1:48 AM - 30,650. Spent the evening recording music rather than writing. First time I’ve done that in a number of years, and it was nice to change pace, though the word count suffers greatly as a result.
2:05 AM - 30,750. Don’t have the fiction gears turning tonight. Can’t even decide when to start paragraphs and I am completely befuddled by comma placement to an extreme degree. It’s beyond turning off the internal censor at this point; words just won’t come.
2:53 AM - 31,285. And now I really don’t want the novel to be about dimension-hopping ghost-zombies. No, now I am much more interested in the adventures of the doctors Lillincully and Quacksalver. As it turns out, my very own Dr. Heim has revealed his part in assisting in the two doctor’s Sonic Room experiments. THE PLOT THICKENS!!!
3:17 AM - 31,522. Just guessed on a word, hypothecation, only to find that it is indeed an actual word, though not at all the same thing, in meaning, that I was hoping.
3:35 AM - 31,669. Must. Take. Break. From. Writing.
11.26.2009
Day Twenty-four
12:20 AM - 28,330.Predator reference: check. Again, I wrote myself into a situation wherein “down the hall” is grotesquely overused.
12:52 AM - 29,036. Really got up a good head of steam for that section there. Time for a change of scenery, from the ever-more-welcoming locale of Yellowhouse to the depths of the dingy apartment I’ve called home for the last three years. Still more writing to be done this night, or morning, or whatever, but for now a short break.
1:48 AM - 29,036. Back at the apartment and I realize now I’ve left my headphones (for special music) at Yellowhouse. But I do have a good supply of bread for toasting and Nutella for spreading.
2:03 AM - 29,331. Maybe, just now, the most bizarre sentence of the book was created. Behold: This seemed curious to him, and, though his knowledge of space-based physics was rudimentary at best, he chalked this incongruence up to the un-reality he hypothesized he was trapped in.
2:28 AM - 30,007. Getting close to the point where I should be wrapping up the second section of the novel and returning to the first person narrative I so love, but it still feels a long way off. I’m exactly 10,001 words behind the quota for today, which is terrible. Oh how I wish for the whimsical days of the first week, where I was always at least a day ahead. No matter, a few more nights of work like this and maybe I have a chance at pulling this out.
2:49 AM - 30,453. Finding it difficult to explain music with text. How to you describe the sound of a guitar without saying it sounds like a guitar? This seems like a good exercise, to try and duplicate with narration the tones and feel of music. Too bad I don’t have the time, with this project, to figure out the best way to do so.
3:03 AM - 30,650. Hit a wall. Tied up a lengthy, unplanned section that was fun to write, but now I’m back into the well-mapped territory that hasn’t peaked my interest as of late. I guess I could discard the prescribed plot an do something more exciting, but I feel obligated to the story, to tell it the way I know it needs to be told. Maybe I’ll just have Dr. Lillincully or Quacksalver appear whenever I need to get out of a rut. Seems to have worked so far.
12:52 AM - 29,036. Really got up a good head of steam for that section there. Time for a change of scenery, from the ever-more-welcoming locale of Yellowhouse to the depths of the dingy apartment I’ve called home for the last three years. Still more writing to be done this night, or morning, or whatever, but for now a short break.
1:48 AM - 29,036. Back at the apartment and I realize now I’ve left my headphones (for special music) at Yellowhouse. But I do have a good supply of bread for toasting and Nutella for spreading.
2:03 AM - 29,331. Maybe, just now, the most bizarre sentence of the book was created. Behold: This seemed curious to him, and, though his knowledge of space-based physics was rudimentary at best, he chalked this incongruence up to the un-reality he hypothesized he was trapped in.
2:28 AM - 30,007. Getting close to the point where I should be wrapping up the second section of the novel and returning to the first person narrative I so love, but it still feels a long way off. I’m exactly 10,001 words behind the quota for today, which is terrible. Oh how I wish for the whimsical days of the first week, where I was always at least a day ahead. No matter, a few more nights of work like this and maybe I have a chance at pulling this out.
2:49 AM - 30,453. Finding it difficult to explain music with text. How to you describe the sound of a guitar without saying it sounds like a guitar? This seems like a good exercise, to try and duplicate with narration the tones and feel of music. Too bad I don’t have the time, with this project, to figure out the best way to do so.
3:03 AM - 30,650. Hit a wall. Tied up a lengthy, unplanned section that was fun to write, but now I’m back into the well-mapped territory that hasn’t peaked my interest as of late. I guess I could discard the prescribed plot an do something more exciting, but I feel obligated to the story, to tell it the way I know it needs to be told. Maybe I’ll just have Dr. Lillincully or Quacksalver appear whenever I need to get out of a rut. Seems to have worked so far.
Day Twenty-three
5:01 PM - 27,722. Totally high on paint fumes from a four hour painting session and it’s time to step it up. High gear, and whatnot. I’m finding that the more planning I do the less interested I am in the actual writing. Once I know where the story is going and how it will end, I lose that excitement that comes from trying to figure everything out.
11:45 PM - 27,741. hi*ball number nine: lemon-lime.
11:45 PM - 27,741. hi*ball number nine: lemon-lime.
Day Twenty-one
12:16 AM - 26,368. Going to try to go back to that section I skipped yesterday, finish it up.
12:44 AM - 26,626. Well, patched up that missing segment, mostly, though it took far too long. Very difficult for me to go back when the motivation lies in the present/
1:29 AM - 27,722. A good number to stop on, I think. Very glad to have Dr. Lillincully on board the character ship. He makes it possible to include page-eating expositional ramblings, because that’s what he does. And he does it well.
12:44 AM - 26,626. Well, patched up that missing segment, mostly, though it took far too long. Very difficult for me to go back when the motivation lies in the present/
1:29 AM - 27,722. A good number to stop on, I think. Very glad to have Dr. Lillincully on board the character ship. He makes it possible to include page-eating expositional ramblings, because that’s what he does. And he does it well.
