Saturday, November 05, 2011

My Own NaNo - the end is nigh!

On October 13 I started My Own NaNo. My goal was to jump start a writing project after a long break and finish a first draft. I hadn't really considered a date for the deadline; however, National Novel Writing Month uses a deadline of - obviously - a month, so my deadline for a finished first draft should be November 10.

I think I'm gonna make it!

I'm in the final chapters of my first draft. I've written a total of 51,464 words and figure I'll have another few thousand before I'm done.

This novel actually started out as a 20,000 word novella. Of that novella, I have used the same names for the hero and heroine, the same setting, some of the original set-up and approximate two paragraphs of text.

Yep, tossed out most of the novella and started fresh. There were major changes to the plot and the heroine's situation and background so rather than struggle to use what I'd already written, it was easier to just forget it and write fresh material.

What happens after the first draft is done?

I tear it apart, cut it down, revise and rewrite, adding new material as necessary. I expect to lose at least 10,000 words from the first draft and probably a lot more.

On the plus side, I've figured out the basic emotional arc of the main characters, as well as their backstories. I've decided on the basic plot - what happens to who, if not precisely the best order. I know which secondary characters are more important than others, and created some that come in at the end that are going to have to be added earlier. I've discovered what I need to spend time researching, and what I don't.

All of this means I still have a whole lot of work to do. But I'm not feeling my way in the dark anymore. I have lighting and a path to follow, even if the journey is far from over.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad your goals are being reached! I'm looking forward to the book, whenever it comes out. Is it set in Wales, Scotland, or someplace else?

My goals were NOT met in a very spectacular way last month. The only thing is can say about Ilka's behavior in the ring was "It was a good example of how NOT to do Rally and Obedience".

Running all over the place, trying to pick up and play with the Rally signs, jumping all over me, and nipping at my arms and legs is not considered acceptable behavior. Neither is breaking a Sit Stay to play with the dog next to you. Back to training for trials coming up in January.

On the plus side, she did get the last leg of her Beginner Novice
Obedeince Title, the ONLY class (out of 7) she qualified in. Her name now officially reads: Ilka Of Pear Orchard Cemetry BN RN. I am hoping to add CD (Companion Dog) and RA (Rally Advanced) by this time next year.

Lucky's show career started and ended with one class. He was so stressed out, I thought he would have a heart attack, so my husband and kids drove two hours each way to take him home, while Ilka and I stayed to see how much humiliation I could take. Quite a bit, evidently, because I didn't even win a raffle prize.

On an entirely different note, my dryer quit heating, and we thought it needed a new element. Well, I was working on it yeaterday, and wound up buying a new washer and dryer. The reason it quit heating was a fried wire, not a broken heating element. I freaked out, because it could have shorted and caused a fire. My old washer is going to Goodwill. It is fine, just 17 years old, and I am getting a high efficiancy top-loader to match my new high efficency dryer.

By the way, are you going to have an easier time picking out your Mother of the Bride outfit than you did with your Mother of the Groom outfit? I seem to recall you went through about four or five different outfits the last time.

Rosemary

Margaret Moore said...

The book is set in southern England.

Sorry to hear you're having troubles with Ilka. But seems like she's coming along.

As for the mother of the bride outfit, I have plenty of time and I have to wait until they pick a date. So no rush (yeah!).