing session. One or two more would have been nice. It seems I didn't quite make the 35% I stated earlier although my spreadsheet begs to differ - doesn't matter.

So, without further ado, for all of you who have waited with baited breath, here's the legume you've all come to love:

A Little Bit More

Last night I did my slush reading which was an interesting return to normality. Again I didn't recommend anything but at least one of the offerings was close. Maybe next month.

Today I managed a couple of things. I trimmed down the number of blogs in my Google Reader to an even 50. Many of the industry blogs I only skim anyway so I figure I can live without them until I start to look at peddling my manuscript around the place. Speaking of which, I added another 1200 or so words to that tonight.

You'll be happy to know our boy has progressed and actually kissed our girl on the top of the head as they consoled each other after witnessing two murders (via a type of CCTV link my boy genius rigged up, but two teens seeing anyone shot would be traumatic I think). I just couldn't see him not doing it, but then that may be a little too much of me coming through. We'll see if it makes it past the next round of edits.

I've got a flex day off work tomorrow. The better half and I have some things to do but I might get a chance to do a little bit more before I post this weeks WIP Wednesday update. A smidgen over 4k added this week so I'm happy either way.

Lastly, I had to work back late tonight to tie up a few loose ends (which didn't happen as everything turned to Shite) and on the drive home I had a strange circular patch of fog appear on my windscreen, right in my line of sight. Driving home, after sunset, pitch black outside, a car a little way behind me shining its headlights into my interior and lighting up this tennis ball size patch of fogged up window set off the muse.

I've added a new story idea to the idea file and this one has some legs. I've jotted down the premise and must say I kind of like it. It's dark, has tension, but I'm not sure if it will be a happy ending yet. I don't even know what sort of length I'm looking at, but I know I can't work on a long piece at the same time as anything else. I've tried it in the past and it doesn't mesh well for me so into park within the ideas file it goes - for now.

I'm just happy to know the muse isn't totally stuck in one gear.

A Good Writing Day

Little one has been home with a cold this week (just for something different), so I stayed home with her Wednesday and again today. Mum stayed with her yesterday allowing me to go to work.

Anyway, today we created two Pokemon card decks for her to have a go with at school (when she returns). And I also managed to get some writing done.

I went back to the beginning and went through a couple of things, adding in plants for things to make sense a chapter or two later, caught a misdirection in regards to where a bedroom was in a house (it was upstairs in one chapter and downstairs a couple of chapters later).

I also finished off the chapter I was writing last time I visited the WIP, and felt so much in the groove I just went ahead and wrote the next chapter as well.

All up, I've managed a respectable 2860 words today, and, more importantly, I'm quite happy with them.

And for those of you who want to know - a wink is not as good as a kiss...and now my main male character knows that as well...poor fella. Maybe one day he'll get there.

WIP Wednesday

It's Tuesday night - it'll be Wednesday in a little over an hour - close enough.

This week I've had two writing sessions on my WIP and managed to add a little under 2500 words. Pitiful, but 2500 words is a sizable step in a YA novel. Bringing down targets from 80-100k to less than 60k just seems to make the whole thing that much more achievable - not easier, just more within reach (if that makes sense).

On a side note: a great deal of this manuscript to this point has been dialogue. There have been descriptive narrative in places (obviously), but a lot happens with dialogue. I'm just about to move into a section where there is much less dialogue but much more interaction between my two main characters - ah, young love - how insecure and awkward we all once were - this should be fun. Not sure yet if I'm going to let my guy get a kiss or save that for much later. How many guys vote for him missing the signals and then just running out of time as the moment passes by them?

I still can't bring myself to throw up some examples. Call me insecure, but I need them to go through my normal vetting process before I let anyone read any part of them, and that won't happen until I've finished writing all of it and done my own revision. The process then involves my wife, then Pharo, and then my beta readers. Then I might reveal some snippets. Sorry.

Oh, I am getting closer to a title. Currently the WIP Title is 'Nathan Steele: Book One'. I'm considering titles which will play on his name, like 'Steele Trap', Steele Home', 'Steele Cap', and a number of other plays on it but nothing has quite hit the right spot. I know you have no idea on the plot or premise, but I'm thinking the ongoing series will continue this theme so any and all plays on the name may come in handy in the future. Remember it's a YA series so keep it clean, people ;c)

With nothing else to say - cue the bean...

WIP Wednesday

Last Wednesday I was at 6559 words. This week I've bumped that a little to 10875. Nowhere near the 2-5k a day when I first wrote a novel length piece, but then most of that was dreck and not worth reading by sane individuals - hopefully a slightly more considered approach will produce something better.

This is a rolling WIP Wednesday total as it's only lunchtime here so there may well be more added to this before the day is out. My daughter is home with tonsillitis (again), so I'm home from work and enjoying some concerted writing time - which I've done over the last couple of hours. Now is time for a break.

Cue the bean...

Two Bits Of Good News & A Frustrating Turn Of Events

Last night I was notified of being short listed for a publication - we won't jinx things by saying which one, and this morning I hear Michael Schumacher will be returning to Formula One to fill in for the injured Felipe Massa!

I followed Michael's career from day one and have been a fan ever since. The last two seasons have been a little strange without him on the grid and I've only just started to come to grips with it, and then he goes and does a comeback.

