Cassy, the director of on-site publications, called last night. There’s already a page of schedule changes, such that she’s doing a pre-convention print issue of the Daily Dragon. Gah.
Got five more crits of “Two Minds” from Critters and one more for “Only Springtime”. Hurray! But shit, I barely have time to skim them, much less dwell on them. But, hurray! I usually judge twenty to be the magic number in order to give me a large enough sampling to do reasonably accurate statistical analysis on. For a while there, I worried that I wouldn’t hit twenty for “Two Minds” but it’s looking likely that I will now since we’re only now hitting the 3rd week mark of the tri-week.
Novel outline is, surprisingly, in good shape. Stressed? Again, surprisingly, not. And I actually think I might write the bugger. 1500 words into it even. Completed the prologue and taken a big bite out of chapter one. Neat.
I grok the virtue of writing an outline for bigger projects. Breaking it down into bite-size chunks makes the whole enterprise much less terrifying. mouseferatu is wise indeed.
Made sixteen copies of my story “Running On Two Legs” for the workshop. That’s a heap big pile of paper there. And the Xerox machine crapped out on me a couple times. Stupid piece of hardware. Don’t like hardware. It’s mean to me.
The dragon waketh!
“mouseferatu is wise indeed.”
Well, I dunno if I’d go that far… 😉
Seriously, though, I know some people work without outlining, but… I’d never be able to make myself even sit down and start a novel (or heck, even a WW assignment) if I didn’t already have some idea of where the heck I was going with it.
Shall I assume, given that you seem to be happy with the outline and that you’ve got D*C coming up fast, that you’ll not be asking me to look it over beforehand? ‘cuz the offer still stands, if you want me to.
“I know some people work without outlining, but…“
Outlines often mush my creative process into a crippled and squawking little monster. But I really do understand the benefit of having things organized and laid out before you start laying down words. If I can coax Ms. Creativity to put up the flag of truce around roman numerals or bulleted lists, we’d be a go on the whole outlining thing. Until them, I write as my muse dictates, the whore. Fortunately, this time around, she was cooperative. A new leaf, perhaps?
“Shall I assume . . . that you’ll not be asking me to look it over beforehand?“
I’m actually uncharacteristically pleased with the thing and so don’t feel the need for another spoon in the stewpot. But I greatly, greatly appreciate the offer.
“Until them, I write as my muse dictates, the whore. Fortunately, this time around, she was cooperative. A new leaf, perhaps?”
That, or she’s just being kinky and exercising her BD/SM-style dominance over you. 😉
“But I greatly, greatly appreciate the offer.
Well, it wasn’t entirely altruistic on my part. It was my shot at seeing a Eugie Original before anyone else did. 😉
Seriously, you’re quite welcome. In fact, consider the offer standing open for the entirety of the novel-writing process. I can’t promise that I won’t be in the middle of a deadline crunch if/when you actually get into the book itself, but assuming I’m not, I’ll be happy to look over any of the book at any point you feel the need for an outside opinion. 🙂
“That, or she’s just being kinky”
Sigh. That’s probably it. The little slut’s toying with me. Must. Find. Handcuffs.
“Well, it wasn’t entirely altruistic on my part. It was my shot at seeing a Eugie Original before anyone else did. 😉“
You sweet talker, you! But you’re going to have to arm wrestle Matthew for that (ahem) privilege (cough). He’s got exclusive first reader rights.
“In fact, consider the offer standing open for the entirety of the novel-writing process.”
Wowza. I may yet take you up on that extremely generous offer, Mousie-fangs. Can’t ever have too many critiquers!
Eugie, back to reading your User Info…after reading the second time, I didn’t realize you’re a writer for dragoncon.com. I think that’s neat. I just wish they are closer to me. You and dragoncon are all the way in Atlanta, Georgia while I’m here in California. Oh well. Guess, we can just keep in touch via LJ. I’m still learning….
Yepper. I write for the Daily Dragon for Dragon*Con. It’s a pretty sweet gig–many perks, not the least of which are back stage passes. But it does make for an even more hectic Dragon*Con experience!