11.21.2009
Day Twenty
12:13 AM - 25,535. Made the mistake of skipping over a small portion of the story to get to something that should be easier to write. Basically, I’m moving past a dramatic, fog-enshrouded chase scene to a trans-cosmic exploratory adventure. Because those, the adventures, are much easier to write. At least right now, compared to the chase scene. I say this is a mistake because the chances of going back and writing the chase scene are slim to none.
12:32 AM - 25,824. The Unified Back Porch Dog Door Hypothesis Number Three-Eight-Three-Four-Nine-Two-Four? Of course! Why haven’t I come to this sooner?
12:48 AM - 26,191. Might have to be done for the night, due to the insanity brewing in chapter fourteen. Seriously, I don’t know what is going on in my own book. Somehow the infamous Dr. Edward P. Lillincully has made an appearance, whisking a main character off on a leisurely cosmic tour.
11:15 AM -26,200.
12:32 AM - 25,824. The Unified Back Porch Dog Door Hypothesis Number Three-Eight-Three-Four-Nine-Two-Four? Of course! Why haven’t I come to this sooner?
12:48 AM - 26,191. Might have to be done for the night, due to the insanity brewing in chapter fourteen. Seriously, I don’t know what is going on in my own book. Somehow the infamous Dr. Edward P. Lillincully has made an appearance, whisking a main character off on a leisurely cosmic tour.
11:15 AM -26,200.
Day Nineteen
11:46 PM - 25,041. By this point I don’t even remember writing the beginning of the novel. In fact, I really can’t recall the first 20,000 words whatsoever. I wonder if this ever happens to Stephen King...
11.18.2009
Day Seventeen
3:18 PM - 22,370. hi*ball number eight: wild berry. 5,969 words behind, partly by choice, mostly be necessity. Kinda hard to deal with moving, schooling, working, and rehersaling (band), but I guess that’s the point. The goal for today is 3,000 words...not likely, but I’ll remain as positive as possible.
3:35 PM - 22,565. Picked up a little trick, just now, to ease the pressure: I switched off the word count at the bottom of the document. Works, so far, to get the pace going.
11:58 PM - 22,567. Yeah, probably not making it to 3,000 today.
3:35 PM - 22,565. Picked up a little trick, just now, to ease the pressure: I switched off the word count at the bottom of the document. Works, so far, to get the pace going.
11:58 PM - 22,567. Yeah, probably not making it to 3,000 today.
Day Sixteen
12:15 AM - 22,123. Aliens reference: check. Once again, a good number to stop on.
1:55 PM - 22,123. Reading over what was written last night, having no recollection of those words.
2:20 PM - 22,369. Now one of the characters, the one who started to talk like Gandalf all those thousands of words ago, yeah, now he’s talking like Alan West’s Bruce Wayne from the original Batman show. Why? Because ‘old chum’ is the perfect way to address folks these days. Yeah.
1:55 PM - 22,123. Reading over what was written last night, having no recollection of those words.
2:20 PM - 22,369. Now one of the characters, the one who started to talk like Gandalf all those thousands of words ago, yeah, now he’s talking like Alan West’s Bruce Wayne from the original Batman show. Why? Because ‘old chum’ is the perfect way to address folks these days. Yeah.
Day Fifteen
1:08 AM - 20,700. Unintentional hiatus yesterday. While I am a little worried to be so far behind, I am glad to have had a break from the novel for a while.
1:38 AM - 21,121. Feels like a good number to stop on for the evening, what with all the ones and twos.
11:19 PM - 21,121. It begins, with another evening of late night wording.
11:37 PM 21,433. Ghostbusters reference: check.
1:38 AM - 21,121. Feels like a good number to stop on for the evening, what with all the ones and twos.
11:19 PM - 21,121. It begins, with another evening of late night wording.
11:37 PM 21,433. Ghostbusters reference: check.
Day Fourteen
1:19 AM - 20,491. Not writing on day thirteen felt good.
1:36 AM 0 20,683. Would really like to go on, but I’m getting old and as a result am less able to stay up ridiculously late. Suck.
1:36 AM 0 20,683. Would really like to go on, but I’m getting old and as a result am less able to stay up ridiculously late. Suck.
11.13.2009
Day Twelve
3:47 PM - 20,061. hi*ball number seven: orange.
4:34 PM - 20,366. Ghostbusters reference: check “and the sky was black as sac-cloth.” Really not on my game today; these last 305 words were painful. I think maybe taking a break from the novel for a whole day every few days or so should be a requirement.
4:34 PM - 20,366. Ghostbusters reference: check “and the sky was black as sac-cloth.” Really not on my game today; these last 305 words were painful. I think maybe taking a break from the novel for a whole day every few days or so should be a requirement.
Day Eleven
12:30 PM - 18,011. Giddyup.
12:47 PM - 18,358. Passed today’s quota on a roll, but must pause for class. It’s become
frustrating, this start-stop pace. How nice it would be to have continuous writing time whenever I pleased. Also: no idea whatsoever what tense I’m writing in. Don’t really care anymore, either.
2:15 PM - 18,682. Wrote those last words all stealthy in class. Longhand, too. I feel like I’m having a hard time finding my voice, or using what voice I think I have. Something about writing something so long that makes me switch over to autopilot; a majority of this novel doesn’t features the style of writing I think I’ve developed in other pieces. And thus, the self-doubt begins. Side note: Think I’ve cracked the whole tense issue, or at least why I’m so much more comfortable writing in first person. In first the reader automatically identifies with the narrator, which makes my job easier as I don’t have to work as hard to establish that reader-character connection; the reader essentially is the narrator. In third, however, the reader has more of a choice with whom to identify. This sucks, because then I have to actually make the characters a) likable and b) identifiable, which are sort of the same thing. Basically, the characters need (just slightly) more depth than they do in first person. Probably my biggest weakness is creating three-dimensional characters, and so far no one in the novel is remotely close to that standard. Everyone’s a tool and the plot is driving the story more than the characters. Dab.
5:09 PM - 19,000. hi*ball number six: lemon-lime. Just started the twelfth chapter, relieved to be done with Paxtonia. Wondering, too, how it can be that nearly every remix of a White Zombie song is better than the original? I don’t think White Zombie completely sucks (indeed, I am fond of several of their songs), but the remix album Supersexy Swinging Sounds is much more listenable than any individual WZ album. Mostly. At least the first half, anyway. Okay, so maybe just the first three songs. The rest is kinda rubbish.