As a Ferrari fan, I was all for Kimi's second place last weekend, but as an Australian, this year I'm more barracking for Webber.

Rumour has it that Alsono is coming to Ferrari next year which will make me stop and reassess my loyalties (I don't like the guy). With Webber at Red Bull, and I've found I quite like Vettel as an up and coming driver, maybe Alonso's arrival will be the catalyst for a switch.


This would be only the second switch of my allegiance in nearly 30 years of following the sport. I started out following Alan Jones back in 1981 but didn't really pick a team until the mid 80s. Remember Lotus when they were painted black with the gold sponsorship logos on them and driven by the legend that was Ayrton Senna.

When Lotus pulled the pin, I followed Senna as a driver, not really interested in the teams he drove for, but more how he as an individual performed. McLaren, Williams, where ever - it didn't matter. I just enjoyed watching a master at work.

Then along came Schumi and I recognised his greatness as soon as he stepped into the Jordan. I began to watch both Michael and Aryton with interest and surprisingly came down on the younger man's side of the fence when they looked to begin going head-to-head.

And then Senna was killed while driving a Williams. A sad day.

So I followed Michael, and then he set up shop at Ferrari so I did as well. But now my thoughts are turning to Webber, and to watching young Vettel blossom as a driver. I want Mark to win the championship this year. Brawn may have hit a brick wall and don't have any money with which to continue developing the car. Their title fight could well and truly be over.

Mark only has a few years left and has struggled in under performing machinery for most of the years behind him. He has earned a chance at the the title. Vettel will have many more years ahead of him challenging and winning titles. This year, I want to see Mark become only the third Australian to win the F1 Drivers Championship behind Sir Jack Brabham and Alan Jones.

But enough of the long-winded exposition on my love of F1 - back to writing.

I've written the first three chapters of my current work in progress and yesterday I decided I didn't like the way the relationship between my two main characters had started out. The conflict was only internal to my central character. I think it can work better with a slight change of attitude from my main man. That will give him an external and internal conflict, add character depth, and give me more fodder for a little later in the story and a bit for later in the series (yep, I'm planning crap that far in advance).

I also had a rethink on three secondary characters. At this point in the book, I've introduced a total of seven characters. Only my central female character hasn't changed. I've had a rethink on all but two of the rest and their time will undoubtly come.

Time to stop and get everybody set in concrete in my head. Time for the character dossiers to be created. After writing three chapters this pause is somewhat frustrating, but still, it's better than continually rewriting chapters because I decode to change the character.

So this week will see no advancement on the WIP. Work will be done on all characters. Next week will be rewriting the first three chapters, and the current outline will require revision.

And then we can move on.

Must get all of this reading out of the way a well...

***Late Update***

This is just pure Gold!

WIP Wednesday

Two things to note this week. I bumped my target word count up to 50K. I've been thinking about secondary character development and them having their own story arc. I don't want to go down the road of having a well-rounded main character and then 'the girlfriend', 'the bully', 'the clueless teacher', 'the bad guy', etc. Yes, characters who fall into these types of categories will be involved, but I want them, all of them, to be so much more than that. I want all of these characters, even the bad guy, to be characters the reader will have a strong reaction to, not just a blah - cardboard cliche type of response toward. That will take more words as the story becomes driven by more than just one or two characters.

Second thing to note - I only managed 2452 words this week (and I finished off the long winded review of Dexter). I'm spending a lot of time reading, and I'm spending time just chilling, watching the box, playing the DS, etc. Unfortunately, I'm also doing a lot more work at work - how rude is that! Still - moving forward :c)

WIP Wednesday

(Day three of Alan Baxter's Blog Tour)

Only 1046 words in a week - not great, but at least I'm moving forward. I've also written up the review for the second book in the Dexter Omnibus and got a fair bit of reading done. I have a couple of weeks to finish two more Dexter books and two or three other fantasy books. I don't like my chances of reaching those deadlines. Still, I've read four books in a touch under four weeks - not bad.

Cue the bean...

WIP - And An Update

Not the week just gone, but the week before, Danielle had a rejection week from hell. Unfortunately it seems my somewhat dismal week is carrying over. I'm up to six rejections this month and no acceptances. :c(

But, I'm happy to announce all my pieces are still out on submission. I'm getting very nice rejection comments which hasn't led me to make any changes to the pieces, so I find a new market and out they go again.

In other news, I'm still reading the Dexter Omnibus which is becoming a bit of a drag. I really should have switched to something else between each book, kind of like the reading equivalent of a glass of water to cleanse the palette. I've never understood how people manage to read more than one book at a time, but I'm beginning to think about giving it a go.

As for my WIP - which still doesn't have a title. It seems the idea has not come to me fully formed as first thought, or at least it will need some additions. Following my outline, and using my upgraded skills of not rabbiting on about nothing within a story (or at least not as much as I once did), I've suddenly found that I've combined the first two chapters together. That is, everything I intended to cover in the first two chapters, I've managed to meld together in the first chapter quite succinctly. In the current scheme of things, that has robbed me of around 3000 words. When I'm targeting only 45k to begin with, there shouldn't be that much fat to trim, especially not while I'm still writing the first draft of the first chapter!

Still, I'm not going to worry about it at the moment. I'll move on with the story as per the outline and see where it takes me. So, currently my untitled YA book for boys stands at: (Psst! Cue the pantless one...)