Wednesday, November 14, 2007

NaNo's still going and so is my story...

This novel I did for NaNo this year may well be the shortest of my novels. I feel the end of the story looming closer than I did with the others. It's like that impending feeling you get when you're wrapped up in a movie and don't realize it's almost the end, until it is the end.

My other novels all ran somewhere around 70-80K. This one feels like another 10K could finish it off at 60K. Not sure yet. I know this is just first draft, so it's not like revisions, editing, dumping some things and adding others couldn't bump the word count though. I'm sure when I go back and start reading it I'll find empty spots and realize-

Oops! I meant to mention this or include this scene...

Or it needs beefing up here or toning down there....

The argument didn't last long enough...

But then neither did the love scene....

LOL

Plot holes.

They're kind of like potholes. You HAVE to fill them in with good concrete or asphalt, or the story is going to be like a bumpy ride down a neglected highway. The reader isn't going to want to travel that road again (or any other road you've fashioned) if you don't make sure they have a smooth ride, enjoy the scenery and come to the end of the road and look back and say- "You know what...I'd like to travel that road again someday."

When I love a book, it's because I enjoyed the journey, didn't crash my car into any "plot"holes or find myself grimacing or grabbing at the dash to steady myself during the trip. And a good book will take you smoothly from start to finish. You'll say "That's a keeper" and you'll put that book on a shelf so that you can drive that road again in the future.

It's a beautiful thing.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday! We're over the hump!

50,008K/50,000

2 comments:

Devon Matthews said...

I've been catching up on your posts and I'm absolutely amazed!!! Wow! Congratulations! If you keep up this pace, you'll give Nora Roberts a run for her money. LOL! Wish I could write faster, but I'm more of a plodder. I might write an entire chapter in one day, then spend the next two days obsessing over a few paragraphs. :o)

Congratulations, Sweetie! I hope you treated yourself. You deserve it!!!

Taryn Raye said...

Thanks Devon!

My treat to myself was to not really think about my novel yesterday. Instead, I thought about decorating for Christmas and talking to my mom about how antsy I am to get my tree up. I gave myself time to relax a bit before I steam forward to "put a finish" on the story.

Thanks again!