5:24 PM - 19,119. Ghostbusters reference: check. That cup of coffee I just drank, yeah, not helping me focus on the writing, though it has fueled more than a few pacing sessions through the house.
5:29 PM - 19,199. Star Wars reference: check.
5:30 PM - 19,204. Lord of the Rings reference: check. “Time? What time is there?”
6:14 PM - 20,061. Passed tomorrow’s quota fifty-eight words ago. Wish I could get some more done tonight, as at some point tomorrow I have to attend to several school assignments and I’d like to have a comfortable lead on my quota for Friday. Regardless, the novel’s spilling over onto its forty-first page. Whoa.
12:47 PM - 18,358. Passed today’s quota on a roll, but must pause for class. It’s become
frustrating, this start-stop pace. How nice it would be to have continuous writing time whenever I pleased. Also: no idea whatsoever what tense I’m writing in. Don’t really care anymore, either.
2:15 PM - 18,682. Wrote those last words all stealthy in class. Longhand, too. I feel like I’m having a hard time finding my voice, or using what voice I think I have. Something about writing something so long that makes me switch over to autopilot; a majority of this novel doesn’t features the style of writing I think I’ve developed in other pieces. And thus, the self-doubt begins. Side note: Think I’ve cracked the whole tense issue, or at least why I’m so much more comfortable writing in first person. In first the reader automatically identifies with the narrator, which makes my job easier as I don’t have to work as hard to establish that reader-character connection; the reader essentially is the narrator. In third, however, the reader has more of a choice with whom to identify. This sucks, because then I have to actually make the characters a) likable and b) identifiable, which are sort of the same thing. Basically, the characters need (just slightly) more depth than they do in first person. Probably my biggest weakness is creating three-dimensional characters, and so far no one in the novel is remotely close to that standard. Everyone’s a tool and the plot is driving the story more than the characters. Dab.
5:09 PM - 19,000. hi*ball number six: lemon-lime. Just started the twelfth chapter, relieved to be done with Paxtonia. Wondering, too, how it can be that nearly every remix of a White Zombie song is better than the original? I don’t think White Zombie completely sucks (indeed, I am fond of several of their songs), but the remix album Supersexy Swinging Sounds is much more listenable than any individual WZ album. Mostly. At least the first half, anyway. Okay, so maybe just the first three songs. The rest is kinda rubbish.
5:24 PM - 19,119. Ghostbusters reference: check. That cup of coffee I just drank, yeah, not helping me focus on the writing, though it has fueled more than a few pacing sessions through the house.
5:29 PM - 19,199. Star Wars reference: check.
5:30 PM - 19,204. Lord of the Rings reference: check. “Time? What time is there?”
6:14 PM - 20,061. Passed tomorrow’s quota fifty-eight words ago. Wish I could get some more done tonight, as at some point tomorrow I have to attend to several school assignments and I’d like to have a comfortable lead on my quota for Friday. Regardless, the novel’s spilling over onto its forty-first page. Whoa.
11.10.2009
Day Ten
3:24 PM - 16,035. hi*ball number five: orange. Realizing now how much I failed on my goals for the weekend. Thought I’d be to this point two days ago...
4:08 PM - 16,391. Jurassic Park reference: check. Slow going. Would much rather nap than write, but now is not the time for naps!
4:33 PM - 16,702. Passed today’s quota with the word ‘tarnation.’ As in, “what in tarnation is that corpse doing walking about?” Yes, zombies. They were unavoidable.
4:47 PM - 16,955. Rambo reference: check.
5:34 PM - 17,645. Done with chapter ten, which, at seven-and-a-half pages, is the longest yet. The last four hundred or so words, an action scene, just flew onto the page. Writing action is easy. Writing comprehensible action, now that’s something else. Gotta remember that guns need reloading and all. And phasers, they probably need fresh batteries or something like that.
6:29 PM - 18,011. The last three hundred and fifty-seven words did not fly onto the page. Break time, for exercise purposes. And to rest my ears, which have been punished by maximal volume for just over three hours now.
4:08 PM - 16,391. Jurassic Park reference: check. Slow going. Would much rather nap than write, but now is not the time for naps!
4:33 PM - 16,702. Passed today’s quota with the word ‘tarnation.’ As in, “what in tarnation is that corpse doing walking about?” Yes, zombies. They were unavoidable.
4:47 PM - 16,955. Rambo reference: check.
5:34 PM - 17,645. Done with chapter ten, which, at seven-and-a-half pages, is the longest yet. The last four hundred or so words, an action scene, just flew onto the page. Writing action is easy. Writing comprehensible action, now that’s something else. Gotta remember that guns need reloading and all. And phasers, they probably need fresh batteries or something like that.
6:29 PM - 18,011. The last three hundred and fifty-seven words did not fly onto the page. Break time, for exercise purposes. And to rest my ears, which have been punished by maximal volume for just over three hours now.
Day Nine
11:16 AM - 13,661. Gotta do some work on this piece today, to stay ahead. Wish I had coffee.
11:58 AM - 14,157. Seems like every time I get up to speed, I’m derailed by the internet. This time, Wikipedia articles on New York City.
4:16 PM - 14,157. Back at Yellowhouse. hi*ball number four: lemon-lime. Added bonus: Hershey’s w/almonds. Victory is in sight.
5:12 PM - 14,406. Much distraction with planning and research (Bill Paxton characters), but now the Melvins are blasting forth with great vigor and volume and all is well in the novel-writing world. Wrote maybe the most ridiculous line yet: --Correct, my boy,-- Heim interrupted, telepathically...
5:56 PM - 15,035. Enter Paxtonia. Achieved today’s quota and still going strong. Wish there were more of those Sun Chips I was eating earlier. Garden Salsa, of course. Accept no substitutes.
6:38 PM - 15,691. Aliens reference: check.
