Archive for September 10th, 2004

9/9/04: Finished chapter 8, and a missed opportunity

Word count: 93635 | Since last entry: 1052 | This month: 2585 Well, I’ve come to an end for chapter 8. I didn’t get all of the incidents I wanted into the chapter, but the last sentence I just wrote is so climactic that just about nothing can follow it. And the incidents that are missing either have to follow that chronologically or had to be left out of the place they were outlined because the character isn’t emotionally ready for that incident to take place yet (it might never happen). So chapter 8 is done (sort of), at a decent length of 5244 words, in time for me to do my copying and write What Has Gone Before at work tomorrow. (Don’t tell my boss.) Meanwhile, I just learned today there is an opening in Dean Wesley Smith’s next Novel Weekend. This is a chance to very seriously workshop a whole novel with a great bunch of people. Unfortunately, to attend I would have to have my novel finished by the first week in October, and after careful consideration and discussions with Kate I’ve decided that just isn’t going to happen. There’s about 20,000 words to go, we’re in the middle of a major kitchen remodel, the day job’s heating up, and we have to buy a new car. The most I’ve ever done in a month before this (apart from Clarion) is 13,000 words. So, alas, I told Dean I couldn’t take the available workshop slot. The next Novel Weekend deadline is in December, which is much saner. So I’ve asked Dean if I can get into that one instead.