This always happens to me in April - baseball starts and I go nuts trying to get kids to practices, games, and still help with homework, projects, and make dinner. And then I added in lacrosse.
It definitely doesn't help that I'm trying to get our Easter/Spring Break trip to Washington, DC organized AND continue with my other blog (www.500placeswithkids.com) AND continue with writing and figuring out what I want to do with my other two projects I've let slide.
So yesterday I took a break. I organized my thoughts on a nonfiction book proposal that has been going nowhere and decided to let it sit until I received more feedback from an agent I sent it to. Hopefully, I'll hear back from her (and if I don't, I'll be seeing her on Sunday when I attend the New York conference of the International Woman's Writing Guild - too impolite to say hey? what's the deal?) Meanwhile I'm going to grow my audience with my blog (or my platform) and do some promo work on Shutterfly as a member of their Beta group for a new product.
I also decided to take a new look at my dad's memoir that I helped cowrite. It, too, has been going nowhere so I decided to get some feedback from Michael Larsen of Larsen and Pomoda who specializes in nonfiction proposals. Unfortunately, that means I new a rough proposal for a book that is finished.
Sigh. Time to research the market and do all the lovely stuff associated with that.
So where does that leave Pandora's Box?? Patiently waiting until things calm down a bit. Right now I have too much on my platter. A nonfiction travel book proposal, a travel blog, querying agents for my father's memoir, and writing a proposal for my father's memoir. Add in my normal life and it's too much.
Pandora's Box is temporarily shelved until I have some breathing room. But lest you think I'm going to forget about it, I plan on taking the time away from the computer to research some of the details I want to include and more importantly, READ in my genre.
Because you see, there is no point in writing a steampunk story (if that's truly what it is . . . it may a paranormal fantasy romance . . .) if I don't know what to include (or not to include).
Until further notice, the word count will stay where it is. And I plan instead on using this blog to deal with my other issues. A nice little diary if you will . . .
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
The Outline is Finished!!!
Yea!! I just finished my outline for Pandora's Box. This is truly a skeleton that needs muscle, tendons, and ligaments to make it come alive. It's also going to need a TON of work. What I have right now is the bare bones - which is basically nothing.
However, I now know where I'm going and what I need to do to get to the end. Dialog, characterization, setting - all this needs to be added, but I don't need to worry about plot because I have a beginning, middle and end.
I read somewhere that this was similar to the way James Patterson works (not that I am by any stretch of the imagination comparing myself to him!). He creates a very detailed outline which runs around 60-70 pages then goes back and fills in the dialog, etc. (And in some cases has other writers do it for him). Using this method, he produces books like a machine. Churning out plots and neat stories before getting to the labor intensive section.
21471 words and I'm on my way!!!
However, I now know where I'm going and what I need to do to get to the end. Dialog, characterization, setting - all this needs to be added, but I don't need to worry about plot because I have a beginning, middle and end.
I read somewhere that this was similar to the way James Patterson works (not that I am by any stretch of the imagination comparing myself to him!). He creates a very detailed outline which runs around 60-70 pages then goes back and fills in the dialog, etc. (And in some cases has other writers do it for him). Using this method, he produces books like a machine. Churning out plots and neat stories before getting to the labor intensive section.
21471 words and I'm on my way!!!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Tying up Loose Ends - Act III
As I work my way through my rough outline (or skeleton as I like to call it) to the end of my book, I realize that there are so many loose ends I have to make sure I take care of. The first one hit me over the head like a ton of bricks yesterday.
Naturally, it had to do with characters.
I realized I knew everything I needed about Amelia, my heroine, but Jack, my hero was a cardboard cutout along for the ride. And my villain? Forget about it - absolutely nothing had been revealed. I decided at the last minute to put in some background info on my hero that deals with how they get the villain in the end. But I know it's too little too late.
So, back to the character worksheets and the story tracker.
I'm also approaching the climax of the book and am trying to take of the little subplots - gee, why am I writing that in the plural? There's only one - their romance. Anyway, their romance needs to be cemented before the climactic scene. Which makes me wonder if there should be more subplots . . .
Right now, I'm thinking "just get to the end of the first draft/outline!!!"
And that's what I intend on doing by the end of the weekend.
20720 words.
Naturally, it had to do with characters.
I realized I knew everything I needed about Amelia, my heroine, but Jack, my hero was a cardboard cutout along for the ride. And my villain? Forget about it - absolutely nothing had been revealed. I decided at the last minute to put in some background info on my hero that deals with how they get the villain in the end. But I know it's too little too late.
