36 days. That’s what I’m giving myself to finish this YA romance, work-in-progress, year and a half of research, changed the plot at least twenty times, labor of love, sweat and tears, great American teen novel.
July 31st, 2008. That’s my deadline. The day the Disco Mermaids leave town and head to the annual SCBWI national conference in Los Angeles. I told my agent I’d have the draft to her sometime this summer, and we’ll be getting together at the conference. So, the pressure’s on!
This is pretty much how I tackle all giant projects…slow, slow, slow, plan, plan, plan, re-think, re-think, research, research, think some more, do some outlining, then…GO!
Realistically, I’m about 1/4 finished. Because I’ve changed the main plot so many times, the beginning has been reworked to death (no pun intended, as this is essentially a story about a young girl learning to die with dignity). This is exactly how I wrote my first novel, Ring of Fire, as well. I wrote, edited, re-wrote, critiqued, and revised the first six chapters for three years! Then, when I finally had the exact beginning I wanted, and created a general outline of the remaining ¾ of the book, the rest of the writing went really quickly. I actually spent one entire month sitting at my dining room table, sucking down Diet Coke and red licorice (a surprisingly delicious combo!), writing like a madwoman for 10-12 hours a day.
Remember that, Jay and Robin? When you couldn’t get me on the phone or email for days at a time, and then you’d pop by my house to check if I was still alive, and you’d find me greasy-haired and sweaty with licorice in my un-brushed teeth, surrounded by crushed empty Coke cans? Well, prepare yourselves because that time is upon us again.
I’m afraid you won’t see much of me for the next 36 days. Unless, of course, you happen to be shopping in Trader Joe’s and wander down the sweets isle (it’s the third from the left), and accidentally drop some Australian Kookabura red licorice into your cart, then find yourself driving through my neighborhood. Then, and only then, should you walk into my house and disturb me. Thanks in advance!
- Eve
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7 comments:
You can do this. Good luck, and sending good thoughts that it all comes together.
And maybe a recommendation to get that dentist appointment scheduled for August? :)
Thanks, Becky!
Funny, I just cracked a tooth, and am not getting it officially fixed until I FINISH THIS BOOK. How's that for incentive??
Pain = work harder = complete book = new tooth!
Whatever works, man.
Eve
Thanks for the inspiration. You make me want to sit in my bathrobe all day and watch my teeth blacken with coffee stains.
Go girl!
Perfect deadline, Eve! You will come out of hiding just in time to shave your legs, slip a gold cap on your cracked tooth, and head down to the conference!
I'll buy your first drink (which, after a month of monkish living, should go a looooong way!)
Looking forward to that drink on August 1st, Christy!
I've just hired a writing coach to track my progress and yell at me when I want to take a nap and scream things like, "No adverbs EVER!" like Joan Crawford when I produce lazy writing.
Should be interesting!
Hi Laurie! I'm hoping my dentist is prepared with the sandblaster for the removal of black coffee/red licorice stains. Nasty!
Eve
Go, Eve, go! From my own dark writing cocoon, I salute you. Over the past 3-4 weeks, I have only been out of the house to go pick up/drop off people at the airport. Otherwise, I am at my writing desk. It sounds like our processes are really similar, with the agonizing over beginnings and not being able to move forward until they're perfect. Oh yeah, and the changing and reworking the plot a million times. Yeah. Except me, when I finally DO get going? It still takes me like another year to finish a draft! Hugs and best wishes to you this month! You can do it!
Go Eve, Go!
If you leave the teeth, you can be a Red Pirate for the gala!
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