Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Writing Update

I've had a patchy week of writing. Thursday and Saturday I wrote a combined total of 3000 words, then yesterday I wrote 2500 in one sitting. But the days in between? Not so much. I'd prefer to write every day, but if taking every other day off means I have a higher output than I think I'll take it. Yesterday I actually wrote an entire chapter in that one sitting - something I've never done before.

I'm closing in on the ending with this wip (which STILL doesn't have a name). I'm at the beginning of Chapter 24 and my outline has 29 total. I'd like to round it off to 30, but I'll worry about that in the later drafts. There's A LOT I know I need to add or fix, little things like the fact that I mention that my teenage characters both play varsity soccer, but when they miss school for a week, I never address practices. And I don't feel like there's enough police presence for the magnitude of the attack that happened in the opening chapter. But like I said, these are all things I can deal with later.

On another note, I've received edits for The Other Side from my second beta. I haven't looked over them yet but I'm excited to hear what she has to say. Even though I've picked up momentum on my current wip, I'm anxious to start the next draft of The Other Side because I really want to keep pushing it forward. I'd like to start my agent search after the holidays, and while at the rate I'm going it'll be closer to February, I'm still looking forward to getting started.

How about you? Are you getting any writing done now that the holidays are in full swing?

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to finish my nonfiction project. It's due Jan. 6th. After that I'll concentrate on fiction. And then of course after writing fiction for a while I'll want to return to nonfiction.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

AC, I think it's great you do both. I'd like to start writing non-fiction pieces along the lines of my memoir, but I've had trouble figuring out where to start. Good luck finishing this project!

Nadine said...

Yay for writing!! For your agent search, will you be querying The Other Side? or your Memoir?

Melanie Hooyenga said...

The Other Side. The memoir is on a very back shelf. Well, it's on my computer, but figuratively it's waaaaaaay back there. Some day I'll revisit it, but among other things, I've decided it should encompass our entire stay in Mexico.

Robin said...

I haven't done anything! My plan is to mellow out, and bring my fiction book on vacation, and work on it in a nice, peaceful environment. I really need mellow lately!

Travis Erwin said...

Despite my better judgment against the idea I am now writing a creative non-fiction book about my days working for a reprobate at a feedstore.

I think it is harder to remember and be honest about myself than it is to make up stories.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Robin, I think that sounds wonderful! I feel guilty taking a break because I feel like I don't do anything. I've been busy between writing and working with the web design software, but I'm always at home in my comfy shorts.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Travis that's awesome! I have a memory like a steel-trap. I remember complete dialogue and everything. But I'm weird.

I hope you enjoy the process. :)

Spy Scribbler said...

That's great! The biggest hindrance to my writing, lately, has been the dentist. Not just the trauma of it, but the time. Between the both of us, we were going three times a week, a two hour round trip plus the time spent there.

So, yes. I so need this break.

Spy Scribbler said...

PS: I am so envious of your memory. I love your memory!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Spy, I hope your life goes back to normal for a few weeks. You're just about done teaching for a bit, right?

If you talk to Ibis, he'd tell you my memory isn't that fantastic. :P He can't get out of anything!

Amy Sue Nathan said...

I'm focusing on February for my agent search as well. It was going to be mid-January, but I forgot how holidays take their toll.

I have been doing a lot of my non-fiction writing lately, not so much my WIP, that's part of the problem.

I need to get into gear over here if I'm going to meet my own new deadline of queries out by AGE 45!!! (end of February, EGADS)

Amy Mullis said...

I watched your progress through NaNo and was waaaayyy impressed. You've accomplished great things!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Amy, hopefully we can go through the process together! That's a great goal you have and quite an incentive to get there. Worse case, you can send out a shoddy one to a no-name agent, so you make the deadline, lol. Not that I'd recommend that of course.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Amy. I realized this afternoon that I completely forgot to include the facts that I passed 60k and the 200-page mark. That's my accomplishment!

Rick said...

Wow, you seem so well organized and focused, Melanie!

colbymarshall said...

I'm trying...Lord, I'm trying. I can only get about 1k a day, which is low for me, but I'm hoping for a push now that I'm FINALLY done with Cmas shopping!

Esther said...

Sounds like you have been very productive. I am promising myself that I finally finish my novel in 2009.

Good luck with the agent hunt.

Allen said...

Novel Name.

May I suggest the following:

Novel No.(fill in the latest number)

My last one I named Crap Novel No. 63 until I finished it. Then I look for some great line in the book I can use. I usually end up using my wife's suggestion.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Rick, I'm glad I seem that way, lol. I don't feel organized!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Good luck Sher, and welcome!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Allen, lol. Right now it's nanonovel08. Very catchy, eh? I like the idea to take a line from the book. So far the only ideas that have come to me sound like made for TV movies.

Anonymous said...

As you can probably tell from my blog posting schedule, I've been struggling. I honestly don't know why.