novel-writing – Page 9 – Nicole Bross

Six Sentence Sunday

On October 7, 2012

A searing pain ripped all up my right side where I’d hit the ledge, almost sending me to my knees again. I had to find a way out of this, but I couldn’t move my right arm to get the second dagger out of my other pocket. Dane was right, I thought as the Ker advanced on me, slowly, its grin showing that it was enjoying toying with me. I’m not ready for this.

I didn’t even see it move. One second it was five feet away, the next second I was flat on my back and it was on top of me, a burning sensation filling my midsection.

***

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And Away We Go

By Nicole Bross

On October 6, 2012

In Organizing, Revision

I think a week’s long enough to wait before starting editing, don’t you?

I’m curious to know how people work with their document to edit it. Organization isn’t my strong point. I have a single Open Office document with my entire first draft written in it. Obviously I’m not going to edit directly onto that. I’m thinking about copying it in one- or two-chapter chunks into new documents and revising from there. Or maybe this is a good time to get Scrivener, since it chunks up your work for you? Maybe use the smaller two-chapter docs to edit and then paste those into a new, complete second-draft doc so I can see it all together?

The first two chapters present an additional dilemma because I’m planning on deleting 90% of them and starting from scratch. Maybe I’ll paste them into a new doc, and then start writing fresh below, pasting in the bits that I want to keep as I go. I’m starting to wish I had two monitors so I don’t have to keep going back and forth between the new and old versions all the time…

***EDIT***

Almost forgot I bought that highly recommended book on editing. Maybe I should read it and it will give me some tips. I’m really awesome sometimes.

Gratitude

By Nicole Bross

On October 3, 2012

In Things That Are Awesome, Writer's High

I am so very lucky to have the support of friends and family in my writing. They make it possible for me to find the time to write, encourage me when I’m faltering and provide feedback as I go along. So, a few thanks:

My husband, who for the past seven months has left me completely alone in the only room with a TV even though I know lots of times he wanted to watch Jimmy Fallon, so that I could write on the comfy couch. Besides that, he never complained when I chose writing over housework or went on overnight writing retreats, and even took our kids camping for a weekend so I could have the house to myself. And while he hasn’t read it, he says he will even though I know it’s not his thing. I’m a lucky girl.

My three early readers, who have accepted my story a few chapters at a time and have provided valuable feedback. You catch the things I miss and point me in directions I would have never thought of.

My parents, who have encouraged me since I was a kid, and told me over and over again that I could do it if I tried, until I finally believed them. Knowing that my family believes in me has been so instrumental in overcoming the fear of starting.

All my other friends who’ve cheered me on along the way, and who don’t mind when I bug them with weird questions about aspects of their lives or interests that I want to include in my story.

I love you all.

xoxoxo

Well This Is A Good Sign

By Nicole Bross

On October 1, 2012

In Things That Are Hard, Writer's Low

Good to know.

So it’s been all of 48 hours and already I’m missing my book. Last night after I put my kids to bed I kind of wandered around the house, saying, “what do I do now?” to myself. And today all the time I usually spend thinking about what I’m going to write later that night felt like the same thing. There’s a book-shaped hole in my heart right now. I don’t like this advice to sit and wait for awhile before starting to edit. I’m not sick of writing. I don’t feel like taking a break. I feel like jumping right into the second book (my cliffhanger ending is apparently most vexing, even to the author who knows what comes next).

At the very least I want to re-write the first two chapters. That’s not considered editing, is it? That’s, like, writing things better than they were before. Totally different. Right?

Ahem.

By Nicole Bross

On September 30, 2012

In Excitement, Things That Are Awesome, Writer's High

I finished it. I finished the first draft of my book.

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

I sat down this morning with the beginning of Chapter 21 blank and waiting, and about 45 minutes ago, after 4,600 words, I wrote THE END. And it really is THE END for a lot of things, for me. It’s the end of wondering if I could ever write a book. It’s the end of seven months of near-constant work, either at the computer or in my brain, to get to this day. And it’s the end of the first part of my journey with these people who have set up residence in my head.

It’s also a lot of firsts and starts. The start of the next step – revision. The first time I’ll offer up a copy to anyone I know in exchange for some critiques. And maybe even the start of planning out the next installment in the series, which I already can’t wait to jump into.

When I wrote the last sentence, after making sure that I really did want to write it, I stared it for a long time. And I had a whole bunch of conflicting emotions. First and foremost, I’m proud of myself. The first time someone told me that I should be an author was, I think, around the time I was ten years old. So this has been a long road. Secondly, I’m really, really happy to be done and moving on. It’s been a huge undertaking and a lot of times I wondered if I would end up giving up. Third, I’m bittersweet. I’ve been doing this since February and now it’s just over? In that respect, I’m glad there are still two more books to go in the series, because that means I don’t really have to say goodbye for a long time. Still, I had a bit of a cry. And fourth, I’m tired as hell. I stayed up late and wrote like crazy because I thought I could get it done, and I was right.

So that’s that. Onward and upward, as they say. Today’s a pretty big deal.

Six Sentence Sunday

By Nicole Bross

On September 30, 2012

In Words I Made

“Should we also talk about the cozy way the two of you rode off on his motorcycle?” Matthieu spat. “My grandfather said he had his arms around you at the house as well.” I blanched. “Is there anything about you that isn’t a lie?”

“That’s not… that’s not how it was, Matthieu,” I stuttered, “I’m not with him, I’m with you.”

“What I think is that you’re on your own,” he said, and walked out the door.

***

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Farewell, Summer

By Nicole Bross

On September 29, 2012

In Excitement, Just Keep Writing, Revision, Talking It Out

I sat outside in the yard for what will probably be the last time this year, the sun shining on my face, and wrote. We’re expecting our first snowfall early next week, and I work during the day tomorrow and Monday. I’ve loved writing this summer. Being outside has been so inspirational for me, and I’ll miss it until spring comes around again.

It’s probably fitting then that I’m coming to the end of my book just as summer’s also winding down. There’s a remote possibility that I may even finish tonight – I’m on the last chapter, I’ve already written 2,000 words and I still have the whole night ahead of me. Then I have to decide if I want to tackle re-writing the first two chapters right away, or sit on the whole thing for a bit. I’ve been thinking on those chapters for awhile and I’m fairly confident I know what I want to do with them. Then once they’re bright and shiny new I can rest up a bit and do my revisions as planned at the beginning of November. Sounds like a good plan to me…

A Question:

By Nicole Bross

On September 28, 2012

In Learning, Research

And I’m hoping as many people as possible will comment with their thoughts. Consider this a bit of research.

When you think back upon your childhood, how do you see it in your mind? Do you remember things as though you’re seeing them again through your own eyes, or more as an omniscient third person in the room watching yourself? I’m writing a sort-of-flashback, sort-of-mindreading scene, and I don’t know how to handle the way it unfolds. My own memories are a mix of both the above scenarios, leaning more toward the latter.

Help a girl out?