New books are fun, and fun is good, right? I read on Facebook that when you start writing a new book there is a honeymoon period. I agree, and the honeymoon ended around 27,000 words. I trudged on and managed to make it to 30,000 words. How I did this is simple - I killed someone.
How do you take a light funny book and let it take a serious tone? It's a hurtle that I needed to climb. I have solid characters that have had their fair share of amusing moments, but there is nothing about murder that is amusing. If I attempted to do so I know I will fail miserably.
In this book there are no gory details or gratuitous sex. Everything is very tongue and cheek, and at times, over the top. Sex will be referenced, but no details. My characters are elderly, but they are not dead. I just don't think someone would want to read a sex scene detailing older people. It's like a metal image stuck in you head (like your parents having sex). The reality is older people do have sex, they're not dead yet. It will add to the humor as I have tried my best to portray the insanity of my characters. Nothing like ruffling someone's feathers.
I'm currently at 30,000 words and plan to get 30,000 more before the end of the month. I have a 1,000-word minimum a day goal and I take it seriously. I want to get out there in a big way, and that won’t happen with one a book a year.
I have my self-doubting moments, all writers do. It's every writer’s downfall, and I don't plan on letting it be mine. I bought Scrivener 2.0 for Mac, and although, this is another tool I need to learn - I will be more organized. I can keep track of all my characters, reference, settings, and chapters at a click of the mouse. No more notebooks or index cards, yea. I have a few more tricks I use that one day I'll share them, but none of them are easy. Nothing I do is easy, I always take the hard way, but that is the only way I see the missing road. The most frustrating thing for me is that most editing software for writers are only available for windows. I think these people are really missing the boat here.
I strive to improve my writing and hope it will well received when it finally gets out there. I backtracked and put up a free website. It goes against everything I said in an earlier blog, but it was suggested by a friend that you need one even if you don't really use it much because that's what people look for. Like I said - hard way.
I consider myself lucky that I have a supportive partner that helps me in ways you'll never know, but I know I have to be the one proving I can do what I say I can. You will see a mixture of genre, because I'm trying to find out what I write best. I think each of them are good in their own way. You will find disturbing, followed by lighthearted, followed by who knows what.
2 comments:
I look forward to reading an amusing excerpt referencing old people sex! Hah! I know my kids think I'm old...and would be mortified to acknowledge that yes, we old folks ain't dead! Love your post.
http://dalesplace-dale.blogspot.com/
I think the older people get the more they think about sex, even though they may not be able to do it, lol. Kids always think we're old! The older you are the more you appreciate all the small things.
I'll think of posting an excerpt at some time, but I kept a little over top. My main character is 72 and that is not old by any measure. Her partner in crime is 82 and she is the funniest one in the book. I'm trying to put my mainly uptight character through some situations that are not only embarrassing, but down right mortifying. She's quick witted enough to find her way out of them though.
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