One more pass on my Joker Moon story in the morning and then I send it off to George. If all goes well, I should be able to finish Vegan Serendib this weekend — just need to write up the last recipe, then build the file with lots of photos. Matching all the photos to recipes will probably be the most time-consuming part — I knew, as I was tossing them into a folder, that I would regret it one day, and lo, that day has arrived.
That then opens up interesting questions for the next few weeks. Two weeks before the start of the semester, and with WorldCon travel in the middle. Afternoons will be committed to all kinds of family and school and SLF logistical stuff, but I should really still be able to keep mornings free for writing if I stick to the schedule rigidly. I have to finish drafting my other WC story, which I’m writing collaboratively and have people waiting on, which I think means I’m not going to get back to the novel before the semester starts.
I could make myself harried and try to do it too. Or I can just accept that it’s August 10th, and I’ve gotten as far as I’m likely to get on the novel this summer. 48,000 words, roughly. I think they’re pretty solid, and I could just keep going with plot, figure there’s another third of the book to go. But that doesn’t feel right. I think I’m actually at least 3/4 of the way through this book, and that I’ve skimmed over a lot of description and character-developing work. The plot has really been racing along at somewhat breakneck speed; I’ll be happier with the book if it’s slower paced, I think.
So that’s kind of exciting. That means I get to figure out what my ending is, and then work back for the last quarter, sketch it all out, and then go back to the beginning and add depth and beauty. More little moments that illuminate character. That sounds like a totally manageable thing to do during the semester, rather than floundering my way through the murky middle of a novel. Could it be?
Well, we’ll see. Draft by Christmas? Possibly sooner…I live in hope.
(As long as I don’t get distracted by other mini cookbooks. Serendib Tea Party? Tempting…)