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.
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