So, back to the character worksheets and the story tracker.
I'm also approaching the climax of the book and am trying to take of the little subplots - gee, why am I writing that in the plural? There's only one - their romance. Anyway, their romance needs to be cemented before the climactic scene. Which makes me wonder if there should be more subplots . . .
Right now, I'm thinking "just get to the end of the first draft/outline!!!"
And that's what I intend on doing by the end of the weekend.
20720 words.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Act III - Not seeing the Forest for the Trees
LIfe was a little crazy yesterday and I didn't get much work done on Act III. Part of the reason was that I was stuck on my timeline. For some reason, I was insistent that I work around an event that would happen 18 MONTHS after Act II.
I knew that wouldn't work, but I couldn't seem to make the dates/times/events work out. I spent all sorts of time Googling natural disasters, trying various scenarios, and still couldn't make it work.
Consequently, I only wrote about 300 words.
However, in the course of my searching I did come across an event that DID fit in the timeline, but it didn't fit my pattern of natural disasters. I dismissed it, but occasionally returned to it through my searching.
And then I did the next best thing to walking and clearing out my mind . . . I watched taped episodes of CSI: NY and the Big Bang Theory, talked to my hubby about mixing actual history with fantasy, and then went to bed.
Amazingly, at around 5:30 this morning I had my brainstorm. I would use the event that worked in my timeline BUT I would make the villain fail.
Sort of.
My villain wouldn't complete his final task needed for world domination because he misinterpreted the information BUT he would injure/harm my hero. The way I figure, this sets up a final chase scene where Amelia and Jack have to race to capture my villain before he can fix his mistake. They'll then need to diffuse Pandora's Box and save the world by hiding it forever (okay, the last part is a little lame, and I'll work on it).
But I guess my main thought for the day is that by not forcing the plot, it kind of resolved itself and made it a better story.
19483 words.
I knew that wouldn't work, but I couldn't seem to make the dates/times/events work out. I spent all sorts of time Googling natural disasters, trying various scenarios, and still couldn't make it work.
Consequently, I only wrote about 300 words.
However, in the course of my searching I did come across an event that DID fit in the timeline, but it didn't fit my pattern of natural disasters. I dismissed it, but occasionally returned to it through my searching.
And then I did the next best thing to walking and clearing out my mind . . . I watched taped episodes of CSI: NY and the Big Bang Theory, talked to my hubby about mixing actual history with fantasy, and then went to bed.
Amazingly, at around 5:30 this morning I had my brainstorm. I would use the event that worked in my timeline BUT I would make the villain fail.
Sort of.
My villain wouldn't complete his final task needed for world domination because he misinterpreted the information BUT he would injure/harm my hero. The way I figure, this sets up a final chase scene where Amelia and Jack have to race to capture my villain before he can fix his mistake. They'll then need to diffuse Pandora's Box and save the world by hiding it forever (okay, the last part is a little lame, and I'll work on it).
But I guess my main thought for the day is that by not forcing the plot, it kind of resolved itself and made it a better story.
19483 words.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Busy Day - Word count only
What a busy day. Only getting to this in the late afternoon.
Finished outline of Act II yesterday. On to Act III.
19277 words.
Finished outline of Act II yesterday. On to Act III.
19277 words.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Cranking through the Outline
Yesterday was incredibly productive. I started off with my Dragon Dictate and finished outlining a scene that takes place in Alaska. Transferred it to my main document and made corrections. Then I just started writing what happened next.
I didn't think. I didn't edit. I just wrote. And it was kind of a weird section because I had to have about a year elapse between when my hero and heroine last see each other and meet again. But yet they needed to be in communication and certain things are happening (not a lot, but some . . .)
So I compressed a year into four (maybe five) letters where each are giving details about what's going on in their lives and their friendship continues to grow.
Then horrors! I introduced a new character and a wedding. Amelia is about to wed the rival to my hero, Jack!!! This was never in the original outline. But it just made sense so I went with it.
Which is kind of interesting because this entire thought process started from Act II's idea of a subplot. Several words later I reached the point where the end of Act II begins. Does that even make sense??
Long story short, I had to chuck my original idea of having Amelia figure out an important clue and have my hero do it. This is going to be the impetus that he'll use to stop (or at least postpone) the wedding. Then yea! by the end of Act II, Amelia will ditch the fiancee, opening the way for my hero to win her heart as they battle their way against the bad guy to the end of the book.
I also realized another important thing about my character and it's quite distressing, but not impossible to overcome.
