2010 June » Leah Cutter -- writer/traveler

More than that

Jun 302010

I woke up around 6 — kitty wanted attention. Didn’t actually get up until 7, though. Wrote about 5 pages (handwritten) this morning, and another 7 pages tonight, so about 2000 words, probably, when I type it up. Hopefully I’ll be able to get up early tomorrow and type it up so I can write more of the story tomorrow.

I love this story. I love this novel. I love the digging in I’ve been doing on the characters. And the setting. And the problems. It’s just — awwww. So gratifying and satisfying.

I was thinking about this today. Though I have a lot of words to write over the next ~~six~~ five weeks, sitting down to write them isn’t necessarily about discipline. I can get up early, and write late into the night, because I love what I’m doing. There isn’t anything else I would rather do in the whole entire world. That why I can do this even when I don’t feel 100%.

I hope that you’re doing what you love.

Sleep rules. . .

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Jun 292010

Which is why I haven’t been writing in the mornings. Monday I turned off my alarm when it went off at 7 AM, then rolled back over. I figured I’d wake up 20 minutes later. Nope. 2+ hours later before I opened my eyes again.

This morning a similar thing happened. I assume if I can’t wake up at my regular time, I need the extra sleep. So I’m a little behind this week in terms of where I wanted to be (finished with chapter three.) However, if I look at the straight numbers, I’m right on schedule:

12,956 / 60,000

Almost 13,000 words, which if I’d only done 10,000 last week, would mean 3000 this week, about 1500 a day, which is, as I said, exactly on schedule. We’ll see how tomorrow goes. I know what the scene is and what happens in it. I need to get further behind the POV’s character’s eyes, though. I’m not quite sure what she’s feeling at the start of the scene. . .I need to figure it out before I start writing so I don’t have to make more than one run at the scene.

Week one: goal achieved!

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Jun 272010

Wrote out about 10 pages by hand this afternoon. The words came pretty easily. I really like writing by hand. I just find the computer distracting. I used to compose directly on the computer. I also used to write much slower. I can write by hand really quickly.

Here is the official count for week one on the word count meter:

10184 / 60000

This means I have made my week one goal of 10,000 words! If anyone feels like sponsoring me in the Clarion West Write-a-Thon, please donate here:

http://clarionwest.org/events/writeathon/LeahCutter

The only time recently that I’ve been successful at composing on the computer is when I fail when writing a scene by hand. For example, I realized after about half a page that I was writing the wrong scene about Adele, the queen of the fairies. I needed to start the scene much earlier. I was able to successfully compose all the earlier material, up to the point where I started writing by hand, on the computer. Maybe because it was so specific? Once I moved past that, I bogged down completely. So maybe I should just keep making mistakes.

I hope that everyone has had a wonderful weekend. I had fun at the Carl Brandon event, though I wasn’t able to talk in louder than a hoarse whisper. My voice is better today, but still not 100%. Maybe tomorrow.

Celebrate!

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Jun 262010

It took me a lot longer to write 2000 words than it should have. In part, it was because I was experimenting with writing directly on the computer, instead of handwriting everything, then typing it up later. I don’t think the words are as good, and the process certainly took forever. But I’m going to keep experimenting, doing half and half.

I’d plotted out all the scenes in chapter two (one sentence per scene) but when I looked at the outline this morning I realized something important: if I tried to do all those scenes in one chapter, either it would be huge, or each scene would only be a couple hundred words. I pushed a lot of events out to chapter three, as well as wrote up a few things that need to happen in chapter four. So the book might not need that extra subplot. I’ve put in more hooks for it, just in case.

Here’s the official word count so far, the total words for the first two chapters:

8643 / 60000

Only about 1400 words to finish off the week’s goal of 10,000. Should do that easily tomorrow.

Tonight — the Carl Brandon Society party in honor of Octavia Butler! I’ll be there most of the evening, but don’t be surprised if I merely wave — my voice is still iffy at best.

Ah, yes

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Jun 252010

Still feeling very iffy. However, after I sit for a long period of time I start to feel better. Then I make the mistake of thinking that I might be getting well, I try to do something, and I start to list to one side. It isn’t pretty.

I sat for a couple of hours this afternoon before I tried writing anything. That seemed to work. I will have to try it again tomorrow. I’m pretty much on track — I’ve finished about 6000 words, so I’m scheduled to do 10,000 a week. That leaves 2000 each day of the weekend, which is doable. Hell, if I get on a roll I’ll do the full 4000 in a day.

