the recipe for writing success

9 chapters of “The Third Soul” edited, and two new short stories written.

And how, you ask, have I been so productive? Well, I’ll tell you:

Simultaneous insomnia and constipation isn’t exactly a swell time, but it is most conducive to getting one’s work done.

So if you want to get a lot of writing finished, I recommend washing down a brick of cheese with two or three pots of coffee. Assuming you don’t have a psychotic break, you’ll get all kinds of work done!

-JM

7 chapters edited…

…and 27 chapters of “The Third Soul” to go.

-JM

this is why you edit

Working my way through Chapter 2 of “The Third Soul”, Corthain Kalarien describes his father Arthain Kalarien’s ancestral home as:

“a tower of a hundred feet, sheathed in white marble…”

Except three days later, Corthain actually returns to visit his father (despite his better judgment), and then describes his family’s home as:

“a tower of two hundred feet, all covered in blood-colored marble…”

Wow! That’s impressive! A major remodel and renovation completed entirely in three days! I guess the setting of “The Third Soul” is home to that rarest of creatures, the competent contractor. Cuz here on earth, if you hire a contractor, it takes six and a half freaking weeks to get, like, a faucet replaced. Because the parts are on backorder, you know. But in “The Third Soul”, the contractors are so competent they can completely renovate a centuries-old tower in three days.

Or the author screwed up.

Nah. That’s unpossible.

-JM

frustration

But I was so close this time.

So very, very close.

Ah, well. Maybe tomorrow.

-JM

all that I ask of you

You don’t know the things I will do for my wife.

If you are a father with children, then you can understand. My wife is pregnant. Our first child. A miracle. I never thought this could be. I will do anything to help her.

Anything she asks of me.

And she asked something of me, and I swore to her that I would do it.

But I couldn’t do it without help, and so I went and sought out the witch.

#

The opening lines of my new short story. A big shiny gold star to anyone who guesses what the wife asked her husband to do.

-JM

short stories vs. novels

Short stories are easier to write than novels.

They’re also harder to write than novels.

S’like…a completely different art form. A 22 minute television episode versus a three hour movie. You can tell an emotionally satisfying story in 22 minutes, and you can tell an emotionally satisfying story in 180 minutes.

But it’s a lot harder to do it in 22 minutes than in three hours.

At least I think it is. Course, I’ve had a lot more luck with short stories than with novels. Maybe I just have a better knack for the form.

-JM

The Third Soul

33 of 34 chapters written. 95,000 words. Tomorrow I will write the climatic scene.

Almost done. So very, very close. And then, perhaps, I can have some peace. If only for a little while.

-JM

forty days

And seventy-five thousand words of “The Third Soul” written. I think I’m three-quarters done.

But I absolutely, positively have to be done with this rough draft by April 29th. Why? Because on April 29th, the new version of Ubuntu Linux, 10.04 Lucid Lynx, comes out, and I want to focus on my tech blog for a month or so. When the new version of Ubuntu comes out, I’ll have my chance at long last to punch my tech blog’s numbers above 2000 visitors a day – with a corresponding rise in ad revenue.

And, let’s be honest here. The odds of me ever publishing “The Third Soul” are dismally low. My tech blog makes me money right now. To still be fooling around with “The Third Soul” come April 29th would be the height of idiocy.

-JM

30 days

And 63,500 words of rough draft written.

Who da man? I da man! Just as I thought.

Though in fairness I’ve slowed down this past week. All my mental energy is going into other projects, and there isn’t as much left over at the end of the day for writing as there used to be

-JM

twenty days

And fifty thousand words of rough draft. Just about halfway done, I think.

In today’s excerpt, Corthain Kalarien demonstrates the fine art of negotiation with a slave trader named Harrow:

“Perhaps you’re already at risk,” said Corthain.

Harrow’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

“We know there is at least one full blood shaman in the city,” said Corthain, “and he’s already attacked an Adept at least three times.”

Harrow’s glass froze halfway to his thick lips. “What?”

“Oh, you’re interested now?” said Corthain. “There’s an fascinating thing about these attacks, Harrow. They’ve all come from Jurgur slaves or freemen. And you know how calmly the Conclave responds to attacks upon Adepts. If word gets out that you knew something about this, anything at all…you’ll find yourself on trial before my father. Magister Arthain, Lord of House Kalarien? You’ve heard of him, perhaps? He’s known for many things, but a merciful heart is not one of them.”

Harrow said nothing, fingers tight around his wineglass.

“Or, maybe the blood shaman will find you first,” said Corthain. “You were at Dark River. You remember the horrors a blood shaman can conjure up. How do you think a Jurgur blood shaman will deal with a man who enslaved his people?”

“Fine,” hissed Harrow. “Fine. Damn you, Kalarien. What do you want to know?”

-JM