Today it's time for another entry in my Wednesday's Writing Update.
As for submissions, I've had no new updates yet. I'm anxiously awaiting word about two short stories, and I should know sometime in December-January about them.
I still have two short stories set to be published this year in anthologies. I'm just waiting for release dates to let everyone know.
And, then I have NaNoWriMo news. Writing a novel in a month isn't for the faint of heart, and I think all that thinking and writing is sometimes draining my energy, but I'm pushing through and still enjoying it, despite the nervous tick I've developed in my left eye. Don't worry. It'll go away. It always does. I hope. *laughs and eye twitches*
Right now I'm at 31,341 words in sixteen days. I haven't begun writing today. So far, I only took one day off from writing, and I'm on schedule to reach 50,000 words a few days before November 30th. My goal is to reach the 50,000 word count before Thanksgiving, so I'll still have time to finish writing the book. I think it is a very doable goal. If I get to writing a lot today, I'd like to reach between 33,000-35,000 words by the end of today.
At times, I'm a little worried my novel is boring, so I'm spicing things up here and there with scenes that weren't previously planned but fit the storyline. Also, if you missed Saturday's post, I explained the change in the title from Sarah's Nightmare to Missing. You can read that post here.
I still like the new working title Missing. It fits the storyline and characters so much better. I hope it'll stick.
I've been thinking about the end of the novel as well. I have the perfect ending planned, and it's so sad. I got teary-eyed in the shower as I thought about it. No, Missing doesn't have a very happy ending in a sense, especially for one character, but I'm not saying who yet. The ending feels right, though. True, I could write a different ending, but it'd change the novel and what it is about. Yes, this one is right, and it's not completely sad. A lot of good things happen. Trust me.
So, I'm continuing on. I'm really enjoying this NaNoWriMo thing. I've realized a lot about myself as a novel writer through it. For one, I'm a plotter, but I keep my options open if things must change. For two, I need to turn off my internal editor/critic and write with abandoned. If I let myself think about how I'm saying something and whether or not should I use this word or another in my first draft, then I'll never finish it. I have to just write with the mindset that I'll fix these things in the later drafts. I have several novels I've previously started and never finished because I was always editing the first three chapters and unable to go on. I know now I can't write like that. It's one thing for short stories to think more as you go and choose words more carefully and edit, but with novels, I have to write.
I've been looking forward to December and next year and thinking about my writing goals. Next year, I want at least one of my previous novels revised and polished, so I can begin querying agents. In December, I'll be doing research, plotting, character sketches, and all those good things I did for Missing for Virtuoso. Then, I'm rewriting Virtuoso from scratch. I'm actually really looking forward to it.
This is what I want to do. This is who I am.
I'm a writer.
4 comments:
The sad endings are always the ones that stick with me. Kudos to you for taking the plunge and going with it.
You ARE a true writer! :)
Thanks, Aubrie! I could've gone with a happier ending, and I did consider it. Then, it felt like a romance novel. I didn't want it because it's not that type of book. So a sad ending it is, but there are the realms of possibility from the ending too.
And, thank you! I'm still learning about writing, but lately, I feel like a writer, like this is who I was meant to be.
The best ending isn't always the happiest (unless it's a romance of course). Whatever ending moves you, will move the reader.
I agree, Nicole. I just hope the reader gets what I was going for through the ending. It's going to be hard to right it, but in a way, I'm looking forward to writing it too. It's so clear in my mind.
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