So whence from here? I mean, the big number was reached, but the book isn't remotely done. There are a number of short novels of about 50,000 words, some of them quite good--Of Mice and Men and The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy among my favorites--but this isn't one of them. Much still needs to be added to fill in gaps, both in the plot and character development. So I'm planning on adding more writing, trying (after this weekend) to continue to pound out about 2,000 words a day. After all, if this is really a calling and something I'm planning on doing for a living, I'd best get in the habit now.
Once the largest gaps are filled, I'll ask a select group to do me the great good favor of looking the thing over and giving me useful feedback. And we'll see what happens from there.
The book suggested that this is supposed to be a time of intense celebration, when one would be overwhelmed by the great accomplishment one finally achieved. Personally, I have more a sense of free-fall (since the tale has not been fully told) and some quiet contentment--as if I'd finally done the thing I should have been doing all the time. Odd, that.
By the way, I'm planning on taking this on again in May, so any of you nervous Nellies who bowed out on this one, you'll have another chance in a month or so. And if I could get it done during this crazy month, you have no excuses.
5 comments:
That's so awesome, Michael. Congratulations on making it through the month; especially, as Beth mentioned, with all of the other obstacles, trials, and responsibilities you had to negotiate with.
It must be very nice to know that Stephen King's output is actually a doable thing; that he isn't some monstrous superhuman Writing Elemental who uses his djinni-like powers to put a book together so often. Granted, his talent and skill may indeed stem from these sources, but having firsthand, empirical knowledge that you could produce as much writing regularly must be a noteworthy discovery of self-knowledge. Encouraging, I should think.
I think your decision to keep up your writing habit is an excellent one. I recall Ben Stewart telling me that it takes thirty days to set a habit and three days to break one. Seems like you've already done the hard work, and as you said, this is something you might want to be doing anyway.
I've found that much of the time, I am extremely slow to get started on artwork. No matter how much the idea of a comic interests me, actually getting started on the thing is a painful process of shaking off my laziness and forcing myself to focus to the degree that all of my many distractions fall into shadow. Then, once I've been at it for a few days, it starts to come naturally; I find I want to work on the comic. I feel better about working on it, and as a consequence, I think, I feel better about myself as a person.
I'm looking forward to trying the month of writing in May...
CONGRATULATIONS! What an amazing accomplishment. Even with some editing and adding to do, you should be extremely proud of yourself. I look forward to going into a bookstore one day and saying, “I would like Michael Slusser’s newest book, please!”
Holly
Marilyn,
For me, the word count is almost essential. I need a concrete sort of goal; otherwise, I'll fritter away the opportunities, or put them off; plus, I can always convince myself that I can cram 2,000 words into a shorter time than I imagine.
For some reason, I'm just no good at setting time goals for things--at least, if they're not connected to more numbers-driven goals elsewhere. If the challenge in March had just been to "write a short novel in 31 days," I'd never have made it. The word count was a driving force.
Interestingly (well, not for anyone else, but for me), the only diet plan that ever worked for me was Weight Watchers, with the "point total" to count every day; leave me to just "eat healthily" every day, and I suck rocks.
So you're you're sayign that now you're a proper 'author' and thin all by the power of Mathematics...
Many, many, many congratulations. :) That's wonderful!
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