7:00 PM - 16,035. Done for the evening. Need to do something exercise-like or risk total protonic reversal.
11:58 AM - 14,157. Seems like every time I get up to speed, I’m derailed by the internet. This time, Wikipedia articles on New York City.
4:16 PM - 14,157. Back at Yellowhouse. hi*ball number four: lemon-lime. Added bonus: Hershey’s w/almonds. Victory is in sight.
5:12 PM - 14,406. Much distraction with planning and research (Bill Paxton characters), but now the Melvins are blasting forth with great vigor and volume and all is well in the novel-writing world. Wrote maybe the most ridiculous line yet: --Correct, my boy,-- Heim interrupted, telepathically...
5:56 PM - 15,035. Enter Paxtonia. Achieved today’s quota and still going strong. Wish there were more of those Sun Chips I was eating earlier. Garden Salsa, of course. Accept no substitutes.
6:38 PM - 15,691. Aliens reference: check.
7:00 PM - 16,035. Done for the evening. Need to do something exercise-like or risk total protonic reversal.
11.09.2009
Day Eight
12:08 AM - 12,515. So Day Seven never really happened. Bummer. Thought I could really get ahead of things here. Guess I’ll just burn more of that midnight oil I found in the closet. hi*ball number two: orange.
12:21 AM - 12,618. Chose a bad time to deal with the logistics of the Transdimensional Transportation Apparatus. Too tired really to make much sense of how it works.
12:39 AM - 12,748. Seinfeld reference: check.
12:57 AM - 12,896. How is it that a you can be unfazed by a phaser? The f/z swap confuses me, concerns me. One is clearly a cooler spelling than the other. But which is it? You be the judge, and I will then judge you based on your verdict.
1:43 AM - 13,341. Ugh. hi*ball completely ineffective. Also, made the mistake of taking the laptop to bed. Literally falling asleep every twenty-five words. Made today’s quota though, at least I have that.
1:06 PM - 13,341. Really hate spelling ‘specter.’ Should be spectre, but the spellcheck’ll drive me crazy for with all the red underlines.
1:12 PM - 13,383. hi*ball number three: orange.
1:18 PM - 13,489. Ghostbusters reference: check.
1:26 PM - 13,661. Done for the afternoon, unfortunately.
12:21 AM - 12,618. Chose a bad time to deal with the logistics of the Transdimensional Transportation Apparatus. Too tired really to make much sense of how it works.
12:39 AM - 12,748. Seinfeld reference: check.
12:57 AM - 12,896. How is it that a you can be unfazed by a phaser? The f/z swap confuses me, concerns me. One is clearly a cooler spelling than the other. But which is it? You be the judge, and I will then judge you based on your verdict.
1:43 AM - 13,341. Ugh. hi*ball completely ineffective. Also, made the mistake of taking the laptop to bed. Literally falling asleep every twenty-five words. Made today’s quota though, at least I have that.
1:06 PM - 13,341. Really hate spelling ‘specter.’ Should be spectre, but the spellcheck’ll drive me crazy for with all the red underlines.
1:12 PM - 13,383. hi*ball number three: orange.
1:18 PM - 13,489. Ghostbusters reference: check.
1:26 PM - 13,661. Done for the afternoon, unfortunately.
11.08.2009
Day Six
12:19 AM - 9,146. Had to trim off a word from the last sentence. For aesthetic purposes, because if Kirk means nothing to you then Captain Kirk is a waste of two words instead of one. Trying to hit 9,500 before bed...
12:41 Am - 9,525. No disintegrations. Except, maybe, when the Time Displacement Generator is involved.
12:54 AM - 9,708. Can’t even read the words on the screen. Eyes just watering and not working at all. Think I’m averaging ten words per minute, or something terrible like that. Latenight math was never my thing.
9:04 AM - 9,708. On the bus. Started carrying a Fisher space pen in my pocket at all times now. I like the idea that I can be prepared any sort of ink-based adventure, but I’m also all too aware the the ink cartridge is pressurized and just waiting to explode in my favorite pair of pants. Living dangerously, eh?
9:35 AM - 10,006. Four words past today’s quota, and I plan on devoting much of the night to finishing this first segment of the book. If I could get to 15,000 I’d be very pleased.
11:36 AM - 10,084. Had to slip a new paragraph in before shifting focus to some essay for school. At twenty pages now. Twenty pages of 11.5 Times New Roman with 1.5 line spacing. Easily the longest single piece of fiction I have ever written, and I’m only getting started. So far I haven’t run into any troubles, and have not felt any sense of dread or creeping doom. Instead, I’ve just been very motivated. But how long can I maintain?
1:00 PM - 10,213. Trying to throw down some key dialogue before/during class. Got all my schoolwork out of the way for the weekend, so I’m extending my probably ridiculously over-optimistic goal to 18,000 by Monday morning.
1:11 PM - 10,348. Class dismissed early. Time to sprint to the bus stop, ride home, make a pbj and head over to Yellowhouse, to really open the fictive floodgates. Maybe there’s a stop at the grocery store, for Nutella, thrown in there too.
1:38 PM - 10,348. On the bus, the computer’s battery dying quickly, and I can’t shake the feeling that one of the characters is speaking like David Bowie. His accent, I mean. Or inflection, whichever.
1:45 PM - 10,502. Star Wars reference: check. “You may fire when ready.”
2:00 PM - 10,662. Done with part one, it would seem. Thought maybe I could stretch it out to 15,000, but it was having none of that. Probably start in on part three next, as I’m not entirely sure what to do with part two yet.
3:45 PM - 10,666. Had to add those four words just now. Currently engaged in a battle to hash out the details of part two. At Yellowhouse, but unable to enjoy solitude or painful volumes due to the others here, working on the kitchen. First hi*ball consumed, this one lemon-lime. Got three more in the fridge, should I need them tonight.
4:23 PM - 10,727. Been working away on the outline for part two and the current chapter and as a result, not getting many words down. This second part, it switches from first-person to third-person, which is throwing off my rhythm pretty hard. It feels like I’m starting over. This depresses me.
