Freedom From Word Count and Question
Well, not really free. I don't know that I'll ever be free of word count goals until I am out of contract again and not under deadline. But I think I'm around 312 pages of Heart Change and it's due February 28, so that's about 200 pages in 3 months (even a short month), so I am hoping I don't have to rush.
I've reached the "late middle" of the book and it feels like I've been doing hour (septhour) by hour descriptions so I'm giving myself permission to jump ahead to one of the climactic scenes that I've been thinking about...later.
This morning I just wrote (yes, I checked the word count, but not obsessively) on the urban fantasy. I'm not sure that this scene will be in the proposal, so there was absolutely no reason to tie it to wordcount except for yearly totals (which will be pitiful as usual, I'll be lucky to make 200,000). So I just wrote the scene (ok, I will admit that when it turned out to be 1798 I added a couple of more thoughts). So it's 1829.
I have another scene to write on the story while it's fresh, then I may also look at Chapter 2 which needs major revision, and write notes for what comes before these scenes. Emails with critique buddies and thinking are shaking out the plot.
I did purchase a couple of more software programs for plotting...Liquid Silver and ThoughtOffice's Muse (or Poet, they can't make up their minds). The "idea fisher" of Muse has given me some leads, but I didn't realize that to fish all those tens-of-thousands of ideas you have to be connected to the net. Of course the laptop is, now, but if I'd wanted to brainstorm by myself at the retreat in Fairplay or on a cruise I'm dreaming about, it would be useless.
Anyway, that's this morning. Snow and winter has come to Colorado and I'm going to walk to the bank, and maybe stop off at the deli and get another huge loaf of ciabotta (sp?) and maybe the tea shop or the cheese shop. Then I'll write the second scene.
To keep up on my wordcount for Heart Change, I need to do 2000 words a day through Saturday (for 80 pages this month on a daily basis). I've taken the last five days off. Mostly I've been playing City of Heroes since they just put online Issue 13. But I have a regular weekly playnight with a friend tonight so I'll take a break today. I DO like the story arcs I've been playing, and, of course, they added a new costume and other stuff for characters...and in my paranormal romances that I hope to be doing my heroine is a game designer.
Anyway, that's the news from the Owens' place.
Take care and keep warm today.
Robin
Ooops, forgot the question. In Heart Change I did drag in a gaggle of girls and introduce them, which crowded an already (as usual) crowded scene (I had Cratag and Signet and Avellana and Vinni, and Vinni's bodyguard and his tutor and Laev Hawthorn...whew!) Two of the girls have speaking parts/scenes in the books, the rest are, of course, setups for upcoming books. Will this bother you?
I've reached the "late middle" of the book and it feels like I've been doing hour (septhour) by hour descriptions so I'm giving myself permission to jump ahead to one of the climactic scenes that I've been thinking about...later.
This morning I just wrote (yes, I checked the word count, but not obsessively) on the urban fantasy. I'm not sure that this scene will be in the proposal, so there was absolutely no reason to tie it to wordcount except for yearly totals (which will be pitiful as usual, I'll be lucky to make 200,000). So I just wrote the scene (ok, I will admit that when it turned out to be 1798 I added a couple of more thoughts). So it's 1829.
I have another scene to write on the story while it's fresh, then I may also look at Chapter 2 which needs major revision, and write notes for what comes before these scenes. Emails with critique buddies and thinking are shaking out the plot.
I did purchase a couple of more software programs for plotting...Liquid Silver and ThoughtOffice's Muse (or Poet, they can't make up their minds). The "idea fisher" of Muse has given me some leads, but I didn't realize that to fish all those tens-of-thousands of ideas you have to be connected to the net. Of course the laptop is, now, but if I'd wanted to brainstorm by myself at the retreat in Fairplay or on a cruise I'm dreaming about, it would be useless.
Anyway, that's this morning. Snow and winter has come to Colorado and I'm going to walk to the bank, and maybe stop off at the deli and get another huge loaf of ciabotta (sp?) and maybe the tea shop or the cheese shop. Then I'll write the second scene.
To keep up on my wordcount for Heart Change, I need to do 2000 words a day through Saturday (for 80 pages this month on a daily basis). I've taken the last five days off. Mostly I've been playing City of Heroes since they just put online Issue 13. But I have a regular weekly playnight with a friend tonight so I'll take a break today. I DO like the story arcs I've been playing, and, of course, they added a new costume and other stuff for characters...and in my paranormal romances that I hope to be doing my heroine is a game designer.
Anyway, that's the news from the Owens' place.
Take care and keep warm today.
Robin
Ooops, forgot the question. In Heart Change I did drag in a gaggle of girls and introduce them, which crowded an already (as usual) crowded scene (I had Cratag and Signet and Avellana and Vinni, and Vinni's bodyguard and his tutor and Laev Hawthorn...whew!) Two of the girls have speaking parts/scenes in the books, the rest are, of course, setups for upcoming books. Will this bother you?
posted by FantasyAuthor RobinDOwens | 9:02 AM
3 Comments:
I think it will be fun to see the girls. I always want to meet more people on Celta. It's a place full of people after all so it doesn't make sense to see only one set of people over and over.
Out of context, it's hard to say. If it flows with the rest of the scene, then it's no problem.
I don't think so. You do a really good job of delineating one character from another. And, like Peggy said, if it flows with the scene, go for it.
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