7:10 AM
The goal today is simple. Finish WARPAINT. Words necessary to do this? I’m estimating 2000 to 3000.
I’m up early, I’m wound tight with excitement, and I have a good launch point built yesterday to take me where I want to go.
I know the last line. 😀
So…
STARTING WORDS: 77,775
GOAL: Completion of the first draft
Starting scene: The Sound
I wish your words wings today.
12:20 PM
I logged my progress on Twitter while I wrote today.
So I’ll copy my comments from there:
DONE DONE DONE DONE DONE! The first draft of WARPAINT is done. 3149 words today. Time to put new tuners on the 12-string. 😀
80,924 words total, so I came in very close to my target of 80,000 words for the first draft. Maybe I can keep the revision under 100K.
This is the first novel I’ve completed in first draft since THE SILVER DOOR. (I ended TALYSMANA, but still haven’t written the ending—it’s one of those books that’s going to take a massive overhaul before I can figure out what the ending needs to be.)
So first draft is done, and I got replacement tuners for the 12-year-old Taylor 355 I got for my birthday, so I’m going to go have some fun pulling out the old tuners, putting in the new ones, and restringing the guitar. (Second time this week, but I can’t play it with the stripped tuners, and burning a set of strings is cheap compared to having an unplayable guitar sitting around.)
Write with joy.
Posting the WEEKEND WABWM now, and will be back Monday.
Congratulations! It sounds like you had a pretty successful birthday week, and I hope you took time to celebrate the day as well as the book.
I am so looking forward to reading this book. I finished Corrigan’s Blood in one sitting, and I can’t wait to find out what Cady does next.
I look forward to reading it when it is published.
Nice work, Holly! Right on schedule and right on target. It’s been great watching this come together. I look forward to reading about your revisions, and then reading the final product. 🙂
Today’s writing for me:
As I faced down today’s scene I could tell that I’d lost a little confidence after I screwed up yesterday’s scene. I don’t know why, since one of the things I like about revision is that you get a few do-overs if you need them. (And I do!) But still, it was hard not to let the Inner Critic tell me nasty little things about how I can’t get things right even with the help of a talented teacher.
Time to tackle it anyway. Besides, this is one of my absolute favorite scenes in the book.
Goal: Type-in yesterday’s corrections, edit today’s scene
Progress: Typed-in yesterday’s scene and was happy with the changes. Edited eight pages.
Scene: Turn Off the Switch
Totals: 109,412/119k (plus eight pages)
Mood: Resigned. I know when things are going wrong, and that’s progress. This scene, for example, is really wordy. The cool thing is, I’m able to find the extra words are and slice them out. Between the extra cheese, the special sauce, the pickles, the onion, and the lettuce and tomato, there’s a sliver of meat. It’s my job to find it.
Have fun with that guitar!
Please enjoy this congratulatory virtual plate of cookies!