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Wednesday, July 25, 2007A Page A DaySounds reasonable, doesn't it? I'm thinking in terms of Baby's Due Date. Of course, the term "due date" is complete hogwash; nobody really knows when a baby is ready to make her entrance -- except Baby herself. Still, I'm sequential enough that I need a date, so I'll continue to use September 5 to denote the Big Day. Now, that's exactly six weeks away. If I were to write one page a day in my current WIP (Work In Progress), that's forty-two pages. That translates to roughly four or five chapters. Four or five more chapters before the baby comes! That would make me officially-just-about-exactly-halfway-finished with the first draft of this novel. Wouldn't that be marvelous? I could have my baby, rest a bit, and jump right back into a project that's already halfway finished. Attainable? Yes. Realistic? Yes. Probable? I'm not sure. I do need to insert at this point of my hormonally disturbed narrative that Dear Eric, having read my last blog entry, rose to the challenge and finished painting the nursery last night. I might add that my last blog entry was the sole reason that he finished painting the nursery last night. So now I know exactly what to do with my Honey-Do lists in the future. At any rate, that's one more pre-baby project completed, which gives me that much more peace. Which leads to more productivity and greater creative energy reserves (despite the killer flight of steps that I have to climb to get to my third story office). The problem is that a-page-a-day doesn't take into account those times when the story just...stalls. I sit there staring at the character in question (yes, I can see them -- can't all authors?), trying to figure out exactly what he's going to do next, and why. Sometimes it's as clear as Caribbean waters, and other times it's a complete muddle. A-page-a-day doesn't take into account endless staring-at-the-screen sessions. Still, a page isn't that much. If I curl up with my notebook and work out the kinks separately, then I think I can sit down with a fresh mind and get that daily page written. I know I'll thank myself later. Of course, there are other factors at play. There's my endless obsession with "checking for good news in my email box." I've got some promising coals in the fire right now and it's hard to put that aside and fully concentrate on my work. (Oh, for the day when I gladly hand over the business angst to a willing and devoted agent! There will be great rejoicing throughout Middle Tennessee and the World At Large...) Then there's the ongoing Baby Prep. Sure, the walls in the nursery are finished. But now it's time to do the trim work and window sills. Then we have to pay off the crib, pick it up, and put it together. Then...well, you get the idea. In short, we still have a lot to do. And we've got forty-two days or less in which to do them. So. A page a day. Will you cheer me on? I'm terribly excited about the direction my new novel is taking, and it'll do me a world of good to immerse myself in its creation, rather than wringing my hands over what needs to be done before Baby Five's arrival. Talk about the pressure of accountability. Okay, I'm at your mercy. Feel free to check up on me. And I'm off to write my daily page. |
About Me
I am: Mother to five stunningly individualistic children... Writer of young adult fantasy... Passionate advocate for Women At Home... Madly in love with my husband... In need of Organic Gourmet Chocolate on a regular basis. I've got a Paypal account if you'd like to contribute to the cause....
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2of my readers are feeling chatty:
Parker will cheer you on Jill!!!!
Well you know from experience that when you are writing, your focus on the world at large is gone. You are looking through your opening into the world you have created, and are making the characters there sing.
THe other day, I came to a chapter that I had printed out and had a lot of edits scribbled all over it. I had also drawn out an "aerial"
view of the setting. I took some time to draw the setting using my computer, and now I have a great big visual to help me see that little world a bit better.
Almost done with Harry Potter book 7.... HOLY CRAP!
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