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And a WIP Bar Update

Holly — Tue, 18 Jan 2005 12:46:20 +0000

"C", my secret project is gone from the WIP Progress graphs shown. In its place is the work-for-hire book I’ll be doing under the pseudonym. "C" will reappear when it’s actually on the schedule again. Here’s hoping that’s soon.

Work for Hire

Holly — Wed, 12 Jan 2005 13:45:46 +0000

I’m starting a topic on the upcoming work-for-hire project so I’ll be able to keep up with page counts and work out plotting and the usual things.

It’s going to be a funny bit of writing, though, discussing this project, because I’m not going to be able to admit I wrote it. Not going to put my own name on it, connect it to my site, drop cutsie little hints. It is work for hire in the purest sense. I’ll write it, I’ll do my absolute best to do it well, but it will not be mine. Not ever.

So while I’m doing it, maybe I’ll be able to wrap my mind around the whole work-for-hire issue, which is something that I’d bet most full-time writers have jumped into once or twice when money got tight. Work-for-hire is what you do to allow yourself keep doing what you love to do.

More later. The words are going well this morning.

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. The NEW New Plan

Holly — Mon, 10 Jan 2005 22:57:08 +0000

We’re going to contract on pseudonymous book one. But the deadline has changed. It is now MAY 30. Instead of July 31.

Just got 60+ days whacked out of my schedule.

So now I have to look for 60 unused days in the first part of my year.

REVISION MARKS FOR THE PLAN
*//–>Marks indicate places where the schedule has changed. These marks are melodramatic, but I’m in that mood right now.//

Look for number changes with (old number) new number.

*****************
THE NEW New PLAN
*****************
*//–>First, eliminate ALL DAYS OFF between now and MAY 31. Miss one day of writing, and I’m screwed.//

================================
Finish HAWKSPAR and have it in on APRIL (25) 17.
================================

HAWKSPAR PLAN
200,000 words at completion
200 words per page
1000 pages at completion

3000 words per day
67 working days to end of first draft
*//–>DELETE 5 RETHINK DAYS// (10) 5 work days for re-thinking, redirecting
*//–>DELETE 3 REVISION DAYS// (30) 27 days for one-pass revision plus type-in
(107) 99 work days to completion

Actual completion day April (25) 17. No buffer days.

==============================
Finish pseudonymous novel (JULY 31) MAY 30.
==============================

PSEUDONYMOUS NOVEL PLAN
65,000 words
200 words per page
325 pages at completion

*//–>ADD 95 WORDS PER DAY TO WORD COUNT (3000) 3095 words a day
*//–>DELETE 1 DAY FROM FIRST DRAFT// (22) 21 working days to end of first draft
*//–> DELETE 5 RETHINK DAYS// (10) 5 working days for re-thinking, re-directing
*//–> DELETE TWO REVISION DAYS// (20) 18 days for one-pass revision
(52) 44 work days to completion

Completion date if no buffer days used: JUNE 16.
*//–> DELETE ALL BUFFER DAYS// Buffer days: (46) None. (This novel is going to take significant research way outside my usual field. I anticipate needing all of these days.) *//–> TOO BAD. RESEARCH AT BEDTIME.//

*//–>PANT LIKE A CAFFEINATED CHIHUAHUA FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS. DO NO WORK WHATSOEVER. TRY NOT TO PIDDLE ON THE FLOOR.//

===============================
Skip "C" entirely this year — now is not the time.
===============================
*//–>NO SHIT//

==============================
Finish Next Onyx novel (if contracted) OCT 31.
==============================

ROMANTIC SUSPENSE THRILLER
100,000 words at completion
200 words per page
500 pages at completion

3000 words per day
34 working days to end of first draft
10 work days for re-thinking, redirecting
20 days for one-pass revision plus type-in
64 working days to completion

Completion date if no buffer days used: Oct. 2
Buffer days: 29.

===========================
Consider second pseudonymous novel
for completion around the end of the year.
===========================

PSEUDONYMOUS NOVEL II PLAN
65,000 words
200 words per page
325 pages at completion

3000 words a day
22 working days to end of first draft
10 working days for re-thinking, re-directing
20 days for one-pass revision
51 work days to completion

The Schedule is Dead, Long Live the Schedule

Holly — Fri, 07 Jan 2005 19:39:00 +0000

Rule number one in writing for a living: Things Change. If you want to keep eating, sometimes they change quickly.

Books now comprise 276 working days, up from 251. That’s 88 buffer days, but NONE OF THEM can be front-ended to Hawkspar.

Here’s my new schedule:

=============================
Finish HAWKSPAR and have it in on APRIL 25.
=============================

HAWKSPAR PLAN
200,000 words at completion
200 words per page
1000 pages at completion

3000 words per day
67 working days to end of first draft
10 work days for re-thinking, redirecting
30 days for one-pass revision plus type-in
107 work days to completion

Actual completion day April 25. No buffer days.

========================
Finish pseudonymous novel JULY 31.
========================

PSEUDONYMOUS NOVEL PLAN
65,000 words
200 words per page
325 pages at completion

3000 words a day
22 working days to end of first draft
10 working days for re-thinking, re-directing
20 days for one-pass revision
52 work days to completion

Completion date if no buffer days used: JUNE 16.
Buffer days: 46. (This novel is going to take significant research way outside my usual field. I anticipate needing all of these days.)

===============================
Skip "C" entirely this year — now is not the time.
===============================