It is Friday, writers of the blogosphere. And you know what that means.
A step away from the mundane tasks of the week. A relaxation of the tyranny of the clock.
And the challenge to live this weekend with intention.
I hereby publicly declare a significant challenge for myself this weekend: by midnight Monday, I will have found my way to the end of this draft of Filling in the Blanks.
Now, I know that every single time I announce a big grown up goal like this, life conspires to throw obstacles in my way. At times I feel like Ulysses, and wonder which god I accidentally insulted that it should take so long to reach the end of my journey. However, barring shipwreck or unexpected attacks from cyclops, I really do believe I can get this done.
I’ve lived with this book long enough that the thought of actually completing it is nearly incomprehensible. I contemplate it in the way one considers the vast realities of God and Death – I know they exist, but it’s hard to wrap my mind around the reality. Maybe this is one reason I’m procrastinating so effectively. Much as I curse the endless revision loop I seem to be in, I suspect that I fear the unknown awaiting me on the other side.
Never the less. The time has come, as the walrus said. Other books await. It’s nearly time to get back to Swimming North and I have some shiny new ideas about Gatekeeper. I tell myself that this is it: I will finish this draft, edit, and then move on. The plot is simply not important enough that I should spend my entire life trying to turn it into a work of literature. It’s a good story. The next one will be better.
Listen to me – I sound like I’d already finished the damn thing, and I haven’t written word one yet this morning. I will, though. I will work on it today, and tomorrow, and by Monday night this draft will be done. Knock wood.
What about the rest of you? Where are you at in your writing? Share a little about the current WIP and what you hope to accomplish this weekend, or in the weeks to come.
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June 19, 2009 at 9:17 am
Digital Dame
Go finish that puppy. Get it out of your system, and you’ll be free to dive into the next thing.
Me — I’ll be head down, lost in my vampire’s world. I have a lot of fleshing out to do in the early pages, since this was intended to be a short story to begin with. I can go back now and expand on things that would have been given minimal attention, if any. Everything I do these days is colored by this story. I haven’t actually tried to drink anyone’s blood yet but at the rate I’m going …
June 19, 2009 at 9:48 am
uppington
I am suddenly thankful that I live far, far away from you! How exciting that you are so fully immersed in your writing, though. I love to hear that from you.
June 19, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Silver James
Good on you, uppington. I hope RL is good to you so you can work. I’m still working on fixing some POV shifts in the second FAERIE book to send back to my editor. This weekend though? I’m probably shutting down the internet and hiding. I had to make a tough decision today and say goodbye to one of my constant companions. I am going to wallow in my mourning. I’ll worry about writing if and when the urge hits.
Write true, uppingtion. Write true.
June 19, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Digital Dame
Silver, I’m so sorry for your loss. Maybe a memorial page on your site would be helpful, like Sue Grafton did for a kitty of hers?
June 21, 2009 at 9:16 am
gypsyscarlett
Uppington,
I hope you’re doing well with your goal. All the best with it.
I fell behind with my editing, because I…..I……took off TWO days this week from working on my novel. I can’t remember the last time I took off one day, let alone two. But my brain screamed for a rest. 15 chapters have been edited and beta-approved by one beta (waiting to hear back from the other). So I now have ten more chapters to edit and have beta-ed.
June 21, 2009 at 12:33 pm
gypsyscarlett
Silver James,
I want to give you my condolences as well. I still miss my old dog, so I totally understand. Pets really do become part of the family.
June 21, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Silver James
Thank you, all of you. Tucker was very ill and in pain. I know it was the right decision but for ten years, he’s been sleeping under my desk. It’s hard not having him there.
I hope everyone reached their goals! I’m still having trouble getting back into the write headspace. (“Pun” intended.) Tomorrow, though, I’ve got to get back to work. I have 300 pages to edit and get back to my editor ASAP.
June 21, 2009 at 3:32 pm
uppington
@silverjames – sounds like you made the compassionate decision, but I can imagine your loss. Every time I look at one of my pets I’m conscious of the relative shortness of their lives and remember to be grateful for the time they are here. Sorry that you’re in that place right now.
@Tasha – you took days off?? How could you? Good grief, woman, you are one of the hardest writing writers that I know! Probably the book will be better for it.
I have written and revised to the end of this revision of Filling in the Blanks. Just putting in some proper chapter breaks, doing a little touch up here and there, and then printing it for my excellent live-in beta reader to give me feedback.
How are the rest of you doing this weekend?