She has to be about 5-6 years older than where I originally placed her. And that winds up my loopy thoughts on a Wednesday morning because THANK GOD FOR MY STORY TRACKER SHEET!!!
I think I mentioned that in BIAM's beginning, Schmidt comments on the need for a story tracker sheet where you simply make a change (like in this case, my heroine's age), note when the change occurs (page 1-50), and continue writing as if she'd always been that age.
I can truly say that in the past, I would have gone back, editing and trying to change the references and losing all forward momentum. Now, I'll just know that Amelia is going to be either 25 or 26 (possibly even 27/28) rather than the young 18 she started out as and move on.
18189 words . . . yup that's over 3000 written yesterday!!!
I didn't think. I didn't edit. I just wrote. And it was kind of a weird section because I had to have about a year elapse between when my hero and heroine last see each other and meet again. But yet they needed to be in communication and certain things are happening (not a lot, but some . . .)
So I compressed a year into four (maybe five) letters where each are giving details about what's going on in their lives and their friendship continues to grow.
Then horrors! I introduced a new character and a wedding. Amelia is about to wed the rival to my hero, Jack!!! This was never in the original outline. But it just made sense so I went with it.
Which is kind of interesting because this entire thought process started from Act II's idea of a subplot. Several words later I reached the point where the end of Act II begins. Does that even make sense??
Long story short, I had to chuck my original idea of having Amelia figure out an important clue and have my hero do it. This is going to be the impetus that he'll use to stop (or at least postpone) the wedding. Then yea! by the end of Act II, Amelia will ditch the fiancee, opening the way for my hero to win her heart as they battle their way against the bad guy to the end of the book.
I also realized another important thing about my character and it's quite distressing, but not impossible to overcome.
She has to be about 5-6 years older than where I originally placed her. And that winds up my loopy thoughts on a Wednesday morning because THANK GOD FOR MY STORY TRACKER SHEET!!!
I think I mentioned that in BIAM's beginning, Schmidt comments on the need for a story tracker sheet where you simply make a change (like in this case, my heroine's age), note when the change occurs (page 1-50), and continue writing as if she'd always been that age.
I can truly say that in the past, I would have gone back, editing and trying to change the references and losing all forward momentum. Now, I'll just know that Amelia is going to be either 25 or 26 (possibly even 27/28) rather than the young 18 she started out as and move on.
18189 words . . . yup that's over 3000 written yesterday!!!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Moving on to Act II - at least in the outline
No writing done yesterday, so I'm trying to do double the amount today. I still plan on using Dragon Dictate to get the rest of the story (or skeleton as I think of it) onto the computer screen.
Which leads me to Act II in BIAM. It seems that I've been stuck in the purple section (that's the color for BIAM's first week) for so long, that I'm afraid to move into the yellow section. However, just taking a look at Day 8 leads me to believe that I'm moving in the right direction.
One of the suggestions in Day 8 is to think of a mini-story within the story. Schmidt calls it an "exciting event" that is not a subplot, but a lighter "goings-on" that adds something to the story. Right now I'm trying to decide if the romance that develops between Amelia and the hero is a subplot, an essential element of the plot, or this "mini-story".
I'm thinking that it's a little bit of everything.
The way I imagine my story, Act II begins with Amelia beginning to have feelings for my hero. Feelings are dashed and hurt (first hers then his) and by the end of Act II, they've resolved their relationship. This point is essential because the final climax hinges on their "being in love". (Yes, I'm going with that classic theme that love conquers all.)
In that way, their romance is a sub-plot, an essential element, and a mini-story - right??
Let's hope so.
0 words written. ;(
Which leads me to Act II in BIAM. It seems that I've been stuck in the purple section (that's the color for BIAM's first week) for so long, that I'm afraid to move into the yellow section. However, just taking a look at Day 8 leads me to believe that I'm moving in the right direction.
One of the suggestions in Day 8 is to think of a mini-story within the story. Schmidt calls it an "exciting event" that is not a subplot, but a lighter "goings-on" that adds something to the story. Right now I'm trying to decide if the romance that develops between Amelia and the hero is a subplot, an essential element of the plot, or this "mini-story".
I'm thinking that it's a little bit of everything.
The way I imagine my story, Act II begins with Amelia beginning to have feelings for my hero. Feelings are dashed and hurt (first hers then his) and by the end of Act II, they've resolved their relationship. This point is essential because the final climax hinges on their "being in love". (Yes, I'm going with that classic theme that love conquers all.)
In that way, their romance is a sub-plot, an essential element, and a mini-story - right??
Let's hope so.
0 words written. ;(
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