Writing a New Novel

[David DeLee]

I've always been a big fan of NaNoWriMo and admired those who took to the challenge. I never did because November never seemed like a good time to embark on something like--the holidays and shopping and family trips and all that. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. :)

Anyway, I'm starting work on a new novel and since tomorrow is Aug 1st I thought let's see if I can give this a go. I've got all my preliminary planning done--outlines, lists, character sketches, what have you --

So starting tomorrow I'm challenging myself to write 90k words over the next 30 day so that by Aug. 31st I will have a complete first draft done. That's an average of 3000 words per day. I will post my daily word count here at the end of the day for anyone who's interested in following and maybe I'll write a word or two about what I face as far as challenges go in trying to get this done.

Anyway, the title of the book is FATAL DECEPTION and it's the next novel in my Grace deHaviland Bounty Hunter series.

For inspiration, here's a picture of the cover I've already created.

Anyway, wish me luck and please don't laugh too hard if (when) I fall on my face.

David DeLee

[David DeLee]

I've been gone but now I'm back,

Quick run down--Day 21 I got hit with some sort of stomach bug or food poisoning and was down for the the count the entire day.

Day 22-25 I was away visiting family in PA & NJ. Mainly watching my daughter who is a competitive hunter-jumper. Great four days spent not working.

Day 26 (today) 2000 words all in. My project total is 53,400. Way below goal but I'm planning on powering through until the 31 to see how far I can get. At this point if I can get to 75,000 I'll be happy.

[Andrew Drummond]

Glad to see you are back, David.  I hope that you are over your nasty stomach bug now.  And as a person in full time paid employment, who has local family ties, I can confirm that life has a  bad habit of interrupting the best laid writing plans :)

[David DeLee]

Thanks Andrew. Yes, I'm over whatever it was I had. a 24-hour thing it seems, but seriously not fun.

And you're right, life can throw a lot of distractions at you. For me, besides the last minute trip to PA & NJ (which was fun) Both my kids are preparing for college, one to graduate school overseas, the other her 1st year here in the States, but out of state. Fun but a lot of nerves and a lot of last minute details.

[David DeLee]

Day 27

A good start. I worked out for the first time in a week and that felt good.

Wrote 1100 words in one 1&1/2 hour session then lost several hours grocery shopping and talking with my kids about the one hundred and two details involved with getting ready to go to school.

Managed another 1300 word session this afternoon for a total of 2400 new words, a total I"d be happy with normally, but a little bummed because of my goal. Anyway, 55,800 all in for the month, over 27 days.

[Richard Krauss]

If this was NaNo you'd have won already! Congrats on ~56K, with more to come in the days ahead!

[David DeLee]

Day 28

Had a great writing day today. Managed 4700 words and that brings my 28 day total to 60,500.

While I'll be shy the 90k I'd planned for by Saturday. I'm still pushing hard for 75k.

I'm coming to the end of several subplots and the ending is firm in my mind so I anticipate (if life doesn't intrude) really sppeding up over the next three days and getting to 75 and probably having the first draft done there, with a lot of holes in the middle to fill, repair, etc.

[David DeLee]

Day 29

Today was my best writing day of the month. I'm stuck on how best to write a particular scene so I jumped ahead to my end, (skipping around is not something I usually do) and powered through it, a big climatic action scene(s) and wrote 5900 words and bring the total WIP up to 66,900.

I still won't reach 90k, and maybe not even 75k (my fall back goal) by month's end), but I'm pleased with how the novel's shaping up.

[Richard Krauss]

Well done, David!

[David DeLee]

Thanks Richard. I've learned a lot about how I write and I think so things I can do more efficiently.

[Jed Power]

Congratulations, David.

Great accomplishment! I enjoyed following your progress as much I have any of Dean's efforts.

Best,
Jed

[David DeLee]

Thanks Jed. I'm glad you're finding value in this. And I have to admit Dean inspired me to try this, to see if I could do it. Though I won't make my original goal (90k in 30 days) it looks like I'll make 75k in 31 so I'm not complaining. Also with four days off to travel, a sick day, and four days of not writing because I was stuck-and used the time to do other projects-I've proven to myself it can be done.

And actually one of those other projects was a short story I had burning in my head. It's not done but I wrote 5,700 words while I was floundering in the novel's middle so I may actually hit over 80k words all in, in 31 days. I can't say I'm disappointed.  :)

[David DeLee]

Day 30

wrote 4600 words, brought the total in the WIP to 71,000. I know I started out planning 90k in 30 days, but since August has 31 days, I'm going to take that one, too, to see if I can crack 75k in a month.