Hey Folks,
“Many would-be novelists never get around to writing a novel for the same reason nobody ever gets around to eating an elephant.
“Wrong focus. To eat an elephant, you have to take one bite at a time. Focus on the bite.
“It seems impossible to write a whole novel, but you can write a scene. So just write a scene. Then write another scene. Then write another one. Forget about writing a ‘novel.’ Lather, rinse, repeat.”
I posted that to FB this morning, spurred by my 15 year old granddaughter’s complaint (via email) that her teacher had assigned her to write “a 150 page story.”
Such an assignment forces the student to focus on the page count.
My granddaughter wrote, “I’ve written 984 words on my story so far, but it’s only 3 pages.”
Poor kid. Angry grandpa.
I suppose learning to pad a paper has its advantages.
Wait. No, it doesn’t.
***
I have stories or novels in five bundles now. The latest is Without A Clue in the Gumshoes Bundle. As the name implies, this bundle is all mysteries, all about detectives and the crimes they solve.
To see all the bundles my stuff is currently in, check the right sidebar at http://HarveyStanbrough.com.
***
Rolled out a little late, and I’m back on the Internet, but learned a lot this morning, so it’s all right.
My wife looked out her window and noticed the neighbors’ horses were out, and one was growling at something out in the mesquites (probably the cattle out there).
So we went out and put them back in the corral, fed them, and secured the gate. Interesting start to the day.
After that, a lot of little niggling but necessary things to take care of. Finally to the novel at 10:30 a.m. Some cycling over the chapters I wrote yesterday first.
***
Before she left, my wife reminded me I have a doc appointment in Tucson tomorrow. Gotta get the battery replaced in my pacemaker.
It occurred to me, I can recharge the battery in my phone and all sorts of other devices wirelessly, but for this I have to have invasive surgery. Reckon maybe the priorities are a little skewed somewhere? (grin)
***
This morning as I cycled back through the chapters I wrote yesterday and glanced over my reverse outline, I realized I have to enhance a character.
I almost wrote “add” a character, but the character himself is already in the book. I have to let him talk with me a bit, name himself, let me know what he does for a living (he’s old and wealthy), etc. All of that’s to bring him into the fold, so to speak.
That’ll take probably two more chapters earlier in the book. (Told you this one’s writing weird.) Anyway, either this guy or another guy who’s already developed in the book is the antagonist.
Then it’ll be a rush to the finish and I’ll be done.
Well, another light day for word count, though it doesn’t really reflect how much I accomplished today. (grin) But that’s all right. The novel still feels good.
Back tomorrow.
Of Interest
From The Digital Reader, see “The HTTPocalypse is coming – Is Your Website Ready?” at https://the-digital-reader.com/2017/09/24/httpocalypse-coming-website-ready/.
Read This: “Michael Hyatt Has Something To Sell You” at https://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/michael-hyatt-has-something-to-sell-you/.
Fiction Words: 1650
Nonfiction Words: 560 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 2210
Writing of Loose Ends (novel, working title)
Day 1 – 15……………………… Total words to date…… 34735
Day 16… 1146 words. Total words to date…… 35881
Day 17… 1102 words. Total words to date…… 36983
Day 18… 3723 words. Total words to date…… 40706
Day 19… 1650 words. Total words to date…… 42356
Total fiction words for the month……… 49437
Total fiction words for the year………… 429057
Total nonfiction words for the month… 14193
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 150593
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 579650
The Daily Journal blog streak……………………………………… 666 days
Calendar Year 2017 Novels to Date………………………… 8
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)………………………………………… 26
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)……………………………………… 4
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)……………………………… 182