It’s been awhile since I’ve provided any sort of writing update, and I find myself with a dearth of post ideas. So:

I’m 98k-ish into my current project (though I already know at least 10k of that will be scrapped). I’m calling it YA comic fantasy, and it is a 3rd revision of an idea I used for NaNoWriMo, twice. I’ve actually written the last scene and was debating whether to consider the the draft done or to go back and add a scene or two I already know I need, based on changes I made during the latter half of the book. I decided to add one scene that is truly a new addition, and to address another couple of scenes that would be rewrites “plus some additions” during revisions. So I should finish the draft this week, which is one week later than my self-imposed deadline. Not terrible, considering if I’d wanted I could’ve just rolled the scene I’m working on into revision territory.

Things I’ve learned during this book:

• I will never be able to truly leave behind “discovery writing” or “pantsing” or whatever you want to call it. My best ideas usually don’t come to me until I’m in the midst of writing.
• During writing, I will also come up with ideas that would change the whole course of the book to implement–and they’re not ideas that are necessarily better; just different. It’s better for me if I can recognize these as “subplots for another book” at the outset, so that I don’t divert from whatever plan I do have that is working. (And I’m getting better at this.)
• I do relatively well with writing 25k or so words, pausing to reassess/brainstorm the next bit, writing the next 25k or so, and rinse and repeat until done.
• The Magic Spreadsheet is awesome.
• My first ideas for endings are usually pretty lousy.

What’s next after this draft: I have short story I’ve been fiddling with that I’d like to finish during the “let the book lie before revisions” period. Also some world-building and research for the next big project after this one (and in truth, this book has been a placeholder project while I try to get my act together for that).

I haven’t worked out hard deadlines for any of the above. I like to have at least a 2-week break before starting revisions (often longer), but my overall writing goal for the year was to get one book nice and fully revised, and to have at least the rough draft of one more. I’m almost halfway through the year, and that second goal is looking more difficult.

And now, a random picture: