You'd be surprised, apparently.
I keep letting Life get in the way, and it's annoying me. Really annoying me. But of course, once I set my mind to something as simplistic as "No one talk to me between 4 and 5pm because I'm writing," that's when I'm not even in my house during that hour. I guess it makes sense. As soon as I went "I'm moving my updates to Thursdays since I have them off all the time," that's when I started consistently working them.
Once again I'm debating switching my writing updates. Perhaps Mondays since I have them off. Maybe I'll even change my availability so that I never again work Mondays. Then again.... I need money, and that would be a dumb move if they need me on Mondays in the future. Which will most likely happen as soon as I move my blog update days to them.
I did manage to hit my 3500 words a week goal, though. Barely. I wrote about 1200 words on Monday in order to finish up the previous chapter - which I believe I already commented on last week - and then I finished up this week's chapter at about 2000 words. In one sitting. It was a semi-long sitting.
I was so mad that it kept me until Friday to write anything - besides this blog - and so I just sat in silence, and wrote. Next thing I know, I have the chapter done. It's short, compared to my other writings, but it seemed to have a natural stopping point that I listened to.
Saturday I edited, polished, and added a few more words to both improve the chapter, and get me the remaining 300 words I needed for my weekly goal.
I haven't had any sort of comments on really any of the chapters in The Second Generation Begins, and so I'm a bit nervous about how this chapter is/will be received. It's basically a retelling of the earlier chapter "Rescues and Robots," but through Lia's Point of View. I was debating breezing over this solo-role play that I did on the board, but I feel like it really showcases Lia's character, and the bond growing between her and Chayse. So, I rolled with it. It's tiny, and so I hope it works and isn't too boring.
"Giant Robots of Death"
I'm now working on the chapter I originally thought I was going to write when I started "Giant Robots of Death," but with the natural stopping point I had at the end there, I just couldn't continue on to the next scene.
So, now we have Lia tracking down Chayse. It was weird trying to figure out whose POV I was going to use for this chapter. Whose chapter was it? In the end I went with Chayse. I had two Lia chapters in a row already, and the lead-in to the chapter included a conversation between Chayse and Gambit that Lia wouldn't have been around to hear anyway. I could have had her hear it when she found Chayse, but it would have been hard to stop her from interrupting it.
Also, my husband isn't nearly as descriptive as I am. He writes enough that you know what's going on, but he doesn't add in things to showcase personal ticks a character would have. For instance: Lia, when nervous, bites her lip and plays with orange streaks she keeps dyed in her hair; Willow, when feeling particularly mischievous gives herself a Cheshire Cat illusion of ears, twitching cat tail, and large grin; Trish, when bored, plays with fire the way that someone might play with a lighter: snaps her fingers to create a flame, snuffs it, snaps to create another one, snuffs it, etc.
Does the reader need to know these ticks? Not really, no. Especially when the reader is simply another player on the board. Hubby's lack of elaboration keeps play moving. We know enough to set the scene and interact. That's all that matters.
For novelization, however, we need a touch more. Otherwise Chayse is this blank canvas that allows every individual reader the ability to paint him completely unique to their own imagination. It's not a bad tactic; a lot of books are starting to purposely be vague in character description specifically for that point.
It's not me, though. I have a set image in my head, and I feel it's my job to try to portray it so that everyone can see the same image I do. Again, personal preference.
Which is another reason why I try to get into Chayse's head whenever possible. I've talked with Hubby enough to more-or-less know what goes on in there - same with Devon - and so, if I can't at least figure out exterior ticks that will showcase his state of mind, I can literally go into it to show the reader what's up.
I can have another character note Lia's lip biting while playing with her hair, and the readers should know that she's nervous or self-conscious. Chayse hides this feeling - for the most part - because he feels he needs to be the rock for the other students. In which case, if he's nervous or unsure about something, I have to dive into that cranium to let the readers know that.
Anyway, those are all my reasons behind the POV switch to Chayse in the upcoming chapter.
It's going moderately well in the writing schedule front. I wrote about 1600 words on Monday; a good start. I'm about half-way through the scene. I also just picked up on how much Lia used to tease and call Chayse nicknames. When I originally wrote Lia, I was definitely channeling Annabeth from the Percy Jackson series. The way she picked on him, and called him things like Seaweed Brain. Lia did the same exact thing to Chayse.
Picking on people and giving them nicknames has evolved into an exclusively Willow thing, and no one calls Chayse "Cajun" anymore either. I like the change up. It definitely fits Willow's personality more. It will be interesting to explain that transition, though. Also, maybe it's about time Lia starts calling Chayse "Swamp Brain" again whenever he's being particularly stupid.
Tuesday got away from me, but I did read off what I wrote so far for the chapter while I was at my writing group. There wasn't really much by way of comments on the story itself - not that I would really alter anything since this is all just conversion from the roleplay - but we did get into a semi-long discussion about X-Men in general once I was done.
Yesterday also got away from me. By the time I was done with work, and dinner, I was back out the door to drive about 45minutes to a movie theater - because I live in nowheresville with a one-screen theater that isn't showing Deadpool - in order for me, Hubby, and two of our friends to FINALLY do our Valentine's Day double-date. I wasn't feeling well at ALL on V'day, Hubby was exhausted from the overnight shift, and one member of the other couple also wanted to just stay in, due to how insanely cold it got randomly over the weekend.
Anyway, my point is that between work, dinner, drive down to the mall, watching the movie, and the drive home from the mall, I had maybe an hour total to just sit at home and chill. I SHOULD have used it to write, but I needed a mental wind-down, and so it was spent catching up on Facebook, emails, and DeviantArt uploads by artists I follow.
Sadly, I also have no hope for getting any fiction writing done today. Due to my slacking yesterday, my "first thing in the morning writing" that I COULD be using for fiction is instead being utilized to write this post. Then it's work. Then it's come home, change, grab something to eat real quick while clipping coupons that I've been avoiding all week. Then back out to the store with Hubby to grocery shop for the week, then over to the fabric store to FINALLY get more to maybe ACTUALLY finish that darn blanket for my nephew, then off to Walmart to pick up a small array of things we need, and then FINALLY back home again. Grab some more grub, unwind for a bit, and then MAYBE get writing done. It's possible, but doubtful.
Maybe if we also include a run to the laundromat today. I could bring my headphones - which I always seem to forget - and write while doing laundry. If not, that's what I'll be doing tomorrow, and I'll get a lot of writing done again. Between laundry and Hubby being away for his weekly Magic thing, I'll have plenty of downtime to utilize.
I have high hopes of completing this chapter on schedule. I might even get the 3500 words a week yet again. I have no hopes of ever writing 500 words daily again until I can get the world to follow me with getting on schedule.
Silly, Life, just work with me, here!
One last fun little note to shout out. I don't recall if I mentioned this last year, due to me trying to keep my private life out of this blog if it didn't directly affect my writing one way or another, but my mother-in-law was diagnosed with a very aggressive strain of cancer. It was a rough go, but the woman is.... is there a word for "Scrappy" on steroids? Anyway, she'd a fighter that's too stubborn to die before she gets more time with her grandbabies - and sees the ones that I'll produce, I'm sure - and managed to do what apparently only 11% can.
This Tuesday she found out that she is officially cancer free! She also discovered that she somehow fractured a rib on each side.... but she's cancer free!
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