Okay, I've finished my 3-day "novel" in two days. It's actually more of a novella, or even a novellette, not even 23,000 words long.
But considering that I wrote almost 11,000 words yesterday and almost 12,000 words today, and my previous best was 10,000 words in one day and that was way back in around 2003, I'd say I've done pretty darn good.
Besides, the story holds up well. I don't think there are any big holes, although I already know a few things I need to go back in and change. That's okay, because I have one whole day left to edit and add stuff!
And I got a request for a full this afternoon from an agent, one I'd really love to have. So it's been a pretty good weekend all in all. Now I get to go to bed and watch TV without guilt. Because I have finished my 3-day novel in two days.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
1 day, 13.5 hrs in--hungry to not hungry in 5.4 minutes
The pizza came! It's surprisingly good. I was starving before it got here, and then after only one (big) piece, I was stuffed. Damn! Still, pizza and microwaves go together just fine.
I'm about to start chapter 7, and I'm 18,500 words in. I've deviated so much from my outline today that it's going to be useless pretty soon. I expected that; I just hope what I've written in place of the outlined plot will actually work.
I can actually see the light here. I basically just have the big climax and the short denoument to write and it'll be done. Go me!
I'm about to start chapter 7, and I'm 18,500 words in. I've deviated so much from my outline today that it's going to be useless pretty soon. I expected that; I just hope what I've written in place of the outlined plot will actually work.
I can actually see the light here. I basically just have the big climax and the short denoument to write and it'll be done. Go me!
1 day, 8.5 hours in--and cat food problems
I never thought I'd be interrupted by this.
On Thursday I bought a big new bag of cat food (to the tune of twenty bucks) because the cats were almost out of food. I got Nutro Max Cat as usual, indoor formula, chicken flavored. They had the fish flavored last time, so I thought I'd mix it up a little. They like that.
They ran out Friday night so I started using the new food yesterday morning. Last night Vincent kept acting like he was staaaaarving. And both the cats tried to sneak some of the dog's food from his bowl; Vincent always does, but Angel only tries dog food when I bring home a brand new bag, because I guess she wants to make sure it's okay, or that I'm not slipping Jasper the good stuff. Then this morning I went to refill the cats' bowl and they hadn't touched the food from yesterday.
So I drove out to Walmart and bought them some Purina One junk food. They're in there eating like starving refugees right now. I don't know what's wrong with the old food--it looks okay, no mealworms or anything. I even looked online to see if there's a recall out. So then I did something I hadn't done since I was a kid: I ate cat food.
First a piece of the old cat food, and I must say it was nasty. It had a really strange aftertaste. Then I had a piece of the new cat food, and it was okay. I wouldn't want to have to eat it every day, but it wasn't revolting. It just tasted like cat food, and believe me when I say I have eaten a lot of pet food--I used to really like Meow Mix when I was a kid. Yeah. Anyway, for a complete test I also tried a piece of dog food, Nutro Max High Energy Formula because poor old Jasper is so skinny these days--he's almost twelve years old, a Newfoundland dog. The dog food was the best, with a pleasant aftertaste and toothsome texture. If I had to eat pet food for the rest of my life, I'd choose that. Or Meow Mix.
Anyway, if anyone else has had problems with Nutro Max Cat chicken flavor bought recently, let me know. I hate to throw it out, but obviously there's something wrong with it. My cats aren't picky eaters.
Oh, and I'm 13,500 words in and am about to start on chapter 5!
On Thursday I bought a big new bag of cat food (to the tune of twenty bucks) because the cats were almost out of food. I got Nutro Max Cat as usual, indoor formula, chicken flavored. They had the fish flavored last time, so I thought I'd mix it up a little. They like that.
They ran out Friday night so I started using the new food yesterday morning. Last night Vincent kept acting like he was staaaaarving. And both the cats tried to sneak some of the dog's food from his bowl; Vincent always does, but Angel only tries dog food when I bring home a brand new bag, because I guess she wants to make sure it's okay, or that I'm not slipping Jasper the good stuff. Then this morning I went to refill the cats' bowl and they hadn't touched the food from yesterday.
So I drove out to Walmart and bought them some Purina One junk food. They're in there eating like starving refugees right now. I don't know what's wrong with the old food--it looks okay, no mealworms or anything. I even looked online to see if there's a recall out. So then I did something I hadn't done since I was a kid: I ate cat food.
