Hey Folks,
Well, I’ll be writing today, but much of it will be in the house and therefore subject to interruption. I’ll be helping with things around here that I didn’t get done during the week (laundry, etc.).
I originally planned to go camping in the Lower Box Gila Wilderness (north of Lordsburg, NM) this weekend. But there was a threat of rain, and storms there are as wild and rugged as the place itself. So we called it off.
And then too, my grandson landed a job (he starts on Sunday) so he couldn’t have gone anyway.
But the whole thing kind of has me stuck watching the weather radar. Thus far, even the massive storms moving in from southern California are blowing east/northeast past Tucson.
Now I’m about 50 miles east of Tucson, and south. The pueblocito (where we like to camp) is around 150 miles east and slightly north of Tucson. To this point both I and the pueblocito have been dry as a bone.
I don’t like regrets. I don’t mind at all regretting something I’ve done. That’s just life. But I absolutely hate regretting NOT attempting something I wanted to do. So from here on out, when I want to do something, I’m just going to do it. Rain is just water. Toss in a bar of soap, it becomes an opportunity. See what I mean?
Topic: Being Unstuck in Time
Dean Wesley Smith mentioned in his post yesterday that the experienced novelist is “unstuck in time” in his novel.
That is true.
He then went on to talk about cycling and how he does that specifically. I garnered some gems from that part of his post.
But he never mentioned writing what’s there to write.
In at least three novels recently (and in the current one) part of my cycling included moving whole scenes or chapters from one part of the book to another.
That’s because when I write, I write what’s in front of me at the time. I write what’s there to write.
When I reach the end of a chapter or scene, almost immediately a character and/or situation comes to mind, and I keep writing.
Sometime it’s a different character in a different scene, maybe even halfway around the world or on another planet, but in the same time frame. And I write it.
Sometimes it’s the same character “jumping ahead” to the next significant event in which that character is taking part. And I write it.
Sometimes it’s a character who hasn’t appeared for awhile who tugs on my sleeve and says, “Hey Harv, look what I did back here.” And I write it.
Almost every time I sit down to write, I cycle back around a thousand words or so and read through, allowing myself to touch it here and there, as I mentioned a few days ago.
But as part of that, sometimes it suddenly becomes clear to me that scene or event belongs in a different place in the WIP. So I move it.
Then I go back to the white page. A character and/or situation comes to mind, and I write whatever there is to write.
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Today, and Writing
Rolled out early for a change at 2. However, I did little other than play games, watch the weather radar and write the stuff above. To the hovel for awhile at 6:20.
Checked Dean’s site while I was thinking of it, wrote “Of Interest” below, then went up to the house to get the camera. Now to the novel at 6:50.
8:20, to the house for a break. Ah, and a few chores and a trip to the post office.
9:30, back to the novel. 10:30 to the house for a break and a quick lunch. 10:50, back to the novel.
Two good writing sessions. I also did some cycling today, and some smoothing out timelines. And of course, new writing.
Taking the rest of the day off at 11:50 to help around the house.
Back tomorrow.
Of Interest
At Dean’s place, some very good and enlightening comments and responses on yesterday’s post. Some had to do with what I talk about in my topic above. I found a real gem there in one of Dean’s responses. http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/you-can-learn-story-from-the-hg-network/#comments.
Fiction Words: 2231
Nonfiction Words: 700 (Journal)
So total words for the day: 2931
Writing of Will Perkins (novel, working title)
Day 1…… 4219 words. Total words to date…… 4219
Day 2…… 4003 words. Total words to date…… 8222
Day 3…… 3383 words. Total words to date…… 11605
Day 4…… 3124 words. Total words to date…… 14729
Day 5…… 3373 words. Total words to date…… 18102
Day 6…… 2294 words. Total words to date…… 20396
Day 7…… 3102 words. Total words to date…… 23498
Day 8…… 2578 words. Total words to date…… 26076
Day 9…… 2111 words. Total words to date…… 28187
Day 10… 2561 words. Total words to date…… 30748
Day 11… 4073 words. Total words to date…… 34821
Day 12… 1721 words. Total words to date…… 35648
Day 13… 3289 words. Total words to date…… 38937
Day 14… 2311 words. Total words to date…… 41248
Day 15… 2262 words. Total words to date…… 43510
Day 16… 2046 words. Total words to date…… 45556
Day 17… 4189 words. Total words to date…… 49745
Day 18… 4758 words. Total words to date…… 54503
Day 19… 2648 words. Total words to date…… 57178
Day 20… 2231 words. Total words to date…… 59409
Total fiction words for the month……… 42174
Total fiction words for the year………… 134784
Total nonfiction words for the month… 11010
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 30700
Total words for the year (fiction and nonfiction)…… 165484