Dear Reader,
Okay, nobody move until the words are dry. Oh, see, you just moved! LOL.
Word Raccoon and I are here to report a milestone! (Yes, you are going to see exclamation points along the way — they were the first emojis, don’t you think?!!)
Drum roll…the novel threads have been reassembled!
Yes, all four strangers have come together again.
Wait, does it mean the novel is finished?
Oh, good lord no, WR!
What does it mean??
It means the threads were all talking to me enough that I was able to shift them back to one document.
Alas, they are not yet working together as a team, but the story is there. I do instinctively know where some of the pieces belong. I even left signposts for some of them. But otherwise, it’s all exploratory surgery, Duckies!
That I can work with.
What might seem most discouraging to some writers is what I’ve done to the word count unintentionally: it’s only at 68K. I don’t remember what it was at its height, but I’m quite sure it topped 80K.
That’s what happens when you go back and cut off the excess, the repeated scenes, the false starts, the purple (ugh, ugh, ugh) prose.
Am I kinda afraid of this next part?
Yes, yes I am.
Have I been afraid of every part?
Ditto.
We aren’t going to sit around and contemplate our breakfast choices, WR. (Okay, we have to do a little of that…this feels like a day to celebrate – get out the waffle iron!)
Then we’re going to do what we do best, WR. We are going to start making this a real, live draft.
I’m guessing its final length will be somewhere between 85K and 90K, if I don’t get self-indulgent.
Also, even though I’ve given him a love story, I STILL haven’t described poor James except that he has a beard!! (Laugh/crying permitted here.)
And oh, by the way, yes, I have formally achieved my All Novel, All August’s goal, Dear Reader. I hope you’re as proud of WR as she is.
In the meantime, WR says this definitely means she’s earned some poetry.
Or, WR, you could see how well you can weave for the rest of the month. Imagine what you will be able to see once it’s sequenced. (I swear, DO NOT LET ME WRITE SEPARATE TIMELINES EVER AGAIN. GOT IT?)
Looking forward to all the things and possibly waffles.
Drema
P.S. When a draft with all of the threads in their proper places exists (even if it’s not polished), I will stop being so secretive and tell you more about it! Pinkie promise.