Here’s the actual word count:

6579 / 60000

In addition to the writing I also did a little more plotting–I’m going to have to come up with another subplot, I think, or this thing is only going to be about 20,000 words long. (^_^) But I have the makings of one, already planted. I need to trust myself on this.

I’m doing minimal research on this, or just seat-of-my-pants, looking something up and forging ahead. Today’s inspiration piece was this:

Isn’t that amazing?

Pushing more

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Jun 242010

Woke up feeling like crap this morning. No voice. I suspect it’s a sinus infection. I still wrote about 1000 words this morning. Am trying to catch an earlier flight home. Don’t think I’ll manage any more words today.

Posted via LjBeetle

pushing through

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Jun 232010

Despite my exhaustion yesterday I still wrote a little, as well as this morning. Tonight I typed everything in, finishing chapter 1. I should be writing more tonight, writing the next 1000 words, starting chapter 2. However, I’m so tired I’ve lost my enthusiasm and excitement. I’m taking that as a sign not to push tonight, to relax, recover, and write tomorrow. I’m flying back, and I always end up writing a lot, either in the airport or on the airplane.

I was aiming for 4000 words for chapter 1 — ended up about 4500.

4533 / 60000

My goal for the week is still 10,000. Only about 6000 left, another chapter and a half. I think I’ll make it, even if I’m still tired.

This Saturday is the Carl Brandon celebration of Octavia Butler’s induction into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. It’s at the Lake Union Courtyard Marriott. Please join us at 8 PM.

Progress

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Jun 212010

Wrote ~1200 words this morning. Really wanted to write more but had to go to the day job. Hopefully will do another 800 or so tonight and finish off chapter one. (I’m aiming for 4000 word chapters.) Probably little to no writing tomorrow. My goal is to finish chapters 1&2 by Friday, so I can plot out 3, maybe 4 as well on the weekend before diving in again.

One of the things I’ve come to realize is that the process for every novel is different. For this one, a complete outline from start to finish would be wrong. I’m outlining chapter by chapter, something I’ve never done before but that appears to be right.

The one thing that hasn’t changed, and will possibly never change for me is that I do know where I’m going in this novel. I know what those e.s scenes are. I never start unless I know the end. Or a vague idea of the end. Otherwise there’s no use in me starting. Whatever I write will be crap.

So how do you work? Do you know the end before beginning?

Posted via LjBeetle

Crazy?

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Jun 172010

So. I’ve signed up for the Clarion West write-a-thon this year.

My goal? A short YA novel. 60,000 words in 6 weeks.

I’ve been doing some planning and plotting of said novel for the past week. Thought about it a lot tonight. I know what that first scene is. I know what the last scene is. I know six of the characters. I know some of the middle scenes, the twists and turns. I think it’s going to be cool.

I don’t have a title yet. I keep poking at it. But I do know the basic description.

Steampunk fairies.

This is going to be so much fun!

I do keep thinking about the trilogy, and internalizing the comments I’ve received from my first readers. I need to let it set, rest, before I attack it again.

In the meanwhile, I get to play!

Hi!

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Jun 162010

I’m hesitant to say that I’m finally well. Basically, every time I think I’m better, something comes out of left field and knocks me to my knees again. Monday, I finally stopped wheezing. I felt as though I could start moving again, start to get back my strength.

Got hit Tuesday morning with some kind of stomach thing — probably just food poisoning. Couldn’t keep anything down for 24 hours, and my stomach is still slightly iffy today.

But really, it’s just physical things. The rest of my life is great.

–I paid off my mortgage. The paperwork won’t be finished for another 90 days. I am DEBT FREE and the condo is MINE.

–I went to a wonderful writing workshop this weekend (yes, still wheezing and occasionally without voice.)

–I have fabulous first readers and I have so many ideas about what to do with the novels.

–I’m really excited about what I’m doing with my writing and where I’m going. I had a great meeting with my financial adviser this week and it’s going to be challenging, but damn it, I’m ready.

–I’m trying a new “diet” as it were — basically eating less and exercising more. Or at least I keep making plans for it. We’ll see how the week goes. Next week I’ll be in SF, and it’s going to be a lot more challenging.

I hope that everything is going well with ya’ll. I haven’t had a chance to read LJ for a long while. If there’s something you really want me to see, feel free to link away.