Month: May 2019

A Monday Moment: Foreboding

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Monday Moment - Foreboding

Todd grasped his wife’s upper arms. “You must take the magistrate’s fastest horse and warn everyone in and around the village that they need to escape before it’s too late.”

Tears streamed down Rachel’s face. “Would it not be wiser to ride straight to Northbay and ask them to send an army?”

“You know we don’t have time for that. We’ve all heard the tales—once Antios’s men show up outside the village, it’s only a matter of time before Antios himself arrives and destroys the village. Our town only has hours left. If we can warn enough people, maybe someone will survive to tell our story too.”

She nodded and took a deep breath. “I will warn who I can.” Then she pulled her husband into a quick embrace.

“We’ll keep Antios’s men engaged as long as we can to allow those escaping to get away. As soon as you have sounded sufficient alarm, make for the nearest town.”

She pulled back and looked him in the eye. “I won’t leave without you.” Her jaw was set and eyes unwavering.

“Rachel, my love, you know that those of us staying to fight will leave before Antios arrives if we can. We must stay as long as we can, to give the rest of you a chance. But listen to me—if I do not make it, it would be better for Laura and Joshua to lose one parent, and for Shanna to lose one grandparent, than two. They will need you.”

Prompt used: After a powerful enemy destroys 2 major cities, they arrive at your main character’s city

Daily Writing Check-in: May 5, 2019

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Words/Time:  54 minutes doing preliminary work for the new outline of “Vin” as well as some free writing with a prompt.

Over half of this time was spent finishing reading through the first draft. I then used a prompt for some free writing for 10-15 minutes, which will be tomorrow’s Monday Moment.

And for the last few minutes, I got Scrivener set up to start putting broad scenes into it, to start outlining the first draft of “Vin,” so I can see what I’m starting with at a glance, figure out what needs cut and what can be kept, and decide where to go from there. I’ll work on that tomorrow, because I’m pretty beat right now.

Daily Writing Check-in: May 4, 2019

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Words/Time:  41 minutes doing preliminary work for the new outline of “Vin” as well as some free writing with a prompt.

I’m pretty sure I spent all of this time reading. I did all of this after midnight last night, before I went to bed. And it’s good that I did, because I was gone most of the day today, until about 11:45 pm. And the time I was home, in between things, I had such a headache, I could barely move.

I got through the rest of the story proper, and started into the letters from Vin to a pastor that is probably the only person in the world that he respects. I don’t know if they’re any good, because I couldn’t seem to stop myself from having him be all deep, theological, and introspective, which just came out forced. Even when I stopped myself and started over, trying to have him speak more plainly…it still kept coming back to that. So I don’t know what I’m going to do with that later.

Daily Writing Check-in: May 3, 2019

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Words/Time:  3 hours, 42 minutes doing preliminary work for the new outline of “Vin” as well as some free writing with a prompt.

3 hours were spent reading through the first draft of “Vin,” which was written in November of 2017 for NaNoWriMo. I’m now on page 109 out of 137, deep in the climax scene. This time was spent throughout the day, coming back to reading whenever I could, because I just enjoyed it that much.

When I got to my normal writing time in the evening, I decided that with so much time already on the clock for the day, it was a good day to get some writing practice in, so I pulled a prompt. It ended up leading me to a scene that involves a story I have barely even thought about yet–book 3 of the “Pursuit of Power” trilogy*. It actually led to some small ideas for a story that intimidates me, because it’s been in such darkness for so long. It’s invigorating to have some light shed onto it out of nowhere like this.

I also had a crazy, out-of-nowhere idea for the story I’m currently outlining, “Vin,” that solves one big issue I had, and also adds some serious drama and intrigue. After the free writing, I took some time to write that idea down so I didn’t forget it, and then decided that I had plenty of time in for today.

I don’t know if any of these ideas today will make it anywhere, but I’m really enjoying the organic discovery that’s been happening, after weeks of coaxing ideas for “The Seeger Book.” I know both ways of arriving at a story are valid, and it doesn’t make the plot & outline for “The Seeger Book” any less good or worth writing, just because it took more work to shape it to what it is. But the random, out-of-nowhere ideas are just so much more fun and exhilarating. And considering how light on plot “Vin” is, it’s going to take a lot of new ideas to shape it into a story anyway.

*I’m still guessing it’s going to be a trilogy. I haven’t figured out what the 3rd book will entail yet, or if it will be too much for just 1 more book after the 2 I have planned.

Daily Writing Check-in: May 2, 2019

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Words/Time:  2 hours, 2 minutes doing preliminary work for the new outline of “Vin.”

I spent that time reading through the first draft of “Vin,” which was written in November of 2017 for NaNoWriMo. I’m now on page 50 out of 142.

I feel a little like I’m cheating, calling this writing work, because it’s super easy to spend a lot of time on it. In fact, after I post this, I may go back and read some more tonight. As I said a few days ago, I really enjoy this book. However, I’m also seeing some major weaknesses in it that I will do my best to write out of it. And I don’t just mean the parts of the story that I know I need to change, but things like one of the main characters being a little…overwhelmingly unhappy and…not exactly whiny, but I can’t think of another word for it.

I did also spend quite a bit of time making some tentative changes to my timeline for all of the Pithea Books. I had to add 2 years before this story, and make sure it worked out okay. It meant seriously extending the time between milestones in a relationship that so far won’t be seen developing in any actual books, but I still want to make sure is worked out. Interestingly enough, I once decided I needed to compress that development…and now I’ve de-compressed it, or at least some of it.

Daily Writing Check-in: May 1, 2019

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Words/Time:  1 hour, 2 minutes doing preliminary work for the new outline of “Vin.”

I spent that time reading through the first draft of “Vin,” which was written in November of 2017 for NaNoWriMo. I didn’t get very far though, as I already had to make some notes of things that need to be different, or had to look at my timeline to find out how much time has passed since a certain event in the past. And I found out that it was a lot less time than I had originally been planning. So far, I don’t like that. It just doesn’t give me as much punch where I need it.

Tomorrow I will play with my timeline and see if I can add a few years in there without messing up the delicately balanced timeline for all of the Pithea Books. If only I didn’t have to make my stories intertwine so much…