Sunday, October 24, 2004
The Rake officially hit 95K words, but there may be a chapter to cut. I don't know because when I read it last, somehow 34 was in there twice, without 35 (leaving word count more or less intact, so I didn't suspect anything until I got to chapter 35 which sounded horribly familiar.) I thought for a moment I'd written the same thing twice and felt like crying that I could be as bad a writer as that. I was relieved to discover I was only stupid. I have been very stupid lately. Stressed and tired, I think.
Someone who read the
chapter posted on the website pointed out that the opening was confusing. Oops. I fixed it. (Thank you, Katie P!) It fixed pretty good, I think it's way better now. Have given more thought to the agent thing and have decided that if I end up with a contract offer on Monday, I will call the agent who requested material a year ago (which I never sent because it sucked too bad) and tell her I'll send her Lord Ruin and The Spare, but that if she wants to see The Rake, she needs to keep in mind that it's not done. Well, it's a plan, a lame plan, but a better plan than my current Plan A which is to never mind getting an agent at all. I'm just a little weary of agent rejection, that's all.
My other project is going along. Since the editor asked me to work on it, or at least keep thinking about it (so, things are looking good, right? Insecurity has set in and I am, of course, stressing about possible dreadful outcomes) I have a plotting grid (color-coded!) all set up on account of if I do this, I'm going to have to write fast and I can't afford to let stuff sit in the wrong place. I'm hoping this will help. Most of the grid is blank right now, but that will change. I had a good idea last night about a scene that should take place, so I've roughed that in, too. I'm going to be the Elmore Leonard of Romance writers and not write any of the boring stuff. Also, I have a notebook with a list of questions, comments and observations ready to discuss with the editor who promised me a call on Monday.
Some day, I may actually be a real writer.
