Category: Fiction
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Two-Hour Fiction (with a nonfiction chaser)
Got a net gain of 1209 new words, in spite of pulling out a couple chunks of previous work. DTD now sits at 9102 words, and I have my hero stuck in the heroine’s hall closet while she and a couple of her grad students are trying to figure out the relationship between the missing…
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Writing the Novel: Starting Late
8:08 AM. I’d intended to get started earlier. Lack of sleep, too much shower, laundry… I could blame any or all three, but I won’t. I didn’t get in here promptly, but I’m here now. My plan is for 1500 words between now and 10 AM. I’ll see how that pans out. Timer set…I’m doing…
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Dreaming the Dead: Trying again
It isn’t just that I didn’t get much written last night. I’ve discovered I really don’t like the bit I got. So my notes for the night, in my attempt to get take two of this scene right: Critical questions for “Out the service door” (I name my scenes on my index cards)… 1) Why…
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Writing the Novel: The Running Man
I’m starting tonight’s installment of Dreaming the Dead with a scene in which my hero leads a killer away from a crowded area to prevent a massacre, and tries to shake the killer from his trail before pursuing the heroine—who at the moment is an obstacle standing between him and what he most wants. I…
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Thorsday Night: Mailed
Did one final pass this morning, tightened up the ending some more, came in at around 7800 words. Since 6500 words was minimum, not maximum, I’m fine. (Rechecked the contract this morning). I’m pleased with the emotional drive of the story, and I like the way the plot pulled together. So now I’ll wait to…
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Thorsday Night: 3:15 AM Done
7954 words. I like it. It’ll have to go out that way. Can’t find anything else to cut, and have to sleep. But I like it.
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Thorsday Night: Final, With Caveats
It grew. Damn thing is now 8200 words. It’s a helluva lot better, and it’s tight. But 8200 words. I’m looking over everything for stuff to cut. I have missed my bed deadline by a lot. I will not, however, miss my turn-in deadline. So…onward.
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Finishing Thorsday Night: Starting In
Closing on ten p.m., and I’ve had and enjoyed my weekend and a break from work. And, equally important, the story has had two days to sit on the hard drive while I did not think much about it. From time to time I’d get pings from my subconscious/ Right Brain/ muse, so I have…
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Thorsday Night: To Kill . . . Or Not To Kill
Down to the last scene. I’ve finished 5865 words, and I’m still trying to decide if the story is better served by having the villain live, or die. I hate him—I really, really hate him—and I want him to die. But I can nail some great plot points either way. That and the ending are…
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Thorsday Night: Still on target
1676 words to go. Heading into the climactic confrontation, where I have two good twists planned. Nila and Per (my handsome Swede) were in deep trouble, only from the looks of things, the trouble has all just shifted to Nila’s shoulders. This is such a blast.