Friday, October 29, 2010

November News

Heads up! I'm doing Nano this year.




That's it. The end.




No sir. Just kidding, crickets.




Anyway, I've been struggling to stay motivated in my penning of Dropping Like Flies. I believe NaNoWriMo, with its call to writers far and wide to ink out 50,000 words in one month, will lead me to the finish line...or almost. Yeah, I know, I know, you're supposed to start with a NEW book, but I've only written 4 and a 1/2 chapters AND I'll only include NEW content in the word count dump on the site. What do you think I am, a cheater? Like A-Rod with his Whaaat??? slap? Okay. Maybe I'm a little bit of a cheater, but I really need to finish this novel, and isn't the main point of Nano the word count anyway, or accomplishing that goal? For me it is. Once I get my badge, I can then get some feedback on my work.

I think the main thing that slows me down is that I stop to edit everything as I go, and I toil over the chapters I've written again and again. And with Nano, you just write, plow through, get it done. With Nano, you're allowed to write junk. You're allowed to be stupid and ugly with words. You're allowed to let loose.

I'm still seeking representation for Kings & Queens, and I've revamped my query letter, again, since my newest one wasn't getting many bites. Hopefully the new one hooks, but I have a feeling it's the concept and not the plot description. I've spun this thing in multiple ways, heavier on character, heavier on plot, hints of the conspiracy, total exclusion of it, ending hinted at, ending revealed, plot scaled down to bare bones, and it still gets the same results.

That's the main reason I want to finish Dropping Like Flies. Then I can get it critiqued and start editing it. It's just a bit higher-concept than K&Q and I think I'd have an easier in with that one.

Are you doing it this year? If so, add my as a buddy. I'm majesticmadness over there.

I may pop in to update you on my progress and groan about my football team, but if not, catch you on the flip side when the dust and leaves settle.

~ Signing off and sending out cyber hugs.