Friday Fricassee

I'm still alive!

So, as you know, I've been drafting these past weeks.  I'm also currently working on a fairly time-consuming editing project, as well as SOMETHING ELSE.

The SOMETHING ELSE is -- *drum roll* -- a new story idea that popped out of nowhere.

I know that's happened to many of you!  But, honestly?  It doesn't usually happen to me.  I'm sure I've said this (numerous times) before, but I'm not an idea person.  When, just prior to starting our submission process a month or so ago, Danielle asked me to share all my story ideas with her, I was like...um.

Literally.  "Um."

Because I DIDN'T HAVE A BUNKERFUL OF IDEAS.  Nor a drawerful.  Nor even A SINGLE, SOLITARY IDEA.

Sure, I had a couple of older novels that I was burning to rewrite.  But that's not quite the same as a fresh, new idea. 

So you can imagine my utter glee when I found myself all a-flutter over this New Idea.

Even better?  When I shared the idea with Danielle a few days ago, she was BEYOND ENTHUSIASTIC.  "You must write this book!" she said.

Nothing like fanning the flame with a single sentence, right?

So, in the midst of my rabid, 1000-words-a-day-or-die on my current draft, I'm dabbling in the research and worldbuilding and character-creating of my New Idea.  I even bought some new music and created a playlist.  (You know it's serious when that happens!)

And there you have it.  The bottom line is that my current novel-on-submission is a YA Fantasy (as most of you already know), and Danielle feels (and I agree) that it will be smart to brand myself as a YA Fantasy author before moving into the YA SF I so love (and have written, well, lots of).  The New Idea is decidedly YA Fantasy, so we're good to go.

(Have I mentioned that I cut my proverbial teeth on fantasy novels?  It's undeniably my first love.)

As for my draft?  It's growing slowly and steadily beneath my fingers. To wit:

(That's from yesterday.  So, yep, I'm almost 1/3 of the way through this first draft.  Which feels SO VERY GOOD.)

And while we're staring at pretty project target graphics from Scrivener-without-which-I-would-surely-perish:  Please don't take on other people's word counts.

I've done this at times.  I'll be plugging merrily away at my self-imposed thousand-a-day, and some smarmy writer will declare, "Yee-haw!  Got 4200 words in today.  Time for some beer!"  And I'll look at my measly 1000 and think...huh.

Here's the deal:  I do think it is SO VERY IMPORTANT to write regularly.  Every day, if possible.  But whether it's every-other-day or every-single-weekend or whatever it is, MAKE IT SACRED.  200 words a day or 1500 words a day or WHATEVER FEELS DOABLE TO YOU is what you need to strive to accomplish.

It doesn't matter the number of words.  What matters is consistency.  Regardless of what your personal writing rate is, that manuscript WILL GROW BENEATH YOUR FINGERS if you keep at it.

I know you know this.  But I wanted to remind you.  Because, yes.  Writing regularly (whether you feel like it or not) is so very important.

Okay, then!  Nose to the grindstone and all that.  Have a glorious weekend!