I’m feeling better, guys. I think I slept this cold away. It wasn’t too bad, to be honest. I was feeling like indulging in a few days off, and so I took advantage. I did a lot of sleeping these past few days. For reals. Two naps again today. But, obviously, they were necessary. My writing hasn’t suffered for it, and I’m still honestly in good shape work-wise. Maybe a day or two to “make up” after the holidays, but nothing crazy.
Tomorrow does need to be a full day of work, and it will be. I feel resolved to that, believe it or not. It will be tough, considering that I have rent to do in the morning, which throws me back a good hour in my work schedule, but hopefully the Ho can help out with walking the doggies.
We watched some of the Dog Show that they show on Thanksgiving tonight, and we’ve both decided, Liz and I, that we really love dogs. I know. Super big announcement. New flash of the century.
I got my writing done again today, like a boss. I’m cruising, you guys. And, AND…my novel will be done in 17 days. 17 days!!! That’s nothing. 85,000 words. That’s on the “shorter” side of the 80k to 100k that a sci fi novel is supposed to be, but I’ve read in several advice blogs that it’s better to be on that short side when you’re putting out your first few novels…or first novel EVER. It’s going to be the second novel that I’ve ever started writing, and the first one I’ve ever finished. HOW CRAZY IS THAT?!
I think, however, that I’m only going to do a light pass on what I’ve written, maybe for two or three weeks, and not really go in and fix anything major until after I write the rough draft of the second book. Get this first rough draft in enough shape for some other people to read and give thoughts, then use those to sketch out a more major re-write after I go and write the second book. So yeah…second book then I can pounce on March, maybe? Write my second pilot in January/February. That means I could be done with both books and going through to rewrite both of them around…June of next year. Send them off to a publisher…or an agent…ya, that’s scary as poop. It won’t really be, actually, once I’ve had the chance to go through and make sure I love them. For reals.
I dunno, a book just feels so substantial to me. I’ll publish that shit on my own if I have to. It’s not going to make me feel less accomplished. It’s so different than a pilot script or a screenplay…those are inherently unfinished. As a writer, you can only take that vision so far. But, with a book…a book IS its final product. I can do that, from beginning through to the fully-realized end. A book is meant to be read, and I can make that happen on my own if I need to. Now…at this point, self-publishing isn’t actually my goal. Nobody knows who the hell I am. I need exposure, and a publisher and an agent can help that happen. An *editor* would be amazing. Learn from them about what decisions in story and character and style that readers respond to. Someone who’s out there reading books and selling them to the masses. Obviously I want to share something I love with as many people as possible…but I do feel a bit more free with my novel than I do with my screenwriting, because at the end of the day, I have complete control over it. I enjoy that. I really do. There’s a future I can envision, guys, where I’d be very happy writing books for the rest of my life.
On that note, I bid you adieu for the evening. Time for reading some Heinlein, and sleepy times. Good night!