Category: Revision Hell

The bad news:  I overslept a bit because I stayed up too late playing a stupid computer game again, which also means I didn’t do any of the writing work I was supposed to do last night.

More bad news:  I didn’t hit my 500 word goal and it’s time to hit the Evil Day Job.

Good news:  I *did* finish the current scene with 433 words.  So I’m pleased! 

However, I must get some work done tonight.  I need to take stock of where I am and get that blasted daysheet done.

Edited the new section and smoothed it into place in Chapter 1.  Began editing the second new section but didn’t finish it.  It’s smoother, though, and won’t require as much work.

I decided to be a hard ass with myself.  No blog feeds in the morning until I hit at least 500 words.  (Once I make that consistently, I’ll bump it to 1K.  I know that’s doable–it’s just a matter of making it happen.)  I did better this morning, only opening my e-mail briefly to contact my accountability partner, Jenna.  (We e-mail each other in the morning when we “meet” Dark and Early with mini “goals” and then report back in aftewards to see if we made it.) 

Anyway, I was doing really good until I decided to check my website stats, and then I e-mailed Deena about something…and before I knew it, I’d wasted another 15 minutes. 

So tomorrow, I get to e-mail Jenna and that’s IT.  Nothing else until I hit 500 words. 

I did make the minimum word count this morning.  The scene’s at 1592 words and almost done.  I’m not sure where it’s going — it sort of morphed on me today.  I’ll explore it a bit tonight and hopefully wrap things up. 

Goals tonight:

• finish current scene
• edit existing draft, smooth these new scenes into the mix, and take stock of where I am in the story.
• finish the Day Sheet.  I stalled on it and I’m not sure why.  I need to figure things out before I get there!

Well, this Revision Xibalba is grinding my bones to dust.  It’s been really slow going but I’m hanging tough.

Yesterday, I didn’t quite break 500 words, but I did make it up and started a new scene.  Today, ditto, only even less words so far.  My mind is just not in the game.  But it’s crucial here that I not let myself make up excuses or let another pretty shiny project steal me away.  I know, if I keep working and meet the story every morning, things will eventually click and it’ll be full steam ahead.

It would help tremendously if I didn’t have any games on this computer!  When the going is tough, it’s so much easier to let distractions rule.  “Cooking Dash” is ever so much more fun than slogging through revisions! 

 

I’ll report back tonight when I break 1K in this scene.

Update:  squeaked up to 1050 words in this scene.  I should be able to finish it tomorrow.

Up a bit earlier today.  Combined with yesterday’s measly word count, I’ve got 847 words in the new scene.  Just flying, I know. 

However, this is the first scene in this new character’s POV and it’s also a new setting.  I’ve had to figure out several things that I didn’t expect.  Aspects of Laredo stymmied me until I decided to just wing it.  Some interesting backstory came out for Quinn too that I didn’t expect.  Some of it will likely get cut back in revision, but it’s good stuff to know. 

I’ll update any additional progress on this entry.

Edited 9:19:  You know, sometimes I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed.  I had the most incredible backstory conflict screaming at me, just waiting for me to do something with it…and yet I almost missed it.  Doh.  I smoothed this morning’s scene and picked up this backstory undercurrent that totally drives this relationship up another notch.

Nothing like family betrayal to sweeten the pot. 

I’m hoping to break 1K in this scene before heading to bed…

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I researched a bit more about the FBI and found an incredible news release from this past month that fits PERFECTLY with what I was hoping to build.  I’m still a bit foggy on FBI procedure, especially involving international trafficking (e.g. from Mexico), but I think I can work my way around any technicalities.

Final word count today (total scene):  1144.

Not so much done for the Mayan Fantasy, unfortunately.  I needed to research a good border town between Mexico/Texas and finally settled on Laredo because of I-35 heading straight to Dallas-Ft. Worth.  I still don’t have a good picture in my head of Laredo.  Has anyone been there?  Can you tell me of a fairly disreputable area, perhaps along the Rio Grande?  Warehouse district or something?

Other misc tasks accomplished tonight, in no particular order:

1. Imported all 2008 livejournal posts to this blog.
2. Promptly got locked out by server for suspicious activity!
3. Deena set up my joely AT joelysueburkhart DOT com e-mail, so fire away at will!  Alternatively, you can continue to use joelysueburkhart AT gmail.com.
4. Talked to a friend who really needed an ear.
5. Drew a very bad map of Laredo.
6. Uploaded all my character pictures on the private WordPress blog for NSR.  (They were lost when we moved my domain.)  I need my pictures!
7. Took the monsters to the dentist.  Dentist recommended new procedure I’ve never heard of before.  Haven’t had time to google it yet. 
8. Late home from the dentist, and I was very thankful for the frozen meatloaf I’d prepared over the weekend.  I threw it in the oven (300 degrees) before leaving and it was perfect.  Mashed potatoes ala Shedds and gravy ala packet mix.
9. Worked for the Evil Day Job a bit after dinner.  I’m behind.  Eventually, I’ll be so far behind I’ll actually be ahead!
10. Spent an hour looking for library books that both Middle Monster and Princess Monster have misplaced.  Swore to never buy them another book or ever step foot in library again.  I know this promise will fail miserably.
11. Entered the Eppies.
12. Volunteered to judge in my free time.  *snort*

Here’s to an earlier rising tomorrow.