Updates and Musings
So I recently moved my things into my old office: desk, computer, books, and the like. I had been working out of my bedroom before, making the night's difficult for some people to sleep and some other people to write. So the need for a private workspace ultimately grew too much to ignore.
Now, after spending a day moving everything between rooms, with the office in a bit of disarray, and I too fatigued to pull it into a semblance of order, I find myself with a rather sparse writing space. Where once I was surrounded by books and papers and little nicknacks, I now find upon my desk a couple sheets of paper, a pencil, and an empty soda can. Yeah, Spartan. I have an ottoman in the office, and stacked on top of it is a teetering multi-towered arrangement of books and various other objects waiting for their rightful places. See, I've always been somewhat of a stickler for order. I'm the kind of writer who can't sit down and work as long as there's a mess somewhere in the house. But as I sat down this morning to start working on "City of Blades," I found myself not much caring for the disorganization around me. I blame this wholly on the fact that I'm utterly swept up in the world of The Lonely Man series. It's like the books give me this energy and this ability to work through anything. The only way I can really describe it is to say that the books are more like a form of relaxing entertainment.
When I write, being a discovery writer, it's almost like reading the book for the first time as I write it. I have a sort of outline in my head, knowing certain things that have to happen for the story to progress and reach its end. But a lot of the story is unknown to me, and remains unknown until it happens. I think it's this aspect of writing that fuels me. The potential in every book for something amazing to happen keeps me writing, and keeps me engaged. I doubt I'll ever be a writer who meticulously plots his story. Something about that feels too mechanical and strict. I like to consider stories as living things, and as with anything organic, you have to let it grow according to its own desires.
This isn't to say that there's no order to writing as a discovery writer. Since it is a book, you do, at times, have to reel in the story, keep it from prancing off onto strange fields. Readers expect to be able to follow the story, and the story expects to make some kind of sense. I've often found that left to its own devices, stories make their own logical connections, no matter how far they may seem to veer into left field. This was actually the case with "The Pale Hand of God." Without giving too much away plot-wise, I will say that upon completion of the book I had a clearer and more powerful understanding of certain intricacies I'd added to the plot. These elements made for a tighter connection between certain plot lines, and helped me carry the story over into the concluding book. Perhaps one day I'll talk more about it, when the books manage to reach a wider audience.
That concludes my discourse on order and disorder. Now, for some writing updates.
My current project is the second Lonely Man book, "City of Blades." I'm at 25,000 words as of 07.19.2012, closing in on the halfway mark of 35,000. And I have to say (not because I have a personal interest in the matter or anything) that the book is coming along amazingly.
I've also received the physical proof of "The Witch's Price," which is being looked over for consistency issues and to ensure no errors have managed to sneak their way in after the formatting process.
Finally, in order to get my Paruus Histories novels in physical format, I've been going through them as well, trying to make sure that the transition will proceed smoothly. At the same time I've been taking more detailed notes about the world in preparation of making maps. I hope to have the maps ready when I make the books available in print. An aside on maps: I'm not sure I ever thought about the difficulty in creating maps for a fantasy world. I plan on a blog post outlining my process, along with the sketches and notes that are helping me toward the final draft. So look forward to that.
Have a swell Friday.
Now, after spending a day moving everything between rooms, with the office in a bit of disarray, and I too fatigued to pull it into a semblance of order, I find myself with a rather sparse writing space. Where once I was surrounded by books and papers and little nicknacks, I now find upon my desk a couple sheets of paper, a pencil, and an empty soda can. Yeah, Spartan. I have an ottoman in the office, and stacked on top of it is a teetering multi-towered arrangement of books and various other objects waiting for their rightful places. See, I've always been somewhat of a stickler for order. I'm the kind of writer who can't sit down and work as long as there's a mess somewhere in the house. But as I sat down this morning to start working on "City of Blades," I found myself not much caring for the disorganization around me. I blame this wholly on the fact that I'm utterly swept up in the world of The Lonely Man series. It's like the books give me this energy and this ability to work through anything. The only way I can really describe it is to say that the books are more like a form of relaxing entertainment.
When I write, being a discovery writer, it's almost like reading the book for the first time as I write it. I have a sort of outline in my head, knowing certain things that have to happen for the story to progress and reach its end. But a lot of the story is unknown to me, and remains unknown until it happens. I think it's this aspect of writing that fuels me. The potential in every book for something amazing to happen keeps me writing, and keeps me engaged. I doubt I'll ever be a writer who meticulously plots his story. Something about that feels too mechanical and strict. I like to consider stories as living things, and as with anything organic, you have to let it grow according to its own desires.
This isn't to say that there's no order to writing as a discovery writer. Since it is a book, you do, at times, have to reel in the story, keep it from prancing off onto strange fields. Readers expect to be able to follow the story, and the story expects to make some kind of sense. I've often found that left to its own devices, stories make their own logical connections, no matter how far they may seem to veer into left field. This was actually the case with "The Pale Hand of God." Without giving too much away plot-wise, I will say that upon completion of the book I had a clearer and more powerful understanding of certain intricacies I'd added to the plot. These elements made for a tighter connection between certain plot lines, and helped me carry the story over into the concluding book. Perhaps one day I'll talk more about it, when the books manage to reach a wider audience.
That concludes my discourse on order and disorder. Now, for some writing updates.
My current project is the second Lonely Man book, "City of Blades." I'm at 25,000 words as of 07.19.2012, closing in on the halfway mark of 35,000. And I have to say (not because I have a personal interest in the matter or anything) that the book is coming along amazingly.
I've also received the physical proof of "The Witch's Price," which is being looked over for consistency issues and to ensure no errors have managed to sneak their way in after the formatting process.
Finally, in order to get my Paruus Histories novels in physical format, I've been going through them as well, trying to make sure that the transition will proceed smoothly. At the same time I've been taking more detailed notes about the world in preparation of making maps. I hope to have the maps ready when I make the books available in print. An aside on maps: I'm not sure I ever thought about the difficulty in creating maps for a fantasy world. I plan on a blog post outlining my process, along with the sketches and notes that are helping me toward the final draft. So look forward to that.
Have a swell Friday.
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