What is it about 20K? Why do things SLOW WAY DOWN at that word count? It feels good to hit that number. I'm almost half way to a decent word count! Not really! But that's what I'm telling myself! But then I just...stare.
And stare.
And stare.
I'm working a little differently with my new WIP (my main new WIP. I've got another one, tucked away for now.) Now that I've hit that number - I'm going back to edit those 20K words before I go on. AM I CRAZY? I don't know. But I feel like what happens at the beginning of a story severely effects the end. So I'd like to try to have a solid beginning before I head further into the trenches that is story. If that makes sense.
I'm excited about this story. Like MAJORLY EXCITED. (*Please refer back to this statement in about, oh, three weeks. I predict I will be contradicting it by then.)
I LOVE NEW DRAFTS. LOVE THEM. I FEEL HOPE RUSHING THROUGH MY VEINS! This is it, I think. THEE BOOK. You know, the one that will magically fly off bookshelves like little paper bats. The one that will pay my bills. Allow to me to quit the day job. This book is my SAVIOR.
Wow. Maybe I shouldn't have drank that Dr. Pepper. I'm a little wired. And delusional.
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!
THANK YOU FOR READING ABOUT MY PAINFUL JOURNEY TOWARD PUBLICATION!
Onward.
P.S. Apologies. In a wierd mood. I blame in on the twisters around here. (On a side note: I was sitting in the bathroom with my two dogs (who are not little, both over 50 lbs) last night because the tornado sirens went off. My husband stays on the couch. Chill. I can't be chill in storms. I freak. I want my animals safe. Everyone safe. Me and my dogs were like little sardines. I think my animals also think I am crazy.)
20 k is an interesting number, I think you're definitely right. :) Because high fantasy novels tend to be longer, I usually hit that point at about 50 k, but I know exactly what you're talking about. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd twisters? Yeah, I'd be freaking out too. I'm glad you and your dogs are safe!
I haven't experienced this yet. May I ask you a question: Do you storyboard? I think it could help you get it all down if you have a sense of exactly what is going to happen at any time in your story.
ReplyDeleteHahaha...your wired post cracks me up :) Channel that energy!!
ReplyDeleteAlso, hope those twisters are all done and gone now. That would scare the crap out of me.
Yikes at the twisters! My goal for my novel was 40,000 and anything over that would be great, so I felt like this at 20,000 words, too. It's the moment you think you can really do this, and then go blank, LOL. Good luck with getting past the halfway point!
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