Friday, June 19, 2009

Just shy of 60K!

"The Between" is moving toward completion. I'm in the process of choreographing the final scenes of the book. And it is a little like choreography. There are a lot of characters in on the action in the climactic scenes of the story and I have to know where each of them is and what they are doing, making sure events transpire through the eyes of my 2 viewpoint characters.

Something was bothering me about the scenes I had outlined. They seemed dramatic and pushed my protagonist to make a high stakes choice that I thought would provide the emotional payoff I've been building for the past 26 chapters. But the more I thought about it, the less certain I was that it was high *enough* stakes.

Last night in the shower, (where I do my best novel problem solving, for some odd reason) I had a killer idea to raise the stakes in just the right way for Lydia. And as a bonus, it ties up the last remaining open plot thread.

With a little luck and some hard work at the keyboard, I should be able to get this one to 'The End' in a few days. Of course, that's just the first draft. It will need revision--I already have a list of needed changes, and there will be more, no doubt, that show themselves after I've let the story rest a bit. Others that my first readers will point out.

A first draft is a hard-won milestone, but it is just another beginning.

To all my friends in writer-land--happy writing.

2 comments:

  1. lisa, it must be so exciting and scary all at the same time (sort of like riding one of those mules into the Grand Canyon), to be This Close...Im rootin' for ya, all the way.

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  2. Scary is definitely part of it. No matter that I've done this 4 times before, I always feel like I'm walking a tightrope in finishing a novel. Did I do a good job? did I tie up all the loose ends? Will anyone even get to read this thing?

    I will finish this one, just as I've finished all the novels I started. It's a promise I've made to myself at the very beginning of each story.

    No matter how frustrating or frightening, this crazy writing thing is an amazing ride.

    Thanks. :)

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