so much to write, so little time

Hunter isn't an edit, it's a rewrite. The new ending I have in mind is good, and it ties together the story threads quite nicely. I want to salvage a few parts of the original story, I worked in a lot of imagery that adds to the ghostly feel of the story and I want to keep that. The main character is still the hunter, but he's not so much hunted as he's caught between a rock and a hard place. He becomes judge jury and executioner.

As for the parsec story, I've jotted down about a dozen ideas I could write. I'm going to pick my favorite and run with it. The contest allows up to four entries per writer, so I'll take it one story at a time, and just try to vary the use of the theme and genre to make them as different as possible. I started the first story over lunch, and it's a little creepy. I wrote the ending first actually, which is unusual for me, and the fate of these characters is kind of sickening but fascinating at least to me. I just need to keep writing it and see what it turns into or rather, starts with. :)

I really like the theme -- Color of Silence -- and I swear they must've picked it for me this year. Last year's theme was Dark Glass and I almost had a story for it, but just didn't commit to it. The prior year just stumped me (Metallic Feathers). I know I can write to a theme, and finally I've got one that just sings to me. I can't waste the opportunity. Hopefully the story will sing too.

Wed Eve

Read two stories for crit, brainstormed on the parsec story (too many ideas, I need to focus a bit more), and focused on the Hunter edit. I think I managed to nail down Daymar's involvement with a pretty neat ending. The story's come a long long way from its first draft.

Moving Forward Again

Edits are coming along, and I found a critique group to join. Fading Light should be ready to post to the group by next week at the latest. My progress posts won't be daily, as that would be too boring to type (and for you to read) "I edited" six times a week. :) I'm just excited about the crit group at the moment. I know most of the members (online contacts) and I've exchanged crits with several of them over the past few years. I'm excited about critiquing their work too. They always had interesting stories in the past, and I'm sure that hasn't changed.

Updating

I'm in edit mode, so I'm going with it. Fading Light is moving along once again, and I've cleared the dust off Hunter Hunted, which is getting revamped big time and is due for a title change. Writing is once again becoming a daily event. Now I need to work on completing tasks a little quicker. Fading Light needs a few more days of computer time and Hunter needs some paper & pen time so they balance well. It doesn't help that tonight is the season premiere of Heroes, but I guess I'd better make good use of now.

Treischan Strength

Treischan Strength has been accepted for publication by Pill Hill Press.

Need Groove Back

I slipped away from the writing for a bit, scared off the new novel for some reason. I think I was intimidated by the new characters (which can be fun, challenging, and terrifying all at once!). I need to get the groove back, even if it's 30 minutes a day. This week, I'm aiming to edit Fading Light, something I know I can do. I've got a strange schedule with work, and Mom's in town, so I anticipate some level of exhaustion, but writing is ON the agenda. SOMETHING every day.

This week

Monday's lunch break was spent editing Fading Light (1 page).

Tuesday evening's writing time was spent with the hubby.

Wednesday evening is going to be serious-clean-up-the-house night. Grrr.

Silence

The posting silence means Family took over this weekend, and I had neither the energy nor will to write, but I read. I've been reading Think Sideways lessons, and I've been reading Game of Thrones.

And I've been thinking about my outline, trying to fit my bad guy in, but I realize too that I know who my bad guy was up until the point he committed this particular crime, and he's angry now, losing control, but who is he when he isn't this criminal? And yes, this is important because he and his victim know each other. Poor Audrey can't look at this guys and say it's him because he looks and acts like a criminal. What fun would that be to read? Besides, even criminals have their own lives and schedules and likes and dislikes. It's not like they live for each moment they commit these crimes. They grocery shop. They go to the mall. They read the newspaper while sipping their coffee. Ooooh.. and there it is. Thanks for the help. ;-)

Aha!

It's the outline. I spent some time with Audrey today, my main character, and we went through her story together and while her discoveries and her courageous reactions to them are exciting, and the things she stands to lose is heartbreaking, it isn't nearly fearsome enough. We need Stalker scenes. We need to see Him watching her. We need to feel his rage when she defies him.

So no words, but the outline is moving forward.

Tuesday July 21st Daily Progress

I'm building the habbit again, building the routine. To that end, I chose to work on the short story edit and redlined 6 more pages. Tomorrow I'll review the crit I have on hand, and start inputting my changes.

Stalker has some issues, namely its worldbuilding is far from satisfactory, and I'm uncomfortable with that. I understand Holly's lesson in overplanning, but I'm going to outline just a bit more tonight, on paper, and see where that takes me. Something is holding me back, and it isn't laziness. I'm missing something, and that something should be obvious to me.