I want to thank all those who submitted their feedback, and their "touching tributes" on the last post. After that, I feel like I should have my number retired or something... But I am most grateful for those of you who held your tongue, following your mother's advice that, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all..."
It looks like I'll need to do a Minnesota post soon for Micah, although it has been 22 years since I moved away from my childhood home, so the memories are blurred at the edges and in black and white. Perhaps I'll do a "Memories of Childhood" post and hit some Minnesota stuff in there while not alienating the rest of my readers in the process.
More reflections:
- I need to work on my pecs.
- Our attorney general is apparently getting his news from this site--that should scare you.
- "Man Trip" got two favorable mentions against one ambivalent response--so it will stay.
- Also, "American Idol" got two thumbs down--that's about 29% of the comments. Which is pretty close to the percentage of TV sets not tuned to the show each week. Sorry you two, I gotta complete my commitment to bring the reviews--at least through this season.
...And the novel, you ask? I actually worked on it TWICE last week! Yes! Here's the boring facts: I had written about 50 pages consisting of 9 chapters. Then I started editing because I wrote chapter 1-2 about 9 months before starting 3-9. The newer stuff was much better and far different than the first--so I had to fix some things. I spent a while on that. Then when I was just about to begin chapter 10, I realized I just didn't like chapter 1 and 2, so wrote them over ENTIRELY from scratch.
I pounded out 4 very quick new chapters, but decided they should be combined into 2 long chapters. Then I read in a book that novels are turned in double-spaced. So I double-spaced everything and increased my book length to 100 pages. Yay! Actually I'm nervous because the same book says the average novel is 80,000 words--I'm at 25,000 now with plenty more to say, but I think I'm taking too long to say it, so some stuff will have to go. I'm reworking my story outline for the third time, but I hate outlining and I prefer to wing it--then I read something by Tony Hillerman who said it's okay to wing it if outlining bores you. I think I do much better just living in the scene and letting the characters lead me--writing is more fun and real that way. I hope I don't end up with a mess--I assure you, I do know where I'm going, just not exactly what chapters 15 and 16 and following will look like yet.
So, I'm almost done with the new chapter three, then I'll merge it with the rest of the book, smoothing as I go. When I finally get through chapter nine again, I am marching forward and never looking back again until I get the first draft done. I rarely ever have writer's block--when I sit down, I can write, and write, and write. And when I read it again a few days later, it doesn't suck. That said, it is both easier and harder than expected. Easier, because I've been stalled in my writing for about 10 years... they are 10 good years I wish I had back, but I'm a better writer for my first book than I would have been if that first book were 10 years ago. Also, I got so stuck on the descriptions when I was younger, and finally realized: just tell the story. But it's harder in that there are just so many things to consider and when you decide to change one little thing, it's creates a domino effect on the story. Guess I could use an outline...
Anyway, the hardest thing is opening the laptop and starting. If I could do that five or six times a week instead of once or twice, that would be the best thing I could do. So that's my answer on the novel, and if you're still reading this, than you really are a johnvano.com fan.
You da man!!
Posted by: Darnell Lamb | April 17, 2007 at 04:11 PM