First a piece of the old cat food, and I must say it was nasty. It had a really strange aftertaste. Then I had a piece of the new cat food, and it was okay. I wouldn't want to have to eat it every day, but it wasn't revolting. It just tasted like cat food, and believe me when I say I have eaten a lot of pet food--I used to really like Meow Mix when I was a kid. Yeah. Anyway, for a complete test I also tried a piece of dog food, Nutro Max High Energy Formula because poor old Jasper is so skinny these days--he's almost twelve years old, a Newfoundland dog. The dog food was the best, with a pleasant aftertaste and toothsome texture. If I had to eat pet food for the rest of my life, I'd choose that. Or Meow Mix.
Anyway, if anyone else has had problems with Nutro Max Cat chicken flavor bought recently, let me know. I hate to throw it out, but obviously there's something wrong with it. My cats aren't picky eaters.
Oh, and I'm 13,500 words in and am about to start on chapter 5!
1 day, 6 hours in
I went to bed about 10pm. I got a decent night's sleep, which I really didn't expect to do all weekend. But I met my day's goal of 10k words last night--in fact I got almost 11k. The handwritten portion (which I typed up last night) turned out to be over 2,000 words after all, which tipped me past my goal easily.
Now I'm up and ready to start chapter 4. There are ten chapters in my outline, so I'm only about 1/3 of the way through (the last chapter will be very short, so I'm not worried too much about it). Today's my big push day. I want to write at least 15k today and get as far as I can. If I can finish today, or mostly finish, that would be awesome. Tomorrow I want to keep open for some editing if I can manage it--plus I'd kind of like to relax before I have to go back to work.
Now I'm up and ready to start chapter 4. There are ten chapters in my outline, so I'm only about 1/3 of the way through (the last chapter will be very short, so I'm not worried too much about it). Today's my big push day. I want to write at least 15k today and get as far as I can. If I can finish today, or mostly finish, that would be awesome. Tomorrow I want to keep open for some editing if I can manage it--plus I'd kind of like to relax before I have to go back to work.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
19 hours in
I'm more than halfway through chapter 3, over 6,700 words typed and another maybe-thousand untyped, and the story has grabbed me by the heart and head and won't let go. Thank goodness! I was worried it would turn out soulless, nothing but a finger exercise. Now I know it's good.
I had crab rangoons for supper. I thought they were microwavable, but it turns out I had to use the oven to cook them. My oven is awful, awfulawfulawful. It's like trying to cook in a volcano. The directions said to cook the rangoons at 400 for 10 minutes. I set the oven to just under 350 and cooked them for five minutes, and they still burned a little. They were okay--not as good as the ones at Harvest Moon, my favorite cheap Chinese food place. Unfortunately, I also burned myself--just slightly--on the oven door. I have a nearly limitless capacity to hurt myself in baffling ways.
I need to take a break, but I want to finish chapter 3 first. But there's still a lot of stuff to put into this chapter--the meal with Dominick, Dominick's attempt to kiss poor messed-up Hilda, the payment of the entry fee so Justice can enter the tournament, and finally a minor info-dump about Justice's past. I'd better get to it.
I had crab rangoons for supper. I thought they were microwavable, but it turns out I had to use the oven to cook them. My oven is awful, awfulawfulawful. It's like trying to cook in a volcano. The directions said to cook the rangoons at 400 for 10 minutes. I set the oven to just under 350 and cooked them for five minutes, and they still burned a little. They were okay--not as good as the ones at Harvest Moon, my favorite cheap Chinese food place. Unfortunately, I also burned myself--just slightly--on the oven door. I have a nearly limitless capacity to hurt myself in baffling ways.
I need to take a break, but I want to finish chapter 3 first. But there's still a lot of stuff to put into this chapter--the meal with Dominick, Dominick's attempt to kiss poor messed-up Hilda, the payment of the entry fee so Justice can enter the tournament, and finally a minor info-dump about Justice's past. I'd better get to it.
14 hours in
I'm not sure how much I got written at work because I don't intend to type it up just yet, but I'd say probably 1,000 or 1,500 words. Not that much. I'm still in chapter two. But I think I've done a good job setting up Hilda's problems so far. She's met Justice, I've hinted at the real issue going on with Hilda, she's had a near panic attack in a crowd, I've hinted at Justice's issue, and they've both just met Dominick.
I'm going to eat some yogurt, then jump right back in. When I finish chapter two I'll take a break.
I'm going to eat some yogurt, then jump right back in. When I finish chapter two I'll take a break.
Two hours in
And I'm already sick of this. What was I thinking?
I've written chapter one and the first part of chapter two. I've been at it two hours and I've only written 2,300 words! I have to throw some clothes on and go to work now, and frankly I'm glad.
This is going to be a rougher weekend than I expected.
I've written chapter one and the first part of chapter two. I've been at it two hours and I've only written 2,300 words! I have to throw some clothes on and go to work now, and frankly I'm glad.
This is going to be a rougher weekend than I expected.
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