My poor little chick is exhausted and is still tucked up in bed at 9:50 this morning as I write. When I went to wake her at 7:00, this little voice said to me, 'Mummy I am so tired.' I made a quick decision and told her to go back to sleep. Don't you wish someone else would give you a day off and permission to sleep as long as you like? I know I do.
Well, its just 14 days left to kick August Rock into shape and send it off. Am I going to do it? Yes. I am at 64k and I feel that this rewrite will end up at 95k. That's just over 30k which as I am not writing all the words from scratch just might be doable........at least I am telling myself so. I do know that this will not be the best the book can be but I will have fulfilled a promise to myself amidst the chaos. It will also make the next rewrite easier. Thus far I have dealt with the ghost aspect and his story by changing the structure of the work and reducing his 'real time' appearances. I have beefed up my secondary characters. Given Judith a bit of a temper, made the other woman likable and given Judith a viable choice between three men. I still don't know yet which one she will go for???? Risky strategy? Probably but hopefully it will keep the suspense doing until the end.
What is not being accomplished is the fine tuning in the Sol Stein method. I will not have time to go page by page and tweak words - I have added lots. Nor will I have time to check to make sure everything is as active as it should and carries its weigh and moves the story forward. These and others will wait for the next rewrite. I am just hoping I am giving one dear friend enough time to read through and clear up all my many dyslexic mistakes!!!
5 comments:
Good luck with all your revising, Liz. It's nice to know so many of us are in this together!
Your week sounds to have been pretty stressful, mine has aswell but for quite different reasons. Atleast you are getting on well with your revisions, I haven't written anything for a few weeks now but am going away for the weekend which I hope will get me going again.
Good luck with the school search and your novel deadline, I'm sure it will all be fine.
I too want someone to tell me I can stay in bed all day! Those days are long gone I fear.
BTW I adored Sol Stein's book and keep it handy.
This is what I have a hard time doing-focusing on just one aspect when I'm revising. I'm always tweaking words even though I know it's a waste since so much of it ends up on the cutting room floor anyway. Nice to be disciplined enough to just leave that part until the end.
Hi Judy, yes, it helps to know you are not alone!
Sheepish, I hope you can get back into the groove quickly. Enjoy the weekend away :-)
Orion, it would be so nice to have have that permission. I will keep Sol Stein handy :-)
C.S. I am under such time pressure that looking at the small I would never meet the deadline.....the big changes were required first!
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