Reading a new novel

Daily Goal: 500 words.
I wrote 0 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 8/0.

I have had no time for the story today. Nor does the rest of the week look like it has much free time for writing. I feel exhausted already just thinking about how much I have to do.

I have halted reading A Confederacy of Dunces and started reading The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss. The first was insanely funny, but I barely glanced at it when I had some spare time. The pace was just slowing down. It is a great novel and I plan on finishing it. I just guess I am not really that psyched for humor at the moment.

The Name of the Wind has quite the opposite effect. I long for the next chapter already, even though I have read four chapter tonight. The writing is exquisite in places and a little lacking in others. Chapter One was a polished gem. It sucked you in and gave you a warm welcome. Chapter two I was almost looking for my red pen ready to underline places I'd edit, but just when I thought that would be the standard for the rest of the novel, chapter three turns out surprisingly well written.

So I think I'll stick with it. It is a new fantasy novel, from 2007. The sequel is already out and the last novel of the planned trilogy will be out shortly.

Still editing

Daily Goal: 500 words.
I wrote 0 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 8/0.

I typed the rest of the story in today and I think I need at least one more day of editing before I am ready to post it online for review. I feel a bit better about the story now than I did yesterday, but I still think it needs a bit of work before I am comfortable with it.

I was also planning on reading some similar stories from authors that I love, but I don't know if right now is the correct time to start that process (if there ever is a correct time).

Life in general is busy. The days are very long and tough. The first few hours of free time I just sit and relax: watch TV or chat with my wife. It takes some time before I get any urge to work or write or do something productive.

Reading has also slowed down considerable in the last week. I don't know if it is due to the novel I am currently reading, or if it has to do with fatigue.

The editor emerges

Daily Goal: 500 words.
I wrote 0 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 8/0.

Today was a busy day. My wife was at work, with me the stay at home dad. I was tired, my wife was tired and the baby was tired, but still eager to climb everything in reach and therefore in need of constant supervision.

I am still in the process of typing in the story. The editor in me is having serious issues with what I am typing in. I probably have to keep him in check until I have heard from some reader. The ending scene is the story. Everything up till that point kind of just feels like filler. Although I have written a couple of good episodes, I think, it just reads as if nothing is happening except a slow build-up to the action.

I might have to cut everything but the ending, but the ending is easily a 1000 or 1500 word story by itself, so that shouldn't be a problem. Plenty of magazines are looking for stories in that range. My plan is to wait and see, however, until I've heard some reader response.

Wife going back to work

Daily Goal: 500 words.
I wrote 2-300 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 8/0.

I never managed to post an update yesterday and today I'll have to make a fast update so I can get some sleep. I have had two stabs at an ending for the story. I have also started to type it in. The process I hope to get done tomorrow is to type it in and then do a quick edit before I get someone else to take a look at it.

My wife is starting work again tomorrow. Me and the baby will have 8 or 9 hours or fun together. I am sure I will be full of energy to write after that ordeal. It will be hard, but I think I'll manage. How I'll fit in writing with the wife working again I don't know.

I've written a little short flash fiction thing yesterday. I didn't have any good ideas on how to end the story, so I just ended up writing something else. It was just a short little funny scene.

Ending is hard

Daily Goal: 500 words.
I wrote 50 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 7/0.

I didn't post an update here yesterday. The 50 words mentioned above I wrote yesterday and should have been part of that tally.

The 50 words were an attempt at the ending of the short story. I don't think it worked. I want to write a beautiful ending where I somehow comunicate the protagonist's epiphany to the reader. I want a ending like Joyce's "The Dead" or Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. What I got is an ending that sounds like someone trying to write like Joyce or Fitzgerald.

I went to bed sleeping on it yesterday. I think I had some ideas in the morning, but I didn't write them down. Now they are gone. I will sleep on it again tonight. In 8 hours or so my daughter will wake up and whatever I have thought up during the night will have to contend with her for my attention. Needless to say, if I don't jot it down during the night it will never find its way onto paper.

The ending doesn't have to be that stellar. I just want something original. There are a few moments in the story where I think I write something worthwhile. I figure it needs a worthwhile ending as well, not just a failed attempt at fancy prose filled with cliches.

Writing on the bus

Daily Goal: 500 words.
I wrote 320 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 7/0.

My plans for writing today went bust when I got a phonecall from a friend, with plans for card playing followed by a movie. I arived very late for the card game, the baby was determined to stay up late, but I got there and we went to see Taken 2 afterwards.

I thought, however, after I looked at my route online and found it included a 25 minute bus ride, that I would bring my legal pad, just in case. The result was the 320 words mentioned above.

The story is not quite finished, but almost. I cracked open the final, dreaded scene. Although I haven't read it through yet, I think I got it to work. Now I just need a paragraph or two to end the story. I think I want the protagonist to have a realisation, a true Joycean epiphany.

I'll sleep on it tonight and I hope to complete the draft tomorrow.

The story on hold for a day

Daily Goal: 500 words.
I wrote 0 words.
Sundays/Stories Finished: 7/0.

I should have finished the story today. I got a break in the middle of the day, when the wife took the baby out to see a friend, but I relaxed and read up on roleplaying.

The roleplaying group met for the first time today and our first session might be in a week already. I looks like it is going to be great fun. I hope the baby will stay healthy and sleep soundly whenever we meet. I can't imagine it will be popular if I'll have to rush home or cancel at the last minute. Everyone of us has busy schedules and it takes quite some effort, I imagine, for us all to plan a meet.

The short story has taken a break for a day, but I hope to get the draft finished tomorrow. My wife is planning another trip with the baby, so there might be ample opportunity. If not, I should still hopefully have enough energy in the evening to finish the last page or two of the draft.