5:11 PM - 11,161. Just wrote the word ‘beautiful’ a second before it was used as a lyric in the song that’s playing. Weird. Also, this tense-shift is driving me crazy. It feels so wrong, third-person past, after so much first-person present.
5:55 PM - 11,622. Spinal Tap reference: check.
6:12 PM - 12,007. Well past tomorrow’s quota and I’m finally getting the hang of this new tense. Gorillaz at full volume (more importantly, full bass) in the empty, wooden-floored house is amazing. Such resonance.
6:23 PM - 12,135. Down the hallway, again!
6:24 PM - 12,140. Loboratory? Perhaps where lobotomies are performed? Or would that be a lobototorium? So many o’s...
6:38 PM - 12,386. Calvin and Hobbes reference: check.
6:40 PM - 12,429. Elvis reference: check.
6:45 PM - 12,515. Done for the evening, at the end of chapter eight.
12:41 Am - 9,525. No disintegrations. Except, maybe, when the Time Displacement Generator is involved.
12:54 AM - 9,708. Can’t even read the words on the screen. Eyes just watering and not working at all. Think I’m averaging ten words per minute, or something terrible like that. Latenight math was never my thing.
9:04 AM - 9,708. On the bus. Started carrying a Fisher space pen in my pocket at all times now. I like the idea that I can be prepared any sort of ink-based adventure, but I’m also all too aware the the ink cartridge is pressurized and just waiting to explode in my favorite pair of pants. Living dangerously, eh?
9:35 AM - 10,006. Four words past today’s quota, and I plan on devoting much of the night to finishing this first segment of the book. If I could get to 15,000 I’d be very pleased.
11:36 AM - 10,084. Had to slip a new paragraph in before shifting focus to some essay for school. At twenty pages now. Twenty pages of 11.5 Times New Roman with 1.5 line spacing. Easily the longest single piece of fiction I have ever written, and I’m only getting started. So far I haven’t run into any troubles, and have not felt any sense of dread or creeping doom. Instead, I’ve just been very motivated. But how long can I maintain?
1:00 PM - 10,213. Trying to throw down some key dialogue before/during class. Got all my schoolwork out of the way for the weekend, so I’m extending my probably ridiculously over-optimistic goal to 18,000 by Monday morning.
1:11 PM - 10,348. Class dismissed early. Time to sprint to the bus stop, ride home, make a pbj and head over to Yellowhouse, to really open the fictive floodgates. Maybe there’s a stop at the grocery store, for Nutella, thrown in there too.
1:38 PM - 10,348. On the bus, the computer’s battery dying quickly, and I can’t shake the feeling that one of the characters is speaking like David Bowie. His accent, I mean. Or inflection, whichever.
1:45 PM - 10,502. Star Wars reference: check. “You may fire when ready.”
2:00 PM - 10,662. Done with part one, it would seem. Thought maybe I could stretch it out to 15,000, but it was having none of that. Probably start in on part three next, as I’m not entirely sure what to do with part two yet.
3:45 PM - 10,666. Had to add those four words just now. Currently engaged in a battle to hash out the details of part two. At Yellowhouse, but unable to enjoy solitude or painful volumes due to the others here, working on the kitchen. First hi*ball consumed, this one lemon-lime. Got three more in the fridge, should I need them tonight.
4:23 PM - 10,727. Been working away on the outline for part two and the current chapter and as a result, not getting many words down. This second part, it switches from first-person to third-person, which is throwing off my rhythm pretty hard. It feels like I’m starting over. This depresses me.
5:11 PM - 11,161. Just wrote the word ‘beautiful’ a second before it was used as a lyric in the song that’s playing. Weird. Also, this tense-shift is driving me crazy. It feels so wrong, third-person past, after so much first-person present.
5:55 PM - 11,622. Spinal Tap reference: check.
6:12 PM - 12,007. Well past tomorrow’s quota and I’m finally getting the hang of this new tense. Gorillaz at full volume (more importantly, full bass) in the empty, wooden-floored house is amazing. Such resonance.
6:23 PM - 12,135. Down the hallway, again!
6:24 PM - 12,140. Loboratory? Perhaps where lobotomies are performed? Or would that be a lobototorium? So many o’s...
6:38 PM - 12,386. Calvin and Hobbes reference: check.
6:40 PM - 12,429. Elvis reference: check.
6:45 PM - 12,515. Done for the evening, at the end of chapter eight.
11.06.2009
Day Five
3:27 PM - 7,177. Ouch. Yesterday was something of a disaster, word wise. Gotta get back on track.
3:57 PM - 7,469. On it, again. Took a while to get the engine running, but now it’s full steam ahead. Shooting for 10,000 by the end of the day. I’ve broken the novel down into three parts and am hoping to get the first and third segments clocked in at 10,000-15,000 each, with the second segments eating up the rest. It’ll be interesting to see if that works out like I’m planning.
4:13 PM - 7,745. Feeling like the prose is too wordy, too drawn-out, which I’m guessing is a subconscious reaction to the 50,000 word requirement. Instead of aiming for brevity, like I would prefer, I’m just watering the whole thing down with unnecessary verbiage. Also, the music’s up as loud as it’ll go (Baroness, again.) and the warning twitches of the oncoming caffeine madness are twitching throughout my extremities.
4:54 PM - 8,290. Chapter six’s done. Didn’t end where I thought it would, but that’s okay; it’s still the longest chapter yet. Flaming Lips now, as the sun sets on the other side of the living room window here at Yellowhouse.
5:17 PM - 8,341. Took a break there, from the actual writing, to plan out chapter seven. At the quota for tomorrow. Must keep going. If I could somehow get two full days ahead of schedule; that’d be something. Noticed an unusual increase in semicolon usage. This bodes ill.
6:06 PM - 8,999. Star Trek reference: check.
6:28 PM - 9,147. Disbeliefe? What? Brief moment of horror a minute ago when Nic’s sister unexpectedly (and quite stealthily) stops by to pick up the kitchen sink. Nothing like hearing the echo, from down the empty hall, of a jiggling door handle.
