Nikki M. Pill

Today was a Holly day.

I’m halfway through my outline, but only 17% through the target wordcount. Now, I’d be perfectly happy with an 80K word novel, so if I revise to that amount, I’m still only 19% through the wordcount.

In this day and age of Kindles and MTV-attention-spans, it’s not the worst thing in the world if this is a series of short novels that people can gobble up quickly. However, there’s short and there’s not-a-novel.

I mentally revisited some of the promises I made to the reader early in the book — a few dark hints about the past, Anna’s dad, Anna’s real name, the Love Interest, and the Best Friend. These are all elements that will flesh the story out, but I’m definitely underdelivering on them at this point.

I also realized that the poor Love Interest is only showing up in two scenes! How’s a guy going to win her heart if he never gets to see her?

I’m working on a few tweaks to bring the story back in balance. Therefore: no metrics today, and probably none tomorrow either. It’ll be worth it, I promise.

I’ve also revised my Honeydew list for the coming year — partially due to when I’ll be finishing up the How to Revise Your Novel Course (which I’m currently practicing on a short story so it’s less daunting on a full-length MS), partially due to 3 more exciting weekend events (a certification, Deb Rubin, and Tribal Revolution). So it looks a little something like this:

JANUARY

Drafting The Tease
Revisions on the Mythos Story (currently on lesson 14 of HTRYN, and there are 21)
FEBRUARY

A few “brain dead” weeks due to Ariellah, Tribal Massive, and the certification
Drafting The Tease
MARCH

Mythos Story revisions
Drafting The Tease if I’m not too brain dead
APRIL

Mythos Story to Trusted Readers
Drafting The Tease
MAY

Finish Draft 1 of The Tease
Leave things alone for a while so they can percolate
Begin revisions on Chaotic Water
JUNE

Finish Chaotic Water revisions
Revise The Tease
Send the books to Trusted Readers
JULY

Final revisions on Gravedigger’s Daughter

AUGUST

Begin final revisions on Chaotic Water and The Tease

Post-show ennui and post-short-story ennui are over. I declare it is so. I decided that I’d spent September plotting and crafting the Exciting New Story Idea, and kept my word.

State of the Honeydew:

The Tease: Plot & craft in Sept, write Awful First Draft Oct-Jan. Let it gather dust in Feb, revise in March, send to Trusted Readers in April. Second revisions in May, Draft 2 out in June, final revisions July or August.

The Mythos Story: Gathers dust in Sept, revisions in Oct, to Trusted Readers in November (yes, Dragon, you), revisions in December-January. Back out in February, final revisions April/Mayish. Start submitting.

“Gravedigger’s Daughter”: Currently gathering dust. Round 2 of revisions Dec-Jan, back out to Trusted Readers in February, final revisions April/Mayish.

Chaotic Water: Yes, I’m picking it up again. I’ll start revisions in Feb-March while the above-mentioned stories are out to Trusted Readers, send it out any standing Trusted Readers in April/May, and finish revisions June/July.

Words written:  Dunno. A few scribbled pages in my journal.

Pages: 4, though some were notes on research about serial killers.

Mammalian Assistance: I woke up to a gravelly “meooooow” in my ear. Opened my eyes. My alarm clock said 6:00, which means I overslept by one hour, and Romer’s snout was about an inch from my nose. I sat up and blinked a few times. Romer curled up against my pillow in the nice warm spot my body had made. Thanks, kitty.

Darling du Jour:  I think I might have his signature, and how someone confuses it.

Fail du Jour: I know my protagonist’s stage name (Velvet Crush) and what she looks like, but not her real name.

Mean Things:  Can’t say without giving it all away.

Look out, suspense-thriller-trilogyland. I’m here.