Writing

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UNBROKEN

You can write an entire novel every year if you really write for ten solid minutes a day.

But what if ten minutes is too much?

If you’re ill. If you’re overwhelmed with non-writing work. If you have a bunch of kids and a mountain of laundry and volunteer work and a job.

If you have all those things, asking you to give your art ten minutes can feel like asking you to give your art ten hours. Impossible. Just more than you can handle.

And when you feel that stuck, it can be super easy to just skip the whole thing.

Only skipping it doesn’t feel good. Because writing is your sanctuary. It’s the one thing you do for yourself, maybe. It’s your dream.

— Shaunta Grimes in The Every Day Novelist

And I’ll add one more thing: something about me turning 40 has wrecked my ability to stay up past 11:00 PM. All my best writing for The Alignment Series was done between 11 PM and 1 AM. This simply isn’t possible anymore. So the Unquiet Series will be the series written on stolen time. I just need to find someone to rob.

I can’t imagine what would happen to my brain if I left these stories inside me.

Oh, and this book I’m writing right now is called UNBROKEN.

Progress of UNBROKEN
First draft: In progress (20,116 words)
My revisions: Not started
Editing: Not started
Proofreading: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Final proofread: Not started
Cover art: Not started

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UNQUIET Update – September 29

Here is what I should be doing:

Sowing grass seed where a blow-up pool killed the grass in my backyard.
Cutting weeds out of the bushes against my house.
Vacuuming the finished section of the basement.
Clearing clutter out of my house.
Washing my car.

Here is what I’m actually doing on this cool early Fall day:

Sitting in my sunroom in my house slippers writing a story.

Progress of UNQUIET
First draft: In progress (83,670 words)
My revisions: Not started
Editing: Not started
Proofreading: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Final proofread: Not started
Cover art: Not started

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UNQUIET Update – July 3

Another strong month of progress here. I believe we’ve passed the midpoint. Right now I’m in the process of piling as much stress on this hero and heroine as I possibly can. I need to see what happens when they break. And then I need to break them more. Hopefully they won’t take it out on each other.

On second thought… I kind of hope they do. ;)

Progress of UNQUIET
First draft: In progress (56,774 words)
My revisions: Not started
Editing: Not started
Proofreading: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Final proofread: Not started
Cover art: Not started

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THE CATALYST Update – September 22

Happy Autumnal Equinox! A day of equal night and day, when the sun rises due east and sets due west…and when THE CATALYST has been sent off to my editor for round one.

I’ve also sent the book’s info to my cover artist to get the cover started. I can’t wait to see what they come up with. It’s a jaw-dropping surprise every single time.

There are only three months left in 2016. I’m not sure that’s enough time to get this book finished but I’m going to be as hard-headed as TB and as calmly optimistic as Liv and power ahead believing I can still get it published this year.

Progress of THE CATALYST
First Draft: Complete (102,494 words)
My revisions: Complete (103,808 words)
Professional editing: Starts Monday
Proofreading: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Final proofread: Not started
Cover art: Started, first drafts due in 14 days

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THE CATALYST Update – June 26

I wrote about 900 words last night and I hope to do the same again tonight, so I’ll keep this month’s update brief. I’m pretty close to the climax right now, and I’ve run into this weird limbo state where the words are hard to wrench out. It’s not writer’s block. It’s apprehension. I know what’s going to happen to these people, and… no! Just NO! *cries*

Progress of THE CATALYST
First Draft: In progress, about 72% complete (86,685 words and counting)
My revisions: Not started
Professional editing: Not started
Proofreading: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Final proofread: Not started
Cover art: Not started

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THE CATALYST: 20,000 Word Mark

I just reached the 20,000 word mark in THE CATALYST.

TB is breaking my heart. Anti-heroes can be traumatizing to write sometimes. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
girl_from_above_book1
While you wait for those 100,000 or so remaining words, here’s another series with a great anti-hero with his own set of problems. He’s angsty, tormented, foul-mouthed, and also a heavy drinker just like someone I know. And the women around him are casting a floodlight on his problems. Making him own up. Maybe making him clean up, if my hopes for the series are fulfilled. I really hope there’s a happily ever after for Caleb, #1001, and Fran, too. They’ve stolen my hearts as much as my own characters live to do.

GIRL FROM ABOVE (The 1000 Revolution) by Pippa DaCosta
Amazon | Goodreads | Pippa DaCosta’s Website

Try it! The first one’s only $.99 on Kindle right now. It’s wonderfully devourable. Probably one of my favorite series of all time.

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About Book Four

I’m 5,200 words (about 2 chapters) in to THE CATALYST (book four of THE ALIGNMENT SERIES). It’s a rough 5,200 words that will be fine-tuned later in my revisions stage.

I’ll admit this now that I’ve worked past it: I was afraid of this book. Every time I start a new book I convince myself I don’t know how to write. That the books I’ve already published were some kind of temporary insanity that I’ve overcome, and due to that, have lost the ability to write. The reality is that the insanity is permanent. Good news for readers! Maybe not such good news for me. But the only cure is writing, so that’s what I’m doing.

I have 31 pages of notes and already-written scenes. I’ve finished the beginning and I know the end. The work is what comes in the middle. Right now I have no idea what the bulk of that is. I know TB has a serious character arc in this book, the finality of it, really. And Liv? She’s got issues too. Probably the most issues she’s had yet. And I’m very glad to be writing present tense again. I’ll be even more glad when I can get past the first couple chapters. TB is showing his bad side, and it is…not good.

Updates won’t be frequent for the next several months. Just know that I am writing as fast as I can. I hope to make book four the best book yet.

THE CATALYST (The Alignment Book Four) coming in Autumn 2016.

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TOATM Update – June 10

Readaloud is complete. Conclusion: the last three chapters need to be reworked. I’m taking tonight off, but I get back on it tomorrow.

I’ve completed the first round of revisions and I’m now on the second round. It’s the most time consuming part, but I make visual progress every day because I’m working off actual marked up pages that get a nice little red check mark at the bottom when done. Four stacks of pages. One is finished, and I’m halfway through the second.

After this second round of revisions, I’m DONE. And don’t try to talk me out of it.

Progress of THE OAK AND THE MOON
First Draft: Complete! (160,627 words)
My revisions: First round complete, final round in progress (45% complete)
Professional editing: Starts mid-July
Final Draft: Not started
Formatting: Not started
Proofreading: Not started
Cover art: Not started

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