Onward

Eve’s book has been separated into two, and I’m working on the first, now called Ben’s Book, because it’s about his problem.  (and I’m typing fast because it’s nearly three in the morning and I really need to go to bed.)

One-Pass, step one:  Theme.

Ben is always trying to help everyone, ignoring the fact that he’s falling apart.  So–Physician, heal thyself.

Step two, tell what your book is about in twenty-five words or less (okay, twenty-six!):  Doctor Ben Alexander needs peace to heal.  Shipping with an ex-Marine with a price on her head and a possible death wish seems counter-productive.

Step three, one-sentence arc for the main character:  Ben nurses his brokenness while fixing everyone else, until he has to choose–let it go, or get left behind.

Wheeee!

New chapter of Shades up.  And it hasn’t even been a month since the last one!

Nineteen days to edit Joss and write the ending I didn’t manage the first time around. I still have to plug all the changes into the document (I edit on paper because Holly Lisle says so and she seems to be right), but it’s done.

And it’s awesome. I’d dance around the room, but it’s almost 0100, and I really need to go to bed.

After I read those last scenes one more time.

Writing–just a little bit–has occurred. I’m doing a Consistency Challenge on one of my forums. I gotta write every day. But since I’m doing the editing challenge on another forum, the wordcount goal is only 100.

Better’n nothing. Especially as I don’t stop at 100 pretty much ever.

I got nearly three hours of work in at school today, getting stuff put away.

I posted a chapter of Shades almost two months after the last update.

And I worked on the editing. Day one, June first, I dug up my themes and wrote a one-line description and a blurb.

I’d post it, but then you’d know my ending. I’d hate to spoil it for you, so here’s only the first paragraph. And I didn’t even edit out my whining (okay, two paragraphs–I love that second paragraph!) (BTW, the paragraphs aren’t meant to be together.  That’s why some info is repeated.)

Paragraph. Barghle. I hate this. ‘kay. Main characters–Joss, Paige, Zeke. Joss is the redheaded guard who goes his own way. Paige is the teen daughter of Joss’ one-night-stand, forced to rely on Joss when her father is killed. Zeke is the suave Heir of Cayden, one of the most powerful Tribes on the world known as Kari’s Star. He’s also face-first in love with Joss, and not nearly so suave around the redhead.

When Joss’ one-night-stand is executed in his own living room, Joss has to move fast to keep the same from happening to him–or his lover’s teenage daughter. But saving the girl isn’t enough–Paige has nowhere to go. Joss takes her to his own boss, Rukya, who is trying to change the world, to make such mob-style executions a part of the past. Against Joss’ will, Rukya involves Paige in politics. When Rukya’s plans go sour, Joss and Paige are on the run again, this time with Zeke, heir to Tribe Cayden and ardent admirer of Joss.

 

bwahahaha…

Ahem. Sorry. Sometimes it just gets the better of me, and mine is an evil laugh.

Editing. Yes.

Today, around doing the other stuff (did I mention grocery shopping? Did that too) I finished a read-through of the novel and broke it into scenes. I have to put in page breaks between the scenes to make myself stop and look at each one. Then I printed it out. 174 lovely pages.

Tomorrow (all right, when I am next up today, as it is after midnight) I shall take my red pen to the MS and Lo! it will look like the shower scene from Psycho.

Bwahahaha…

So far, so good. Yesterday (okay, Saturday, as I’m writing past midnight again) I did go to work and spent six hours trying to get done enough to abandon the place for the summer. I gave up before I got to that point, though.

Despite all that, I wrote 743 words on a prompt response, getting to know Keen’s life between books a bit. It was great fun, in the angsty way Keen is “fun.” I’ve missed him.

Today I attempted to edit the Keen prompt to perfection, until I gave up and posted it to lj just to escape it. Then I started working on Joss.

Anybody out there trying to edit, I heartily recommend Holly Lisle’s One-Pass Revision method. (no, I’m too lazy to link it tonight. Google it just like that, you’ll find it.) The first steps are things like finding your theme, and writing a paragraph synopsis of your story. Might not seem like editing, but as Lisle points out, you’ll have a tough time getting your book into shape if you don’t know what shape it should be.

Right, too tired to go on rambling. Just check it out. Thanks to having a system ready to go, I’m hugely satisfied with my progress today.

Since I was worried I’d slide into the Summer Slump and have to struggle to accomplish anything, I have double the reason to celebrate.

Yay!!