I've outlined Midnight Blues, hit the ref. books and have finalized everything in my head. I like my cast of characters and because this is a promotional project, I can do exactly what I want with the story (always a nice bonus for the author.)
Novella writing puts a choke-chain on any temptation to indulge in elephantitis of the keyboard. The chain's a bit longer than a short story's, but it still comes to an end a lot sooner than you think. While I'm writing a novella, I have to zero in versus wide-angle; some authors can juggle a lot of subplots in this form but that doesn't work for me. I don't like to count character heads when I write, but too many of them in a novella can also eat up story space, so my cast tends to be on the conservative side.
I like the pressure to keep the story in a shorter-than-novel form. Tight and focused prose is the key here; no time for prissing around with a lot of exposition and other novelladeedah. I think when novellas are done right, they can pack more punch that novels or short stories, too. They're the perfect form for P.I. stories, two-alone romances, or any story with a strong premise and lots of energy and tension in a confined arena (whether that arena is setting, timeline, conflict-related or other.)
I expect to have the novella finished by October 15th or thereabouts. How are you guys doing with your projects?
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:( I can't take the challenge right now. I'm still working on the urban fantasy. Who knew switching from third to first person would slow my writing down so much??? Not me. If you run it again, I'll definitely be there. :D
ReplyDeleteI'm on chapter five of my newest project and just dusted off something I was working on last month for the Halloween Challenge. Sounds fun, can't wait to participate.
ReplyDeleteOur reading/writing group meets this Saturday night at my place and I am "asking" them for a short story submission.
ReplyDeleteWe/I will have a funky e-book (if I can convince the graphic designer of our group to do a cover . . .) of ten to twelve short stories.
This is great fun - and thanks to you we have a concrete deadline to hit.
Hmmm. Hitting a deadline made of concrete - maybe not the best image . . .
Um, do we just email you the link (assuming that's how it works)
And can't wait to read your work.
Good luck to everyone else.
How am I doing on my challenge story? Much better now that I've settled on which story I want to write. I think.
ReplyDeleteEr...I MEANT to participate in the challenge. I did! :) But then revisions came in, and there was Busch Gardens, and procrastination...
ReplyDeleteBut I can't WAIT to read everyone else's! *g*
Short story work has all been finished, and I'm going to have some down time coming up after surgery, so I'll gain some bonus writing hours. *-*
ReplyDeleteRight now, the plot is "outlined" (i.e., sketched in random patterns on a sheet of scrap paper), I have my character list, and I managed to get the first page done - and I'm happy with it. *-* No expected completion date (other than October 31st), yet.
I will probably finish mine in the window I've got before edits on WWW arrive. That's early next week.
ReplyDeleteJordan, I'm slower in my first person book, too.
Nine chapters in and going strong!
ReplyDeleteMy first draft is nearly finished, and then I'll have revisions. Hoping to finish before the end of the month. :)
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Erin K.
Have something that may be done on time. It's a great idea.
ReplyDeleteWanted to let you know that the link to my blog no longer works--the entire template became corrupted or something and when I have a new blog up I will let you know. Thanks!
Thanks to a couple of days of vacation a few weeks ago, my short story, The Horse Master, is finished and up on my blog. I put another one up, too, but it wasn't technically "new" just newly edited. *wg* Thanks for the opportunity and challenge!
ReplyDeleteI hope to be able to work on my project during vacation (I can't sleep during the flight but at least I should be able to write during the quiet time on the way over). But even if I don't I plan to have something up and ready by Halloween. Wish me luck, you know what they say about the best laid plans.
ReplyDeleteAnn
Huh. I can write twice as fast in first person as I can in third. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteI've got a title, a cover, a plot outline and a first scene. Soon as I meet my current deadline, I'm THERE.
I have an idea, and three pages, and this is a perfect time to test out Writely for this sort of thing, so there it is. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of editing/re-writing (ick), and I'm not feeling too cheerful about any of my writing at the moment. It will pass. I'm struggling between the idea of writing something new or expanding something old (maybe I'll write something blue...). I have all sorts of ideas swirling around in my head, so I'm not worried yet. Beginning to feel the pressure, but not worried... much.
ReplyDeleteI'll get it done, the prize at the end is too tempting to resist.
(The word verification? Kivgahs. That about sums it up! "How are you feeling today?" "Oh, you know, kivgahs.")
My novella/ short story is coming along in leaps and bounds. The new semester has started and that really affects my writing time and energy. But if I don't get this story finished in time, I'll just rewrite and translate some of my older short stories. So far so good. (crosses fingers)
ReplyDeleteI have about 1500 words down, and it continues to grow. Rather like a mushroom.
ReplyDeleteI'm still struggling with the ending. It is at the point where it can go several different ways - but I'm really pleased with it so far.
ReplyDeleteLousy progress on the e-Book challenge, but finally progress on the WIP, so I can't complain.
ReplyDelete