Tag Archives: writing

Getting Down to Editing

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I just finished editing the first two chapters of the book (out of 47).  I’ve decided to edit on the computer.  I could say it’s because I want to be environmentally conscious…but that would be a lie.  I prefer editing on the computer because I can make all the changes I need to instantly without the chance of forgetting.  I go straight through the writing and change what is needed.  At the same time, I have another Word document open tracking all of the plot holes and whatnot that I need to keep an eye on.

I’ve heard plenty of times that you are supposed to ready through the entirety of the novel one time without changing a thing.  I have to cry bullshit on that one.  I cannot read through, see all the small mistakes, and not do something about them.  I’m really enjoying editing right now.  Of my four novels, this one seems to have the fewest mistakes.  Considering how quickly I wrote it, I expected the exact opposite.  My goal for this editing job is to edit about ten pages a day.  With about 110 pages in Word, I should get a new draft done every eleven days or so.

With Love,
Richard

66,073 Words in 42 Days

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At 4:45pm today, I have completed my fourth novel.  It took me 42 days to write and is a total of 66,073 words.  That means I wrote an average of 1,573 words every day over the past six weeks.  Although the novel is slightly shortly than I would like it, I will probably take care of that in the editing.  I will wait until tomorrow to figure out how to edit this monster.

Tonight I will rest and celebrate.

8 April 2012: 600 Words
9 April 2012: 2,700 Words
10 April 2012: 4,300 Words
11 April 2012: 4,800 Words
12 April 2012: 8,700 Words
13 April 2012: 9,900 Words
14 April 2012: 10,700 Words
15 April 2012: 11,600 Words
16 April 2012: 13,800 Words
17 April 2012: 15,900 Words
18 April 2012: 17,500 Words
19 April 2012: 20,000 Words
20 April 2012: 21,100 Words
21 April 2012: 22,100 Words
22 April 2012: 25,300 Words
23 April 2012: 27,100 Words
24 April 2012: 28,500 Words
25 April 2012: 30,200 Words
26 April 2012: 31,500 Words
27 April 2012: 33,300 Words
28 April 2012: 34,700 Words
29 April 2012: 36,300 Words
30 April 2012: Halftime Break
1 May 2012: 38,300 Words
2 May 2012: 39,900 Words
3 May 2012: 40,700 Words
4 May 2012: 42,500 Words
5 May 2012: 43,400 Words
6 May 2012: 44,300 Words
7 May 2012: 46,600 Words
8 May 2012: 48,000 Words
9 May 2012: 48,900 Words
10 May 2012: 51,000 Words
11 May 2012: 52,300 Words
12 May 2012: Fourth Quarter Break
13 May 2012: 53,700 Words
14 May 2012: 55,100 Words
15 May 2012: 56,400 Words
16 May 2012: 59,800 Words
17 May 2012: Two-Minute Warning
18 May 2012: 64,700 Words
19 May 2012: 66,073 Words

The Everyday Project

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With only a few chapters left, I am starting to wrap up the storylines of several characters. I’m enjoying it a lot.  I’ve grown to know my characters a lot over the past month an a half.  Their lives after the events of the book almost feel like they are writing themselves.  I know how they act and what they are capable of.  As the book comes to a natural conclusion, I am finding out a lot that I didn’t know about my characters.  I love it.

Today I am uploading a personal project that has nothing to do with writing.  Five and a half years ago, I started taking a picture of myself everyday.  Today, that means that there are more than 2,000 pictures.  When played in quick succession (10 images a second), you can see me age.  The Everyday Project is something I believe everyone should do.  I hope you enjoy.

Closing Action

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I have about 15,000 words left to write.  Considering I am hitting the final climax over the next two chapters, my closing actions will be about 10,000 words.  I’ve never really thought about this before.  How much closing action is too much?  How much is too little?  In my first two novels, I didn’t think about this much because they were part of a trilogy.  With my third novel, everything was quick so I did the same with the end.

I hate making things back and white.  I know that the outline I have is perfect to conclude this story.  But, as I look at the numbers, I wish the concluding action wasn’t 1/8th of the novel.  I won’t honestly worry about it until I get there.  Too often do I think about the numbers then I realize that certain chapters will be twice as long as others.  I’m just thinking about too much, I guess.  I just need to write, write, write, and wrap this thing up.

Much Love,
Richard

Finishing in Style

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Most writers have a certain scene stuck in their head when they write.  I know I do.  I feel compelled to write because I can see certain parts of my story so clearly.  I know exactly what needs to happen before I can write the scene that I’ve thought about for weeks.  Sometimes it is the beginning of the story.  Sometimes it’s a random part.  Sometimes it is the climax.

I had four of those scenes stuck in my head when I started this project.  Now that I am in my final two weeks of writing, I have written out three of those four scenes.  Nothing is more satisfying that being able to write out a scene in such a way that gives it justice.  It’s a surprisingly hard thing to accomplish.  Sometimes these scenes have been in my mind for years.  When you finally write it out, you don’t want to get a detail wrong.

Damn.  Writing with passion complicates everything.  Hmmm…sounds about right.

With Love,
Richard

Dilemma: Writing & Working

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A couple weeks ago, I watched “Girl, Interrupted.”  In the movie, they ask the protagonist what she wants to do with her life.  Her response: Write.  The reaction is one that many writers know well.  There are blank stares and then the inevitable question.  “What’s your backup plan?”  Few non-writers understand the mindset of a writer.  We writers may do something else to make money.  That is not who we are.  We are writers first.

I have built a life that allows me to focus on my writing.  It is something I hope to maintain for years to come.  With my Bachelor’s Degree, I am able to substitute teach whenever I want for decent money.  With cheap rent and a cheaper lifestyle, I honestly don’t work very often.  I do, however, write at least three hours a day.  It’s difficult to build a lifestyle that allows you to be a writer first.  If you are able to accomplish it, it is well worth it.  I encourage all writers out their to honestly sit down and think about their priories.  If you can put writing first, you should.

I’m about to hit another major milestone in my novel.  More tomorrow.

Much Love,
Richard

The Plight of the Writer (Huzun)

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It’s strange being a writer at times.  Your writing depends so much on emotion.  The thing is emotion is ever-changing–much like a river.  The question that stands is: How to you harness the power of that river in order to produce something that will allow a reader to care.  If I write to fast, I worry about the quality of my writing.  If I write to slow, I worry about the changing emotion (of me) changing the state of the writing even when that is not what I want.

There is a reason depression and writing are forever bound.  For one, those who suffer from depression seems to have a more poetic view of their world.  Aside from that, the depressed mind is constant.  If you allow yourself to fall into depression, you need not worry about the changing state of your writing.  The question you are left with is: Can you sacrifice your life for your writing.  When writing becomes your life, the question is simple to answer.

For my readers: A poem.

Questions Deep in a Cavern
I go on regular hikes in the mountains behind my house.  I have found a beautiful waterfall where I’ve started to write.  I went there to write about a something very specific.  The idea merged with my surrounding and formed my favorite poem to date.

Final Chapter Outline

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I finished the second climax of the novel today.  It puts me past 45,000 words.  When I finished, I realized how barren my outline was for the rest of the novel.  Just a few points here and there. I spent a great deal of time finding historical references to make the final 25,000-35,000 words realistic and fascinating.  I think I spent more time outlining than writing today.  But I am in luck.  The final outline is complete.

With this novel, i have accomplished several goals that I have aimed for.  One: I am writing something I would love to read.  Two: I have a stroyline is not linear throughout.  Three: Love is not the central theme.  Four: Only a single character contains characteristic similar to me (and he actually isn’t involved in the story itself).  All in all, I feel like this novel is my most successful one yet.  And I haven’t even finished it.  I still predict that I will be done before the end of May.

Writing through Thick and Thin

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It’s been an up-and-down couple of days.  I spent the entirety of yesterday in Denver, thoroughly trying to enjoy myself.  Unfortunately, sheer tiredness and memories made it almost impossible to enjoy myself.  Luckily, I was able to channel that negative energy into writing and a bit of reading.  I’m gearing up for writing again today.  I hope to channel it once again.

I finished reading “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” yesterday.  I am taking a quick detour with “Looking For Alaska” by John Green before finishing off the series later this month.  The writing style in The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo was incredible.  I loved the storyline even though I don’t care much for mysteries.  I guess when you can write, it barely matters what genre you write in.  One day I hope to be able to do that.  It would be incredible to build up such a craft that I could bring any genre to life.

Some day…

Peace Corps & Poetry

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Within the next 24 hours, I will send in my medical review for full entry into the Peace Corps.  It’s been a long journey already–simply filling out the paperwork.  After tomorrow, however, it is all in the hands of the government.  In the months ahead, I’ll learn where I am going and when I leave.  It is going to be a 27 month endeavor.  I can’t wait to get started.

I hope to finish as much as possible before I leave.  I will finish this novel before the end of May.  I hope to also edit all four of my novels until they are ready for publication.  If I get to that point, I will let everybody know and present a link to get a severely discounted copy.  I should be able to get all of them done so long as I don’t get called into early duty (which I wouldn’t mind).

While in the Peace Corps, I hope to still have electricity.  If I do, I will continue to update this website with writing.  If I don’t, I will only be able to update periodically when I get access to a computer.  Either way, I will be writing a lot while serving.  Who knows what will come of this adventure.

A poetry update today…

Young Darling
While substituting in an Art Class, I eavesdropped on a conversation between two third graders.  The conversation was so fascinating, that I needed to write about it somehow.  This is a lighthearted poem.  It is also my first attempt at rhyming poetry.