Sunday evening

Started out hot. Then a line of unforeseen t-storms pushed through, and for a few lovely hours the air was drier and cooler. Then it heated up to 90F. At least it didn't reach 99F, as was predicted earlier.

Finished a chapter, and was happy to find that I could use a scene already written. I continue to condense--the scene that was part of the rewritten Ch 18 was part of the old Ch 22. Ch 19 will, I think, require a ground floor rewrite, but the next chapter could combine parts of two others.

Pacing. That little voice in the back of your head that tells you that you need to move things along. That voice that tells you that as much as you like some scenes, one particular sequence, you may need to cut it all out and introduce what information you need to get out there some other way. I need to get these folks off Elyas and on their way to Shèrá. I may need to cut one sequence where they have a stopover at Guernsey Station just because I don't think I can spare the pages. Too much happens on Shèrá, and I really can't afford to gloss it over. It's the culmination of the whole damned series, after all.

But I can see the major signposts, and some of the markers in between, and that's exciting. I hate to say that I like this book, because it can be considered a curse of sorts--you're not supposed to be satisfied with your stuff, ever--but I think I like this book. I wish it had a title I liked as well.

I have to check the pronunciation/spelling/where the hell did I put those accent marks page on my website every once in a while. Sad, but true. Writers forget things you wouldn't think they'd forget, and remember the damnedest.

I suppose I need to think about getting ready for the week ahead now...

Sunday evening

Started out hot. Then a line of unforeseen t-storms pushed through, and for a few lovely hours the air was drier and cooler. Then it heated up to 90F. At least it didn't reach 99F, as was predicted earlier.

Finished a chapter, and was happy to find that I could use a scene already written. I continue to condense--the scene that was part of the rewritten Ch 18 was part of the old Ch 22. Ch 19 will, I think, require a ground floor rewrite, but the next chapter could combine parts of two others.

Pacing. That little voice in the back of your head that tells you that you need to move things along. That voice that tells you that as much as you like some scenes, one particular sequence, you may need to cut it all out and introduce what information you need to get out there some other way. I need to get these folks off Elyas and on their way to Shèrá. I may need to cut one sequence where they have a stopover at Guernsey Station just because I don't think I can spare the pages. Too much happens on Shèrá, and I really can't afford to gloss it over. It's the culmination of the whole damned series, after all.

But I can see the major signposts, and some of the markers in between, and that's exciting. I hate to say that I like this book, because it can be considered a curse of sorts--you're not supposed to be satisfied with your stuff, ever--but I think I like this book. I wish it had a title I liked as well.

I have to check the pronunciation/spelling/where the hell did I put those accent marks page on my website every once in a while. Sad, but true. Writers forget things you wouldn't think they'd forget, and remember the damnedest.

I suppose I need to think about getting ready for the week ahead now...