Newsletter August 2024 - Back in the Saddle Again
Hey everyone,
I admit that when I thought about writing a novel again after 16 years or so, I feared that I wouldn't be able to do it. Well, as I write this newsletter on the morning of August 30th, I've managed to write every day for the past 29 days, and I've maintained my target pace of 1000 words per day! The first few days were rough, but it came back to me, and I've been able to write my 1000 words in one writing session before work and another in the evening.
For the story, I'm following the standard three act structure, and I've finished the first act. If the pacing goes as planned, that means I'm about 25% done with my first draft. I was aiming for around 90,000 words total, but at this pace, It'll be more like 120,000. But that's a rough estimate. In any case, full steam ahead!
When I created the outline and character sketches, I knew where the plot needed to go, but not how it would get there. I also didn't really know the characters. They had attributes, but not style. Now that I've written their words, thoughts, and actions, they are starting to take on a life of their own. It's hard to describe, but it's like when you see a friend do something and you think "I knew she was going to do that". You don't have to figure out what the characters are going to do or say, because of course that's what they did. I'm just writing it down.
For instance, when I wrote the plot, I knew at one point that Lan, the main character, needed to call her archeologist friend, Jorge, to give him information. It wasn't until I wrote that scene that I realized that Lan had been in a funk and had been ignoring his messages for a while. She felt ashamed about that. Usually, she jokes around with him, but this time she didn't as much. The dialog felt true to her, but I hadn't planned it. It was just what Lan would do in that moment.
Anyway, I'm having a great time. It's draining. There are times when I don't know how I'm going to get from here to there, but when I start typing, the words start to flow.
I don't usually share while I'm drafting, but this line is either too cheesy, or just cheesy enough to be the tagline. I have to share it.
She couldn't do nothing, but she wasn't sure what she could do. How exactly does one go about finding a missing magic key in order to thwart a shadowy energy conglomerate?
In other news, my family and I went to a book signing by Jordan Morris and Maggie Tokuda-Hall. Jordan has a new graphic novel out called Youth Group about young woman who joins a youth group and discovers they also hunt demons. It has Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes and was a lot of fun. Maggie's graphic novel is The Worst Ronin, which is about a pair of demon hunting warriors in Japan, and has similar vibes. Also a great read.
After the signing, the authors and a small group of us went out for dinner at a nearby place and it was great to get to chat with Maggie and Jordan. The kids loved the books so much that they finished reading them both before dinner was over. 😄 They also had to reread them before I could get my hands on them. I loved them too. You should check them out.
That was the first time I've spoken with writers since the early 2000's, when I went to conferences and had a writing group. It really energized me and helped me launch into my current project. As I looked for a photo for this newsletter, I realized that I was having so much fun chatting, and I didn't think to get a photo with them. Oh well, I've got the memories. Writing can be a very solitary endeavor, so it also reminded me that I need to rebuild my writing community.
First though, I have to focus on this draft.
Best,
Todd
