The Query

About the novel I wrote in 29 days during the NaNoWriMo event. I’ve been through the editing process, I’ve read page after page several times. My word count ended up being 51,653.  Short for a novel I think but doable. I wrote a Query and sent it off in email submission. It takes four weeks to recieve a reponse, which could be “I hate it,” or, “Not what were’re looking for at this time,” or any other response including, “Send us the first five chapters!”

The process of choosing an agent was long, however, I feel the one I chose is right for me and for my realistic fiction piece. Meanwhile my inner voice is telling me to get on that second draft, the one that spins from the first where my protagonist, my hero loser, man….its hard to explain, enters what is almost an alternate world, a world of conspiracy, threats, daring acts, and painful memories, just to be with his girl, Anna.

The agent I chose is good about sending responses but tough on requesting additional material. I’m good with that, I feel if she turns it down I’ll learn from the experience, or maybe its isn’t what she’s looking for. In that case I’ll move on. If she accepts and request more, what I really hope for, and yes I’ve set my hopes on this particular agent to represent my work, then I believe she will love the novel.

Whatever the outcome, and though I’ve written many works past, my first out reach to an agent has just happened, a step forward, a process, a goal completed. Now about that second draft…

 

A little time for me

…and so I’ve been working on the editng of my draft I wrote during the National Novel Writing Month. My excitement grows as I read and re-read my story. I feel I have something here, though I’ve, and laughing here, had to change a lot of the wording and fix many errors since early this morning. I feel good about the overall story. It has a great plot and lots of scenes throughout the entire draft. A little, or who am I kidding a lot more tweaking and this could be a publishable work.

Synopsis

The assumed good and the definite bad interact behind the walls of confinement. Mental power, physical threat, and surviving time in a world where those who know take advantage, the strong never forget, and the weak look for someone to turn to. We take a journey with Macon O’Reilly, a nineteen year old adult who earned himself a stay at the jail, punishment by confinement. But Macon soon learns it’s not as easy as it sounds. Incarcerated in an environment we choose not to understand, if they can’t do the time we say… and now Macon must find strength to meet the challenges of incarceration and make it back home to sweet Anna, the girl he plans to marry. Neither are prepared for the horror about to unfold upon them in this disturbing narrative of survival among the ruthless.

I titled the work “Tug.” If, when I submit the piece to an agent I’ll update here on WordPress. Whether it be accepted, tossed, or even laughed at, and how I feel about will be shared during the process. But till then I am too excited!

I Formed a Habit

I completed my 50,000 words for the NaNoWriMo challenge as seen in my last blog. I was supposed to sleep in this morning. But  I think I”ve formed a habit of waking up at 4 AM! In fact I was up at 3:32 waiting for four o’clock! I’ve read many suggestions to take a break from my draft and maybe I should.

However, the story is still alive and I couldn’t resist. I started the editing process. I’ve re-read the first nine pages and made many corrections, seems I don’t know whether I’m writing in past or present tense.

Well, to be honest I’ve all ways had that problem, but a writer named Gary once said something similar to, “Don’t do that to readers!”So I’m going back and fixing all my little annoyances, and I”m doing it now.

So each morning I’ll complete up to ten pages of editing. I know after a month of literary abandon, as it’s fondly called, I must be insane. But the drive is there and I’ll roll with it.

Speaking about Gary, if your not apart of a writers group I encourage everyone to find one your comfortable with, or like I did, one that gave true criticism. It is a great benefit for writers to have others read their works.

I’ll be here editing away, and searching for the means of which I’ll submit my draft for publishing. That’s a whole other ball game.  I’ll have to think about it, self publish or not?

Oh, and just so to explain the process of editing, I’ve added close to five hundred more words so far. The nuts and bolts was completed with NaNoWriMo, and now I’m bringing more life to my characters. So readers will love them, hate them, feel sorry for them, and yell at them to grow some!

Maybe that talk should stay inside my manuscript, hard to let it go after a month of it! To all who have participated this year…Hooray!

Whew!

I made it! 50,050 words. I am a winner of the NaNoWriMo challenge of writing 50,000 words in a month! Next up edit and polish it until it is a well written and entertaining novel. It was a little scary there for a while but I pulled it off. Macon, my main character, well, he faced a tug between good and evil, he did what he had to do. I am already thinking of a second draft. Macon of course would be my star. Now off to work.

It Flowed

I got up at 4 AM and started typing and just finished 3,131 words or close to it. The important thing is is that my story grew into a good peak for the ending. It somehow flowed in the direction it needed to go! Sweet victory is around 3,270 words. It feels like I’m going to complete this challenge on time and still have a pretty good draft. I’ll now have to pull it all together and honestly I may need a little more than the 3, 131 words, and isn’t that grand!

