Hey Folks,
In today’s Journal
▪ Tigritude
▪ First readers abound
▪ On process
▪ I didn’t keep a reverse outline
▪ The daily diary
▪ A LOT in Of Interest
▪ The numbers
From The Passive Guy, “A tiger does not shout its tigritude, it acts.” ~ Wole Soyinka
I’m not sure, but I believe “tigritude” is my new favorite word.
***
I’m amazed (but very pleased) to report I had four positive responses to my request on the Pro Writers blog for first readers yesterday. Should any of them happen to read this, Thank You. Of course, I hope it works out.
***
On process… I was determined this morning to spend no more than an hour “waking up” (trying intentionally to develop a new habit and get to my WIP sooner). But it didn’t work out that way. (grin)
I got involved with commenting on posts that I encountered while looking for items for “Of Interest.”
Then again, as Laura Benedict reminds us in her post today, “Writing is practice never wasted,” even if that writing is in comments or (bless its heart) this little Journal.
So I’ll continue letting things happen as they should or as they want to. Every now and then I have to take a deep breath and say “It’s working as-is, Harvey. Don’t screw it up.” (grin)
***
A few times in the past I touted the value of keeping a reverse outline. I stick to that advice.
However, I didn’t keep a reverse outline on the first two Blackwell Ops books because they were basically a collection of stories told by the protagonist for each book.
Some stories were set in the present, and some in the past. Each story was self-contained as well as being part of the overall narrative. So I didn’t need a reverse outline to keep track of names, items of clothing, locations, etc.
The protagonist in Blackwell Ops 3, though, seems to want to abandon that pattern and go back to a more linear novel, telling one developing story from beginning to end.
The protagonist for this one is a female, which is more than fine. She’s also headstrong, which I suspect is why she wants to change things up. (grin)
So I’ll keep a chapter by chapter reverse outline for this one, if for no other reason just to attempt to keep up with her.
***
Rolled out at a little after 2 this morning. To the house at about 4:30, and finally to the novel at a little after 5 to begin reading through what I wrote yesterday.
I’m signed up for an online seminar at noon today, but the writing will take precedence. Which means if it’s going well, I won’t stop just for the seminar. (Update: The seminar presenter will offer a link to the edited seminar later. I’ll post the link in the Journal.)
Added around 300 words to Chapter 2 during the cycling session. To the house for a break, then back to cycle through Chapter 3. I suspect I’ll add some there too, then move into the new stuff and the day’s writing.
8:30 a.m. back to the novel.
By 11 I’d added oly a little over 2700 words via cycling and finishing Chapter 4. A brief break for a walk, then back at it.
Talk with you again tomorrow.
Of Interest
See “Last 24 Hours” at https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/last-24-hours/. I personally hope he makes his stretch goal. If you’re serious about your writing, this Kickstarter is a great thing to support. One final push.
See “Write Where You Know, or Not, and a New Release” at https://killzoneblog.com/2019/02/write-where-you-know-or-not-and-a-new-release.html.
Some good comments on “Eight Tricks to Tap Your Subconscious for Better Writing” at https://killzoneblog.com/2019/02/eight-tricks-to-tap-your-subconscious-for-better-writing.html#comments.
See “5 Fully Immersive Novels of Psychological Suspense” at https://crimereads.com/5-fully-immersive-novels-of-psychological-suspense/. Gems (and ideas) to be gleaned here.
Via Linda Maye Adams, see “Oddyssey Salon” at http://www.odysseyworkshop.org/salon.html. Free video workshops.
See “Word Count Guidelines by Genre” at https://annerallen.com/2018/03/word-count-guidelines-by-genre/. Bear in mind to let a story be as long or short as it wants to be. Don’t pad.
See “How to Name Your Crime Novel” at https://crimereads.com/how-to-name-your-crime-novel/.
Fiction Words: 4601
Nonfiction Words: 690 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 5291
Writing of Blackwell Ops 3: Marie Arceneaux (novel)
Day 1…… 1699 words. Total words to date…… 1699
Day 2…… 3766 words. Total words to date…… 5465
Day 3…… 4601 words. Total words to date…… 10066
Total fiction words for the month……… 13188
Total fiction words for the year………… 96591
Total nonfiction words for the month… 6280
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 31690
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 128281
Calendar Year 2019 Novels to Date………………………… 2
Calendar Year 2019 Novellas to Date…………………… X
Calendar Year 2019 Short Stories to Date……… X
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 39
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 7
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………… 193
Short story collections…………………………………………………… 31
I’m glad to read that people answered your call for first readers. I hope it works out well.
I’m wondering whether you didn’t get any answer from your daily journal readers simply because your output is so huge? When we get to follow you every day, seeing you write so many novels month after month, it sounds a bit daunting to commit to reading them… I mean, you probably write more novels per year than most people *read*!
Hi Céline, Good point, and that’s likely. I like having several first readers available so I can send different genres to different readers and/or rotate through them. (grin) And then, not all first readers work out. It’s difficult for some folks to let go and just read for pleasure. But in any case, I wouldn’t expect one reader to read everything I put out. Usually, as I’m nearing completion of a novel, I send an email asking whether X, Y, or Z want to read it.