Saturday, April 21, 2007

Writing Woes and Wonderful Weather

Books want to be born: I never make them. They come to me and insist on being written, and on being such and such. ~ Samuel Butler

I hit 20,000 words on my novella yesterday, and I'm nowhere near finished. When I originally came up with this idea, I'd planned for it to be a 55,000 word novel. As I began writing it, I decided it didn't have enough going on to make it that far. Now? I'm beginning to wonder if it just might make it. Probably not, but I'm amazed at how much this story has changed and grown as it dribbles from my fingertips (I wish I could say that it flies, but some days it's absolute torture to write).

I've been utterly blank on the short story front, though. This is an odd occurrence for me -- I typically have half a dozen story ideas rattling around in my brain. Currently, I have nothing. I do have about ten short stories that I've started and haven't a clue how they end... I may pull one of those out and play with it to see what happens.

The good news is that my Vintage Rose story, "Miles From You" has gone to production. I'm not certain how long it will take to be released, but it should be available soon -- and as always, you will be the first to know.

I've also been working on editing one of my novels. As I go through the story, I've discovered how very visual I am. Even though I truly concentrate on using all the senses when I write, for the most part I flop. In real life, I'm also quite visual and I suppose that could be why it's so difficult for me. I wonder... maybe if I spend some time blindfolded and try to write something based only on what I hear, smell, taste, etc., I'll open up my other senses a bit.

A few days ago, Brenda Coulter blogged about a real life experience that helped her with one of her heroines. This is the kind of thing I want to use to deepen the writing even more.

Today, getting anything accomplished will be tough -- aside from the fact that DH is home, the weather is supposed to be gorgeous! Sunny and 70 degrees!! Woo! Staying inside is probably not an option, but I'll do my best. In fact, if I finish up here I can do my writing now, before that amazing yellow ball rises in the sky.

Yesterday, I took the DD to The Butterfly Place in Westford, MA. She had a ball.



Remember: A new book giveaway started yesterday. Have you entered yet?

4 comments:

Ceri Hebert said...

I'll have problems getting anything done too, but because I'm at work and will probably have to put in a full day instead of getting out early. It is gorgeous! Finally!

I'm busy into proof reading my galley for my WCP book. Ugh, 293 pages to go through line by line. But I have good news from Samhain. Not only is Sweet Forever being released on Tuesday, I actually have received my first check! I'm an author now, so I've been told!

Enjoy your day. I've got the window open and heard geese fly over. I think thats the closest thing to nature I'm going to experience today.

Melissa McClone said...

It's amazing how a work takes on a life of its own. I wrote a eserial for eharlequin. Eight chapters corresponding to the eight weeks they would release the new part. I had to hold myself back on that book so much. There just wasn't room!

And I think most people are visual. Have you ever gone through your ms. and highlighted each of the senses with a different color. It really shows you what's missing and needs to be filled in. Good luck!

anno said...

That's great news on "Miles From You"! I'm looking forward to seeing that one.

The sun and the scent of freshly mown grass are making feel a little delirious today. I hope you are enjoying the same.

groovyoldlady said...

Going outside will give you plenty of real life experiences for your characters. Or it may give you some short story ideas. Why just today I got some fabulous murder ideas involving an angry biker ridding the world of rude drivers.

(Or there'e the one about the biker who dies an agonizing death in a ditch after smacking face first into a mailbox because some idiot driver bumped him off the road. Or there's the one...)