McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Accountability, author's timecard, word count written, feeling lonely out there?
Kali:
All the comments are back from my first outside-my-own-eyes reader of Book 1.
The good news: Some really nice compliments, especially on some bits that were tricky for me in specific places where I wanted to convey things precisely, and an overall review of "marketable". The Q&A session was good for me, because I was able to direct attention where I really wanted it. "Did you find that [plot point] was too contrived?" "No, given the earlier explanation and what came after, it made sense. I did go "huh" at the time, but then I realized where it was coming from." That kinda thing.
The bad news: That's as good as it got. But hey, I'll take "I'd pay to read this" and not quibble.
Though this was someone I know, it's also someone who never has a problem with honesty. There was no gushing, but that's fair 'cause this book isn't going to change the face of publishing. It's a fun tale that I liked writing, and since it's outside his usual genre, that he liked it is a good sign.
There are some edits to make, some rough patches to smooth over, and an early scene that needs an overhaul (which I kinda knew), so I'll be polishing that today and then back to Book 2.
meg_evonne:
It sounds like you found a good match for reading your manuscript Kali--a valuable asset. Treat them with kindness!
As to my work that I thought was more or less ready to go. Chapter 15 is 100% a show or tell monstrosity. Argh... Will fix and proceed with trepidation, hoping that it was a momentary glitch in my reading and in my author's ear.
Good news? At least I recognized the problem...
Kali:
The good news is that you can fix it. ;D I had a scene I knew was wrong but could not seem to fix. It was like the tar baby from that old Uncle Remus story. The more I punched it, the more I got tangled up in it until I was completely snared and then someone killed me or however that story ends. Anyway, the good news is you can fix it.
Enjorous:
Okay, so the really nasty and very much hated 10,000 word slump has hit me yet again. I don't know what it is but the first 10k come fairly quickly and then I suppose the newness of the project wears off and I'm nowhere near a climax or resolution. I feel between now and then is like the biggest uphill battle.
prophet224:
That is a very common problem. Many people drown in it - 10-20k words here, another 10-20k words somewhere else. Then they have a bunch of half-written projects around.
So do you know where the climax is or how it will happen? Is that scene in your head anywhere? Or are there other scenes floating around in your head?
Write them. Write it out. Keep the fire burning by writing the parts you keep thinking about. If you don't have parts that you keep thinking about, maybe it really isn't the right project, at least for now.
Another thing that comes to mind is something Neil Gaiman said in one of the many forewards/afterwards of "Good Omens". He was talking about Terry Pratchett and said this:
--- Quote ---Then again, Terry is that rarity, the kind of author who likes writing, not having written, or Being a Writer, but the actual sitting there and making things up in front of a screen.
--- End quote ---
http://www.neilgaiman.com/p/Cool_Stuff/Essays/Essays_By_Neil/Terry_Pratchett:_An_Appreciation
I guess all I'm saying is that we all (or at least most) feel like that at some point.
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