3:57 PM - 7,469. On it, again. Took a while to get the engine running, but now it’s full steam ahead. Shooting for 10,000 by the end of the day. I’ve broken the novel down into three parts and am hoping to get the first and third segments clocked in at 10,000-15,000 each, with the second segments eating up the rest. It’ll be interesting to see if that works out like I’m planning.
4:13 PM - 7,745. Feeling like the prose is too wordy, too drawn-out, which I’m guessing is a subconscious reaction to the 50,000 word requirement. Instead of aiming for brevity, like I would prefer, I’m just watering the whole thing down with unnecessary verbiage. Also, the music’s up as loud as it’ll go (Baroness, again.) and the warning twitches of the oncoming caffeine madness are twitching throughout my extremities.
4:54 PM - 8,290. Chapter six’s done. Didn’t end where I thought it would, but that’s okay; it’s still the longest chapter yet. Flaming Lips now, as the sun sets on the other side of the living room window here at Yellowhouse.
5:17 PM - 8,341. Took a break there, from the actual writing, to plan out chapter seven. At the quota for tomorrow. Must keep going. If I could somehow get two full days ahead of schedule; that’d be something. Noticed an unusual increase in semicolon usage. This bodes ill.
6:06 PM - 8,999. Star Trek reference: check.
6:28 PM - 9,147. Disbeliefe? What? Brief moment of horror a minute ago when Nic’s sister unexpectedly (and quite stealthily) stops by to pick up the kitchen sink. Nothing like hearing the echo, from down the empty hall, of a jiggling door handle.
Day Four
12:01 AM - 7,000. Really want to go to sleep, and though I’m past the quota for tomorrow, I still haven’t written the necessary daily 1,667. Bad habit to get into. Onward, I press onward, trying for 7,400.
12:12 AM - 7,107. FAIL! Must sleep. This scene is going nowhere, and I can’t pull away from its gravity. Just writing circles around what needs to happen and the last page of dialogue pretty much says the same thing in several nonsensical ways. I have no idea what I’m even typing right now...
9:30 AM - 7,177. Tidying up last night’s disaster. Decided just to end the current scene, pull the ejection seat activation handle and escape the verbal quagmire.
12:12 AM - 7,107. FAIL! Must sleep. This scene is going nowhere, and I can’t pull away from its gravity. Just writing circles around what needs to happen and the last page of dialogue pretty much says the same thing in several nonsensical ways. I have no idea what I’m even typing right now...
9:30 AM - 7,177. Tidying up last night’s disaster. Decided just to end the current scene, pull the ejection seat activation handle and escape the verbal quagmire.
11.04.2009
Day Three
12:00 AM - 5,773. Sidetracked by the necessary planning that I’ve now adopted as a pre-chapter ritual. Get a rough outline down then just go for it. Seems to be working.
12:26 AM - 5,776. Slow going. More internet distraction. Much time spent pondering new word: hadn’tve. Had not have, being the intended contraction, though I’m not even sure had not have makes any sense as a phrase whatsoever. Decide instead to go with “wasn’t”, which cleans up the whole issue nicely. Was getting lost on some deserted, past tense backroad there. Not sure where it was leading...
12:31 AM - 5,807. Have probably used the phrase “down the hall” at a hundred times already. Wonder what percentage of the total word count those three are responsible for.
12:40 AM - 5,929. Learned the difference between eloquent and elegant, then spelled black without a ‘c’. Is this irony? I know not.
12:47 AM - 6,043. Decided to stitch the last half=page onto the end of chapter five instead of using it to start chapter six. Ideally, to increase the tension. Or something to that effect. Copped a line from Fear and Loathing, too, to end the chapter: there is no way to describe the terror I felt. Always liked that line.
6:46 PM - 6,086. Really can’t figure out, due to the whole present-tense thing, if I should be using ‘run’ or ‘ran.’ This one has always stumped me, and, of course, I never bother to look it up. I think it’s run, am pretty damn sure it’s run, but for whatever reason ran just sounds right.
6:47 PM - 6,094. Just used ‘down the hall’ again. Shit. Need to find a better way to say this.
7:11 PM - 6,301. Break time.
11:04 PM - 6,328. Almost done with tomorrow’s quota. Would like to be at 10,000 by the end of day five.
11:22 PM - 6,586. Invented new word: somehome. Was trying for ‘somehow,’ but just went all wrong.
11:24 PM - 6,593. T2 reference: check.
11:35 PM - 6,676. Starting to lose it a bit. The writing, I mean. The words aren’t coming out as effortlessly as they sometimes do. Feel like I’m working harder to find the right thing to say.
12:26 AM - 5,776. Slow going. More internet distraction. Much time spent pondering new word: hadn’tve. Had not have, being the intended contraction, though I’m not even sure had not have makes any sense as a phrase whatsoever. Decide instead to go with “wasn’t”, which cleans up the whole issue nicely. Was getting lost on some deserted, past tense backroad there. Not sure where it was leading...
12:31 AM - 5,807. Have probably used the phrase “down the hall” at a hundred times already. Wonder what percentage of the total word count those three are responsible for.
12:40 AM - 5,929. Learned the difference between eloquent and elegant, then spelled black without a ‘c’. Is this irony? I know not.
12:47 AM - 6,043. Decided to stitch the last half=page onto the end of chapter five instead of using it to start chapter six. Ideally, to increase the tension. Or something to that effect. Copped a line from Fear and Loathing, too, to end the chapter: there is no way to describe the terror I felt. Always liked that line.
6:46 PM - 6,086. Really can’t figure out, due to the whole present-tense thing, if I should be using ‘run’ or ‘ran.’ This one has always stumped me, and, of course, I never bother to look it up. I think it’s run, am pretty damn sure it’s run, but for whatever reason ran just sounds right.
6:47 PM - 6,094. Just used ‘down the hall’ again. Shit. Need to find a better way to say this.
7:11 PM - 6,301. Break time.
11:04 PM - 6,328. Almost done with tomorrow’s quota. Would like to be at 10,000 by the end of day five.
11:22 PM - 6,586. Invented new word: somehome. Was trying for ‘somehow,’ but just went all wrong.
