When I jumped back into drafting this manuscript a few weeks ago, I didn’t expect to finish this quickly, but here we are! At 56,229 words, it’s much shorter than I was shooting for. This means I only added about 25,000 words to the existing partial manuscript I drafted and rewrote several times last year,…
Drafting
An Update on the Book I Attempted to Pants
I’ve been writing novels for many years now, and over time, I’ve discovered what works well for me. At the same time, I also know that as a person who really likes systems and schedules, sometimes I need to be flexible and try new things. My usual system for drafting is to create an outline…
It Is Finished! My Longest Draft Ever
Hey, friends! So, it’s been a really long time since I’ve posted an update about my writing. I looked back through my posts and found one about revising YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN DELAYED from October, and then there was one about how I tried pantsing a book last summer. (That sounds really strange if you…
When a Plotter Attempts to Pants
It’s been a while since I posted a writing update here on the blog. That’s partially due to it being summer and my schedule changing drastically with my kids being off school and driving them to various camps, partially due to more freelance work, and partially due to drafting a new project. That’s where today’s…
Quick Drafting Tip: Make It Your First Priority
Hello, friends! I opened up my blog today and realized I hadn’t posted since mid-February. Tragic! However, it’s because I’ve been faithfully drafting as promised, and I’m up to 32,ooo words. I’ve set my target for 75,000 words, so that means I’m at about 43 percent. I feel pretty good about this as according to…
It’s Drafting Time!
A few weeks ago I posted that I would start drafting my new project on Monday, Feb. 12, and I wanted to report that I have, indeed, started drafting. Anyone who’s been following my blog for a while knows this is my least favorite part of the writing process. I would much rather be revising…
Writing in Reverse: The Beginning
I’m finished drafting! I treated myself to this cupcake after a draft a few years ago. I really wish I had it now … Anyway, my draft came out at 55,716 words, which was not quite as low as I expected. I had set an initial target of 70,000 words, but as I stated earlier,…
Writing in Reverse: 45,000 Words from the End
I’m actually getting pretty close to the beginning of this draft. (I apologize to those of you just starting NaNoWriMo, but I did start a month before you.) Here are a few more things I’ve learned since the check-in at 25,000 words. No matter how much you plan, you’re as likely to come up with…
Writing in Reverse: 25,000 Words from The End
I started writing my new project at the beginning of October as planned, and I’m now 25,000 words in (or back?), so I figured it was time for an update on how this writing in reverse method is going. As I mentioned in my pre-drafting post, I prepared to write in reverse by creating a…
Pushing Through to the End of My Draft
Hi everyone! I was a neglectful blogger last week. It was Christmas show week, which is a crazy time in my house. My husband and I both play in our church orchestra, and my son was also in the children’s choir this year. Between the three of us, someone had rehearsals Sunday through Wednesday, and…
The Wonderful World of … Drafting?
It’s been a looong time since I posted about drafting. Let me check … yep, part 3 of my It’s Just a First Draft series posted on Nov. 6, 2013, so just over a year. It feels like much longer ago that I was drafting CATCH HIM BY DISGUISE, probably because I really took my…
It’s Just a First Draft, Part 3
I finished my first draft! It ended up at approximately 68,000 words. I always let a first draft sit for a few weeks before I look at it again, although I already have a number of ideas about what I need to do with it when I start revising. In any case, here are my…
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