With this month long challenge I have found that the words, the story, will come to  me in a quiet room without distractions. I have found that I can write a complete novel, draft that is, packed with action and twists for entertainment. I can’t wait for the next challenge next November! I can’t wait to read what I’ve written.

Macon, my main character, is about to be put in a serious position and he will have to make a choice that could alter his future. I’ll know which way he’ll go by morning, my morning that is. My story has come together, sweat and tears included. I’m happy with the results to boot. Just a few more thousand or so words.

 

 

Almost there!

44,164 words. I could finish this story tonight! 5,836 words left. The story is leading to it’s final peak, but its result will still be a little surprise. I feel good, and at the same time anxious to get the draft done. I’m tired and will need to take a break before continuing.

Yes, tired and I don’t know if life distracts my writing process or the other way around. But fitting everything in has been a challenge, and a good one. Completing the 50,000 words in 30 days all while tryng to keep up with everything else is tough, but I wouldn’t have come this far if I hadn’t decided to join thousands of others in this mind boggling adventure.

Well now, I’ll carry on…

Fried!

41,700 words and five days left. 8,300 words to complete this first draft and have at least 50,000 words at the finish. I don’t know if my main character, Macon is going to make it. I don’t know if I’m going to survive it either.

It feels like I’ve lived in this fiction world too long, like I’m not going to come back from that other world, my imagination. And I love it! Though my head hurts a bit.

Regardless, I’ve managed to get through some tough times so far and Macon’s going to have to be a man about it. Well, I’ll give him some credit. He did just beat the crap out of one of his enemies. After he gets out of medical he may even do some more damage.

Who knows what will happen next! But I do know that some NaNoWriMo particpants have finshed their 50,000 words! Yes they’ve been posting their accomplishments. Congrats! Funny I could’nt spell that word in it’s correct unabridged form.

Anyway, I envy all who have completed their drafts. Yes, I do, and I can’t wait to go back after my draft is completed to read what I’ve wrote. Disastrous as it might be, I’ll let that thought go for a minute, or five days, the thrill of completing a first draft let alone doing it in 30 days is, well, a ride.

Maybe there’s hope for me afterall, hell I don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m fried!

Pulled Away

I managed to complete 39,576 words for the NaNoWriMo count. Six days left to complete my draft. I’m now a little over a day behind and am hoping for some time alone. It will be tough.

However, the pressure of it all has induced some creativity. My story has some new twist that keeps it interesting. I’m happy with the pressured results I’m creating. I hope all you Wrimo’s are doing well too!

I know where my story must end. My original idea for this draft came to me pretty fast and I have kept it alive through all these pages, 102 now. When I read the draft in it’s finshed state I hope it is at least a little like I have seen it in my warped head. There will be improvements made I know but I feel the story itself is good enough to work on the editing and polish it to a well written and interesting tale.

Well, as you might expect I’m off shopping with the teen who’s about to wake and I should be ready or suffer the consequences.

Never, ever, give up!

Come on!

Eight more days and 12,707 words to go. Not bad at all. I’ll need some quiet time to finish and its looking like quiet time will have to wait a couple of days. I have lots of preparation to do for Thanksgiving, as I’m sure many of you do.

I may get some writing done early in the morning but once family begins to wake computer time is unlikely to happen, and that’s Ok!

That’s right Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It’s my personal favorite meal of the year and I intend to enjoy!

Of course there’s the movies, shopping, and all the other Thanksgiving time activities, to enjoy inlcuding my 13 year old niece who is currently standing nearby waiting impatiently for me to, “Come on!”

Guess I’ll see ya’ll later!

 

 

I’m Reaching

35,067words behind me, 14,933 to reach the end of the goal of 50,000 words before midnight November 30th. I’m a day behind on my word count, however a four day weekend and less distractions by Friday will provide enough time to catch up. I definitetly don’t need to fall behind another day though!

I’m reaching! I’m cooking Thanksgiving dinner for one and that’s a day to enjoy with my family and I’m struggling with my story! Don’t get me wrong I’ll make it to the end, but now is the time for the great climax to come together. I have to decide who lives and who dies, if anyone.

Macon, my main character, what a surprise right, is recieving help, he thinks, but the outcome hasn’t left my brain and joined him just yet. I’ll need to come up with something in less than 15,000 words and in nine days!

NaNoWriMo is truly a challenge! I’ve come this far! So have many of you! There’s no turning back or giving up. This is it the final push. We’ve come so far and though I’m reaching and maybe you are too, this is the month we finish our novels.

Now there, I said it, now get back to work.