11:24 PM - 6,593. T2 reference: check.
11:35 PM - 6,676. Starting to lose it a bit. The writing, I mean. The words aren’t coming out as effortlessly as they sometimes do. Feel like I’m working harder to find the right thing to say.
11.03.2009
Day Two
9:28 AM - Set to work, this time on the bus. Carsickness in t-minutes five minutes and counting.
9:43 AM - 1,819. Writing on the bus sucks. Very bumpy.
10:54 AM - Got the whole story-arc thing mapped out in math class. I’m very confused, but I think I know what I’m doing now. Or, at the very least, I know where to go with it. Hardest decision so far: yes, time travel is absolutely necessary. Also, got the characters pretty figured out. Their roles in the plot, at least.
11:43 AM - 1,933. Really getting the ball rolling now, plot-wise, but for some reason one of the characters has started to speak like Gandalf. An interesting development...
12:25 PM - 2,445. Getting close to fulfilling today’s quota, but alas, I must detour down the road of scholarly responsibility. Just when it was getting good, too. Somehow this chapter’s turned towards the mystery/suspense vein. Oh well.
1:23 PM - 2,469. In class, trying to sneak words out between the professor’s powerpoint slides. Making the chapters way too short, substituting them for the *** I’m so accustomed to using with short stories. Need to learn how they work together; when the break in action is big enough to constitute a whole new chapter or just a small pause. Or maybe *** just indicates a scene change within the same time period? Kinda like all the “meanwhile, at stately Wayne Manor”s in the old Batman. Four chapters in five pages is a bit ridiculous, I think.
1:30 PM - 2,469, still. Realizing now that I’ve completely trapped myself in first-person narration. Need to have action away from protagonist, but can’t make it work within the narrative confines I’ve established. Balls!
1:47 PM - Yes, still at 2,460. But now I’ve solved the whole first-person prison thing. And I figured out how to do the critical POV shift from protagonist to protagonist’s clone. Much rejoicing.
3:44 PM - 2,467. Back at the empty Yellowhouse. Alone, mostly terrified to be alone in the house after seeing Paranormal Activity yesterday. Drown out the terror with volume and brownies.
4:13 PM - 2,784. Just wrote my favorite line, so far: “Doug had an eye for good hedge-work...”
4:30 PM - 3,076. Narrowing in on today’s quota, though I plan on overshooting, working my way far into tomorrow’s count.
4:36 PM - 3,196. Couldn’t resist Ferris Bueller reference: “This place is like a museum: very cold and you can’t touch anything.”
4:46 PM - 3,379 and rolling. Boosh! Reduced to air-drumming along to Baroness in celebration. Psych is high. Also, just described a bowling alley with a black floor instead of the usual hardwood. Now I want one.
5:02 PM - 3,614. Requisite Bill Murray reference: check.
5:46 PM - 3,886. Took an extended break to write out a brief overview of the next chapter. Have been writing with black Fisher space pen. I usually favor roller ball pens, but I’m growing rather fond of this, a ball point. Learning its intricacies, its secrets.
6:33 PM - 4,664. Again, very confused with the tense of the narration. Really I have no clue how to manipulate these things; I just go for whatever sounds right.
6:50 PM - 5,058. Got tomorrow covered, but if I keep going maybe I can finish this thing early. Or at least keep my mind off of every shifting creak of the floorboards or hiss of the radiators, which aren’t creaking floorboards or hissing radiators, they’re the footsteps of some unseen demon, the hiss of its breath hot on my neck...
7:26 PM - 5,727. Chapter five in the bank, ready to get out of this cold house and grab some dinner. Made significant progress today; nearly at my quota for day four already. Think I’m finally getting the hang of writing long fiction, finding the right length to extend scenes without having them drag on for pages and pages. Ridiculously loud music helps. Would like to keep going but I’m struggling to spell words now, having to stop mid-word and think for a second. Fingers are moving slow, too.
11:47 PM - 5,729. These grapes I’m eating, they must have some kind of invisible mold on them, for they are disgusting. Tomorrow I will search out the best snackfood available, and make a cache. A snack cache.
9:43 AM - 1,819. Writing on the bus sucks. Very bumpy.
10:54 AM - Got the whole story-arc thing mapped out in math class. I’m very confused, but I think I know what I’m doing now. Or, at the very least, I know where to go with it. Hardest decision so far: yes, time travel is absolutely necessary. Also, got the characters pretty figured out. Their roles in the plot, at least.
11:43 AM - 1,933. Really getting the ball rolling now, plot-wise, but for some reason one of the characters has started to speak like Gandalf. An interesting development...
12:25 PM - 2,445. Getting close to fulfilling today’s quota, but alas, I must detour down the road of scholarly responsibility. Just when it was getting good, too. Somehow this chapter’s turned towards the mystery/suspense vein. Oh well.
1:23 PM - 2,469. In class, trying to sneak words out between the professor’s powerpoint slides. Making the chapters way too short, substituting them for the *** I’m so accustomed to using with short stories. Need to learn how they work together; when the break in action is big enough to constitute a whole new chapter or just a small pause. Or maybe *** just indicates a scene change within the same time period? Kinda like all the “meanwhile, at stately Wayne Manor”s in the old Batman. Four chapters in five pages is a bit ridiculous, I think.
1:30 PM - 2,469, still. Realizing now that I’ve completely trapped myself in first-person narration. Need to have action away from protagonist, but can’t make it work within the narrative confines I’ve established. Balls!
1:47 PM - Yes, still at 2,460. But now I’ve solved the whole first-person prison thing. And I figured out how to do the critical POV shift from protagonist to protagonist’s clone. Much rejoicing.
3:44 PM - 2,467. Back at the empty Yellowhouse. Alone, mostly terrified to be alone in the house after seeing Paranormal Activity yesterday. Drown out the terror with volume and brownies.
4:13 PM - 2,784. Just wrote my favorite line, so far: “Doug had an eye for good hedge-work...”
4:30 PM - 3,076. Narrowing in on today’s quota, though I plan on overshooting, working my way far into tomorrow’s count.
