Book Update and Why I’m Kicking Myself...

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Hello again!

I'm still having a blast writing the book and I think it's coming out pretty decently too. Right now I have 4 chapters done and ready to have reviewed, am about 40% done writing the fifth and have 2 others outlined to the point that I could probably write them within a day or two.

I am kicking myself though. As I've mentioned before (or at least I think I have...) I decided to skip writing chapter 2 and come back to it later because something minor happens in it that really affects the rest of the book. Well, after I spent a day in a particularly bad mood, I decided that it was time to start writing it. I was in a bad mood because I think I'm mentally connecting with my characters a little too well. I wrote a chapter one morning where Casey was just in a rotten mood and it stuck with me all day.

But back to why I'm kicking myself. I realized that I was just scared to write such a big part of the story, for fear that I wouldn't do it justice. Well, I got over that and started outlining the chapter quickly, before I could change my mind. About halfway through that process it became glaringly obvious that there needed to be another new chapter after chapter 2. No problem, so I have to change the names of a few files, bumping them up a chapter number - easy enough. What isn't so easy is the fact that as I began actually writing chapter 2, I made tiny little plot changes that seemed to fit better... doesn't sound too bad, right? Except, now, after every change I have to go back and read my new chapters 4-6 and make slight alterations. Fun Fun Fun!

I swear once I finish chapter 2 (possibly could be done today) and chapter 3 (shouldn't take too long), that I am not going to skip any more chapters! I'll just write one chapter after the next, after the next, until it's finally done! If I even slightly mention the thought of skipping a chapter, for ANY reason... somebody please send me multiple comments trying to knock some sense into me.

The partial reviews I've gotten so far for chapter 1 have been pretty good, so that makes me happy. I've been told that the dialogue flows well and that it all sounds real and believable. I just hope the plot line lives up to their expectations. We're going over to our friend's house tonight for dinner, and they happen to be 2 of my guinea pi... er reviewers, so maybe I'll get some good constructive criticism. Once I get their opinions and make any changes that they suggest that I think needs fixed, I will be sending a copy of chapter 1 off to my final reviewer. She's going to be a tough audience. She reads books constantly and should be a pretty good judge of the story.

But anyway, 4 chapters down... 38 pages written... 14+ chapters and know knows how many pages remaining. Thanks for all of the support and encouragement as I work on this book. It's always been a secret dream of mine to try and get something published, and who knows... maybe this will be it! If not, at least it will be out of my head and safely stored on the computer and I can start fresh with some new idea.

~Willow and her Writing Gremlin

~ Oh yeah, here's a new copy of a cover that I made for it. At least my graphic design experience comes in handy when I'm experiencing writer's block...