Current Project: The Doldrums
Word Count: 143, 541
Well, I'm finally getting there with this one. I'm not finished, but I've made it to the end of the story. The bulk of the work is done. Now I get to fully indulge all my compulsive editing needs. Hooray!
It's actually quite sad to think that I'll have to leave the story one day and never, ever be able to make changes again. I imagine this is the reason why so many authors write sequels - because they just get so attached to the characters and the story that they don't want to stop writing about them. I have absolutely no intention of writing a sequel to this though. I already have another story lined up at the back of my head and after finally coming close to finishing The Doldrums I'm actually quite excited to get started and begin developing the new characters - a mother and her five-year-old daughter.
I think the mission for this next book will probably be to limit my word count to around the 100,000 mark, which is what publishers normally expect from a debut novel (so I'm told). I have a feeling I'll fail spectacularly, but we'll see.
Got to give credit to the film Inglorious Basterds here too... for introducing me to the song Cat People (Putting Out Fire) by David Bowie. I've listened to this song a lot while writing this.
Saturday 21 May 2011
My name is Sophie... and I am a compulsive editor.
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Current Project: The Doldrums
Word Count: 126, 544
After a really, frustratingly long period of writer's block I'm finally getting somewhere with this book. I've gone from just over 100,000 words to my current word count in around 3 weeks, and I can finally, FINALLY see how it's going to end.
A big part of what I've been doing these past few weeks is editing. I've switched a lot of passages around in order to make the whole narrative flow a little better. It's a pain in the backside, because I usually then have to go through the entire scene, check and double-check every detail, and then edit out all the text that now doesn't fit because of the move. Frustrating... but I think it's important to be prepared to do that sort of thing if you genuinely want your story to move along properly. Plus, while I'm doing all that checking I can weed out errors (Word's Auto Correct is a curse as well as a blessing, methinks), change words that don't sound right or have been repeated too often, and sometimes add a little extra detail to flesh out the action or the characters.
I really shouldn't be worrying myself with the editing process just yet. I should be pushing towards the finish and only go back over everything once that's done. But I can't help it, especially when I'm going through the whole thing in my head and I keep thinking "oh, that'll be a good detail to add", or "that bit I wrote yesterday doesn't make sense, I should change it". I know if I don't do it ASAP I'll forget about it altogether, so I get stuck in the editing side of things and put off the actual writing.
I'm starting to worry that when it comes to publishing my main problem will be not knowing when to stop tweaking and just leave the damn thing alone!
Word Count: 126, 544
After a really, frustratingly long period of writer's block I'm finally getting somewhere with this book. I've gone from just over 100,000 words to my current word count in around 3 weeks, and I can finally, FINALLY see how it's going to end.
A big part of what I've been doing these past few weeks is editing. I've switched a lot of passages around in order to make the whole narrative flow a little better. It's a pain in the backside, because I usually then have to go through the entire scene, check and double-check every detail, and then edit out all the text that now doesn't fit because of the move. Frustrating... but I think it's important to be prepared to do that sort of thing if you genuinely want your story to move along properly. Plus, while I'm doing all that checking I can weed out errors (Word's Auto Correct is a curse as well as a blessing, methinks), change words that don't sound right or have been repeated too often, and sometimes add a little extra detail to flesh out the action or the characters.
I really shouldn't be worrying myself with the editing process just yet. I should be pushing towards the finish and only go back over everything once that's done. But I can't help it, especially when I'm going through the whole thing in my head and I keep thinking "oh, that'll be a good detail to add", or "that bit I wrote yesterday doesn't make sense, I should change it". I know if I don't do it ASAP I'll forget about it altogether, so I get stuck in the editing side of things and put off the actual writing.
I'm starting to worry that when it comes to publishing my main problem will be not knowing when to stop tweaking and just leave the damn thing alone!
Monday 3 January 2011
Happy New Year!
1 comments
Hello everyone!
Well, this is my first blog post and, since it is the New Year and because I see no better place to do it, I'm going to list my resolutions for 2011.
1) Plan my wedding - Yes, I am getting married... though not until June 2012. However, since I'm the world's most disorganised person I need all the time I can wrangle. I've already searched some of the most well-known wedding websites around (http://www.hitched.co.uk/, http://www.theknot.com/ to name just two) and started putting together a basic picture in my head of what I want. The bare bones have already been taken care of (dates and venues) but now I have to start with narrowing down the guest list, choosing flowers and hunting down THE DRESS, among the myriad of other things that come with planning such a big day. I sense many Bridezilla moments heading this way.
2) Lose approx. half-a-stone - I know, a cliche of most women at this time of year, but in my defence it is somewhat related to resolution No. 1, although I have plenty of other reasons for wanting to take off a few pounds. I'm not overweight (if my Mum's Wii Fit is any reliable judge), and everyone seems fond of telling me that I don't NEED to lose weight. They're probably right, but I want to do this anyway in order to take control, feel better about myself and to generally build a much healthier lifestyle. What are my obstacles in this pursuit? I'm a self-confessed chocoholic and the shelves are already packed with leftovers from Christmas. Not the best start, but I am inspired by my progress towards the end of 2010, when I managed to lose about 3 or 4 pounds and am now hovering on the edge of being a size 10.
I think the key for me is to do much more exercise. I only began losing weight last year after I took up running and borrowed a cross-trainer (which unfortunately is going back to its owner this week). Some friends and I actually planned to attend yoga classes last year. Our thinking was that we would be more motivated by going together and would have fun at the same time. Unfortunately, the plan was scuppered by a wrist injury for one friend and a leg injury for another. Hopefully, once everyone is healed (and if it isn't MY turn to come down with something) we will follow through.
3) Finish writing my book - As a writer, one of my personal hang-ups is my complete inability to see a story through to the end. This is often due to another idea coming along and catching my interest, drawing me away from the book I had started on. I am easily distracted by other things as well - TV, video games, mindless internet surfing - but this year I am resolved to complete a story and (I hope) send it to a publisher by 2012. I'm feeling especially optomistic about this book because it has themes that are relevant to the modern world and its dilemmas and at the same time is something different to all the band-wagon fiction that has hit the shelves over the past few years.
For those of you wondering, yes, I AM referring to the masses of supernatural/fantasy romance fiction. I could (and probably should) give this topic its own blog entry at a later date. I'll just state, for the record, that I have no beef with this particular genre. I'm sure some of it is good and it is obviously very popular. I just get sick of seeing it everywhere (I have similar feelings towards what we call "misery literature").
So those are my "Big Three" for the year. Only time will tell if I end up breaking any of them, or if I add more along the way. The diet plan is already in dire jeopardy... I think I can hear the chocolate calling to me from the fridge.
Well, this is my first blog post and, since it is the New Year and because I see no better place to do it, I'm going to list my resolutions for 2011.
1) Plan my wedding - Yes, I am getting married... though not until June 2012. However, since I'm the world's most disorganised person I need all the time I can wrangle. I've already searched some of the most well-known wedding websites around (http://www.hitched.co.uk/, http://www.theknot.com/ to name just two) and started putting together a basic picture in my head of what I want. The bare bones have already been taken care of (dates and venues) but now I have to start with narrowing down the guest list, choosing flowers and hunting down THE DRESS, among the myriad of other things that come with planning such a big day. I sense many Bridezilla moments heading this way.
2) Lose approx. half-a-stone - I know, a cliche of most women at this time of year, but in my defence it is somewhat related to resolution No. 1, although I have plenty of other reasons for wanting to take off a few pounds. I'm not overweight (if my Mum's Wii Fit is any reliable judge), and everyone seems fond of telling me that I don't NEED to lose weight. They're probably right, but I want to do this anyway in order to take control, feel better about myself and to generally build a much healthier lifestyle. What are my obstacles in this pursuit? I'm a self-confessed chocoholic and the shelves are already packed with leftovers from Christmas. Not the best start, but I am inspired by my progress towards the end of 2010, when I managed to lose about 3 or 4 pounds and am now hovering on the edge of being a size 10.
I think the key for me is to do much more exercise. I only began losing weight last year after I took up running and borrowed a cross-trainer (which unfortunately is going back to its owner this week). Some friends and I actually planned to attend yoga classes last year. Our thinking was that we would be more motivated by going together and would have fun at the same time. Unfortunately, the plan was scuppered by a wrist injury for one friend and a leg injury for another. Hopefully, once everyone is healed (and if it isn't MY turn to come down with something) we will follow through.
3) Finish writing my book - As a writer, one of my personal hang-ups is my complete inability to see a story through to the end. This is often due to another idea coming along and catching my interest, drawing me away from the book I had started on. I am easily distracted by other things as well - TV, video games, mindless internet surfing - but this year I am resolved to complete a story and (I hope) send it to a publisher by 2012. I'm feeling especially optomistic about this book because it has themes that are relevant to the modern world and its dilemmas and at the same time is something different to all the band-wagon fiction that has hit the shelves over the past few years.
For those of you wondering, yes, I AM referring to the masses of supernatural/fantasy romance fiction. I could (and probably should) give this topic its own blog entry at a later date. I'll just state, for the record, that I have no beef with this particular genre. I'm sure some of it is good and it is obviously very popular. I just get sick of seeing it everywhere (I have similar feelings towards what we call "misery literature").
So those are my "Big Three" for the year. Only time will tell if I end up breaking any of them, or if I add more along the way. The diet plan is already in dire jeopardy... I think I can hear the chocolate calling to me from the fridge.
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