cross posted from absolutewrite forums:

I am definitely a "nexter", always prepared to move to the next novel before the last one (or the one before the last one) is edited. I like to do two edits before a draft sees a beta reader. I'm currently working on my second novel's line by line, and dear jebus, it is a slog.

I think the manuscript is in the absurd number of pages (600+ probably?), with four parts, eight chapters in each part, plus another chapter at the beginning and the end. I'm only about fifty pages into it. Daunting, daunting, daunting.

I think I'll try to do at least three pages a day. That way I should finish in about six months at the latest. At some point I'll start the "second" edit, which is incorporating my line by lines into the beta draft, along with any restructuring or new prose.

Keep ya'll posted for good measure and motivation.

Schedule soldier

Schedule soldier, on the hill, turns the scope around.

Now that I'm trucking along nicely in Sleep Debt, I am going to reset some of my schedules from the last couple of months. I'm still pretty sure the next novel I'm going to write is Stray Light. I am totally torn after that, though, between Tryst and This Living Hand (I still want a different title for this, but we'll see). I also know I am going to have to tackle the fantasy series. But Sleep Debt is kind of a light, urban fantasy. Still Tower has the multiple p.o.v. characters in common with Moment,  too. Plus I need to edit that bloated corpsicule. 

Yeah, I def. think I'm going to continue putting the fantasy off, maybe do four or five chapters this summer, while working on a short story, before Stray Light. . . . hm, hope you don't mind me brainstorming with my fingertips. Got a line of electric light flowing.

June 12th - complete first draft of My Sleep Debt (80,000 words)

July 31st - complete short stories "A Man Averted His Eyes", and "News from the Compartment", and through Chapter 14 in A Moment in the Storm. (lol. seems like a lot for 6 weeks. we'll see.)
Aug. 1st - begin first draft of A Stray Light From Tomorrow (80,000 words)


Nov. 1st - begin first draft of Tryst (60,000) or This Living Hand (100,000) for NaNoWriMo

That should easily take us out of the year. Gotta find more time to work on those already completed novels, stories, and get them queried/submitted as needed. Keep the dust off.

Further back and faster

I brain-stormed on Stray Light some yesterday. I'm getting a good feel for the main characters and their problems. I'm developing an interesting time travel mechanism that keeps the story focused on a tight cast, in a well defined setting, which I think is essential for good time travel stories - at least those that aren't fascinated with the physics-of-it-all. Once again I'll be dealing with ghosts and mental illness, dark desire, enemies and families. 

This week's goals

I did 200 words yesterday, leaving me 200 behind on the week. The good news is that I think the chapter's are going to speed up - be a little tighter - going into the climax.

My goal for the week is to get to 57,000 words, or 6,200 by end of Saturday.

Week end projects

1,000 words yesterday. I have 1,300 to do today to stay on track, since it's Mother's Day tomorrow and I'm heading to  the in-laws, I don't expect to get a lot of writing done.

Nice little reject about how the first five pages didn't capture her attention enough. Have some ideas for tightening those pages, since they are so important for queries.

Progress: 1,200 words. I am inspired to write a little in my next book, A Stray Light From Tomorrow. Perhaps I need to resist.

In other news

I sent three more queries for An Empty Place to agents late last week. That leaves 6 outstanding, 2 form rejects. I'm sure I'm going to have to pick up the pace soon, but I'm starting with my most desired agents and agencies, so we'll let these fizzle before I do more scatter-shot querying.

This week's goals, the return

I wrote 900 words last Friday, and tightened up the outline for the next few chapters. Somehow I got a sniffle this weekend, either from my nephew's birthday party at Swimtastic, the new pollen chapter of spring, or drinking too much wine on Saturday night. All strong contenders.

My Sleep Debt stands flush at 44,300, at the beginning of Chapter 13. Including this one, I have eleven or twelve more chapter's to go, with a possible coda. One chapter is kind of a rest and reflection chapter for our hero, but I won't know if it fits until I get there. 

My goals this week: reach 52,000 words by Saturday. I'm going to focus on getting some writing done on the weekends from here on out, and attempt to complete the book before my wedding party on June 19th.