Novella Update

I’m in the final stretch.  After two big days (over 4K yesterday), I broke 25K and I’m in the climax of the story.  I know roughly what needs to happen, but the timing shocked me last night (or maybe I’m just bone tired).  All the sudden, the bad guys were there, on page, and I was like OH, here.  Okay!  I need to get through the life-or-death showdown, then a happy reunion between my heroine and her heroes (yes, plural, sigh), and then the final scene. 

I might…MIGHT…have to write that final scene in someone else’s POV.  One of my “rules” is that no extra POV characters are ever used if they’re not used throughout the story (e.g. no token “throw away” POVs just to show the villain in action), but in this case, I may have no other choice.  I really really hate that…but it will only mean something if this particular person sees the action live.  After all, it’s a direct message to her and drives all future conflict, because this novella is merely a launching point for many other characters.    We’ll see when I get there.

Right now, I think it’s safe to say I’ll end up around 30K, but I might not write all that today.  I may skip that final sex scene for now to get the bones of the plot down. 

I know I’ve been rather mum about the details of this project, for a variety of reasons.  Partly: I wasn’t sure if I’d finish in time, so why get you excited about a story I might not even submit if I can’t beat the deadline?  (Of course it might not be accepted either.)  The other reason: it’s new for me.  Like new world, new genre, new.  I thought long and hard about my options, talked it over with a few people who had differing suggestions, but in the end, I have to go with the story that burns to be written.  This one was it.

Once I finish the draft, I might be convinced to share a snippet.  I’m off from the Evil Day Job today so chances are really good that I’ll be able to finish the first ugly draft today.  I’ll report back once it’s done.