4:36 PM - 3,196. Couldn’t resist Ferris Bueller reference: “This place is like a museum: very cold and you can’t touch anything.”
4:46 PM - 3,379 and rolling. Boosh! Reduced to air-drumming along to Baroness in celebration. Psych is high. Also, just described a bowling alley with a black floor instead of the usual hardwood. Now I want one.
5:02 PM - 3,614. Requisite Bill Murray reference: check.
5:46 PM - 3,886. Took an extended break to write out a brief overview of the next chapter. Have been writing with black Fisher space pen. I usually favor roller ball pens, but I’m growing rather fond of this, a ball point. Learning its intricacies, its secrets.
6:33 PM - 4,664. Again, very confused with the tense of the narration. Really I have no clue how to manipulate these things; I just go for whatever sounds right.
6:50 PM - 5,058. Got tomorrow covered, but if I keep going maybe I can finish this thing early. Or at least keep my mind off of every shifting creak of the floorboards or hiss of the radiators, which aren’t creaking floorboards or hissing radiators, they’re the footsteps of some unseen demon, the hiss of its breath hot on my neck...
7:26 PM - 5,727. Chapter five in the bank, ready to get out of this cold house and grab some dinner. Made significant progress today; nearly at my quota for day four already. Think I’m finally getting the hang of writing long fiction, finding the right length to extend scenes without having them drag on for pages and pages. Ridiculously loud music helps. Would like to keep going but I’m struggling to spell words now, having to stop mid-word and think for a second. Fingers are moving slow, too.
11:47 PM - 5,729. These grapes I’m eating, they must have some kind of invisible mold on them, for they are disgusting. Tomorrow I will search out the best snackfood available, and make a cache. A snack cache.
11.02.2009
Day One
12:24 AM - First word written
12:34 AM - 87 words in. Not sure what pace that puts me at, but it probably isn’t good.
12:44 AM - 188 words in. ‘Wolf Like Me’ comes on the shuffle and i crank the speakers, since I’m the only one here in this house. Not sure what tense I’m writing in, which is troublesome, but I’m sure that’ll get hammered out, forgotten, and rediscovered over the course of the month. Volume up a few more notches, then hit repeat.
12:54 AM- 297 words. Getting bogged down in thought, distracted by random things, though I have no internet to waste time with. The desire to make everything sound perfect right away is keeping my pace slow. Must learn to get past that and just go go go. The sooner I get to 1,667 the sooner I can go to sleep.
1:04 AM- Still 297. Had to run back to the apartment to shit. A weakness of mine, not being able to shit in foreign toilets. Debating whether or not to get into the bottle of wine in the cupboard over the stove. Pro: being mildly drunk is fun. Con: will probably get drunk enough not to focus on noveling and instead run around apartment until passing out.
1:30 AM- 357. A very fine caliber, but a very poor wordcount. The internet is my enemy. At least the wine has stayed corked...
1:56 AM- 606. Finally escaped the first scene. Focus is in short supply, and I think I might have passed out for a minute or two. Feel like I should have more of an outline; like I’m running ahead at full speed with my eyes closed, only not in a good, exploratory way, but in a bad, going to set up lots of problems later way. Nevertheless, I’m on chapter two, which is good, I think.
1:05AM - 687. Moment of total confusion before I realized there is a time change tonight. Thought I had somehow gone back in time, yet was able to keep the progress I’ve made since the last time it was 1:05. Like I was given a second chance to make better use of the 1-2 o’clock hour. But, yeah, I’ll probably just waste this new hour like I did the last.
1:27 AM- 1,008 words. Maybe, just maybe, I have a shot at finishing this whole thing. Calling it a night to the rhythms of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, this time at a reasonable volume.
10:14 AM - At it again. Been up for a while now, but couldn’t even get the documents opened until now. Rooibos helps.
11:27 AM - 1,699 words in. At the quota for today, and calling it quits for a while. Finally got some momentum built up; gears are turning, wheels are spinning, and such.
12:34 AM - 87 words in. Not sure what pace that puts me at, but it probably isn’t good.
12:44 AM - 188 words in. ‘Wolf Like Me’ comes on the shuffle and i crank the speakers, since I’m the only one here in this house. Not sure what tense I’m writing in, which is troublesome, but I’m sure that’ll get hammered out, forgotten, and rediscovered over the course of the month. Volume up a few more notches, then hit repeat.
12:54 AM- 297 words. Getting bogged down in thought, distracted by random things, though I have no internet to waste time with. The desire to make everything sound perfect right away is keeping my pace slow. Must learn to get past that and just go go go. The sooner I get to 1,667 the sooner I can go to sleep.
1:04 AM- Still 297. Had to run back to the apartment to shit. A weakness of mine, not being able to shit in foreign toilets. Debating whether or not to get into the bottle of wine in the cupboard over the stove. Pro: being mildly drunk is fun. Con: will probably get drunk enough not to focus on noveling and instead run around apartment until passing out.
1:30 AM- 357. A very fine caliber, but a very poor wordcount. The internet is my enemy. At least the wine has stayed corked...
1:56 AM- 606. Finally escaped the first scene. Focus is in short supply, and I think I might have passed out for a minute or two. Feel like I should have more of an outline; like I’m running ahead at full speed with my eyes closed, only not in a good, exploratory way, but in a bad, going to set up lots of problems later way. Nevertheless, I’m on chapter two, which is good, I think.
1:05AM - 687. Moment of total confusion before I realized there is a time change tonight. Thought I had somehow gone back in time, yet was able to keep the progress I’ve made since the last time it was 1:05. Like I was given a second chance to make better use of the 1-2 o’clock hour. But, yeah, I’ll probably just waste this new hour like I did the last.
1:27 AM- 1,008 words. Maybe, just maybe, I have a shot at finishing this whole thing. Calling it a night to the rhythms of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, this time at a reasonable volume.
10:14 AM - At it again. Been up for a while now, but couldn’t even get the documents opened until now. Rooibos helps.
11:27 AM - 1,699 words in. At the quota for today, and calling it quits for a while. Finally got some momentum built up; gears are turning, wheels are spinning, and such.
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