I haven't talked about my next novel very much here, mostly because my head's all full-up with my Rome novel right now. But my next novel is on my mind for a couple of reasons: First, because I'm doing research for it tonight (the TV was too loud, I couldn't work on Rome) and second, because the day I begin it is fast approaching.
I decided that I was going to give the whole National Novel Writing Month thing a shot. Why not? I'm a stay-at-home dad this year, I'm a full-time writer, I love writing in the public eye and racing deadlines. The deadline here is two fold, though. It means that I have to finish my Rome novel by October 31st, that way I can start on November 1st on my next project.
(That's why I put the Rome Novel word counters on the side of the blog: it's public accountability. I don't exactly think anyone's going to berate me if I don't turn in a reasonable word count, but it's public, and I know it's there. It's useful.)
My next novel is titled The Nondescript and it takes place in the 1940s, very heavily influenced by the works of John Steinbeck and Mark Twain, but also some Jack London (I'm discovering). It is, perhaps for properly the first time in my life, completely devoid of any science fiction or fantasy elements. It's a love story, a road trip story, a wartime story, and a murder mystery.
I'm planning, in November, to manage 100,000 words of it. That might be the whole length of the novel.
The interesting thing is that historical fiction seems to be my bent for the past while. Rome novel has some twists, but it's a historical novel at its core. This novel is unabashedly a historical novel, perhaps it even falls under mainstream. Very interesting.
(The research is a delight. I had to match up my dates tonight, to make sure what history in my head was remembered correctly and worked with the history of the world that year. They matched up better than I could have dreamed).
I think I'll post more about this novel during November. This is just a quiet mention because I'm doing research, and I'm thinking about the way my writing is shifting of late (as evidenced by my Winds of Change post, further down the page). So that's it.
Rome novel is potentially going to be hampered by the fact that I can feel a head cold laying bricks in my head. We'll see how much longer I remain an upright and viable member of the human race.
Speaking of which, I'm going to go lie down for a bit. Take care.
NaNo(o Nanoo)
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Posted by Peter Damien at 7:37 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 Angst(s):
Ooh, I like the counter bar thingie! I gotta get me one of those, it would guilt me into working harder. I'm Nanoing again this year, both looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time.
Good for the soul. Really bad idea. Loads of fun. Kinda stupid.
Yep, that's Nano.
Much to my surprise, you don't have to finish your whole novel to win NaNo. You just have to clear 50,000. Seems a bit like cheating, to me, I think you should have to finish it (although if someone were to 'finish' their first draft at 30k and then add a bunch onto it on the second draft, I'm not convinced that isn't cheating either...)
I like races, so I'm looking forward to it. There's no reason I can't write the whole novel -- at a good first draft, which is my main draft -- in a month. I'm hopeful.
Yeah, I agree - but with a day job and other stuff happening in November, I can't promise myself I'll get all 100+k done in a month.
But 50k in one month is a breeze, for anyone really wanting to do it.
There you go, Pete. You two can bet on who gets to buy who tea next based on wordcounts.
(Don't do it, Kristine. It's a trick.)
No, that's a great idea, because I'm such a slow and hesitant writer. Why, when I raced against Lori, I nearly lost because I just write so slowly and hesitantly. In my slowness and hesitancy. At slow speeds.
:-)
Now I feel a goading coming on!
Lemme see . . . Lapsang Souchong, loose leaf, 1 tin for every 50,000 words written during November?
I think a three-way is in order.
(minds outta the gutter, people!)
*thinking* I've got a paper to write for school in November, and a trip planned, and... Let me see what kind of tea I kind find in this immediate area (that doesn't involve me driving to Chicago) to throw into the pot.
I'll get back to you.
...I was deeply intimidated when I first competed against Lori, because I pictured her as this relentless writing machine who would turn me into mulch. I was nerve-wracked the whole time.
Against HER...AND YOU? Lor' save us.
I would be willing. P'raps. I don't know how reliably after November I'd be able to send the victor tea, it all depends on what money we have and when I can make a trip somewhere.
Mmmm.
Yeah, I think I could go for a race again.
I know I don't have time to really concentrate on Child of Fate in November. I have a couple of school projects that must have priority over everything else, so I can't really be a true contender in this race (although I did write about 6000 words this weekend in a single project). But, what I will offer is this: There's a local teahouse in a restored and converted 19th century house in Springfield. I will go there and purchase one bag of tea (variety as yet to be determined) for whoever increases their word count the most in one project of the competitor's choice in the month of November.
Well, of COURSE I'll go in for THAT race...!
*wonders where he can buy a Month's supply of crack cocaine for November*
Why turn to crack when you no doubt have a stash of PHENTERMINE someplace.
Best to stock up on your teas, so as not to have another lapse in mid-Nano... :D
Post a Comment