Novel Progress Notes #6

[ed_rex]

New words: 1,998
Total wordcount: 68,769
Deadline: May 1

Who knew it would take nearly another 2,000 words just to get to the start of the conflict? I want to carry on - Amanda has left her sword on the floor above and dozen angry Elves have just cornered her - but I'm tired and need to take a break. But I don't know, I can't wait to get to the next scene. And this weird thing of liking my work as I write it makes me nervous. Aren't writers supposed to hate their stuff while they're working on it?

Comments

[pakaboori.livejournal.com]

I don't know what writers are "supposed" to feel, but I think liking it is a better sign. That makes you want to go on more, doesn't it? I find when I hate what I'm writing I just stop.

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

You're probably right, on all counts. I think I was expressing my private fear that, if things are (or seem) to be going well, the Gods will slap me down for hubris.

It certainly is more fun to write when I'm liking it.

[jade-noir.livejournal.com]

"a dozen angry Elves have just cornered her"

I like hearing about these little tid-bits because it gives a variation to the usual entries I'm looking at that talk about such habitual activities.

What kind of audience are you writing your book for?

More Like a Score, Actually ...

[ed-rex.livejournal.com]

What kind of audience? It's kind of hard to say, beyond something like, "people who enjoy their adventure leavened with humour".

It's not a story with any pretentions of being Deep, let alone Great Literature; it's a science fiction/fantasy (I'm still not clear on the nature of the mechanism that lets the heroine travel to another world) tale; and the heroine is a 15 year-old girl, so maybe "young adult", whatever in the hell that means. (When I was a "young adult" - ie, a teenager, isn't that what it really means? - I was reading Heller and Dostoyevky and Delany and Woolfe; but I was also still reading Batman comics.

At the same time, Bible Belt parents would hate it. There's swearing, a little nudity and (almost) sex (I'm sure the violence wouldn't bother them a bit) and I'd like to throw in some atheism if I can do so appropriately.

But I guess in secret heart of hearts I'll be thrilled if my 17 year-old niece gets as much of a kick out of it as she does from Doctor Who.