Saturday, Nov. 28
p.s. from yesterday. Wrote at Starbucks. Then wrote at Sally’s house. Then wrote at home. Any port in a writing storm, eh?
Before work:
I lost 500+ words yesterday in chapter two, and I say screw’em, they weren’t that good. If it improves the chapter, then I hope I lose another 500 today. Whispers: I wouldn’t object to adding some good ones, though.
Sunday, Nov. 29
Before work:
Wild night. Went to bed. Thought about book. Ideas poured in. HAD to get up, grab yellow post-its, scribble on them, stick them to table top. Chapter 2 became chapter 5, chapters 3 & 4 emerged, characters talked. (Sometimes I write entire first drafts in dialogue.) Went to bed, got up again five or six more times, finally staying there at 2:15. Whew. Good times.
Today’s goal– transcribe wild night notes & start filling in those scenes.
Still before work, but written yesterday evening: I think this chapter may be missing a Turning Point. I have a feeling my unconscious is dangling it right in front of me–shouting, LOOK OVER HERE!– and I’m just not seeing it yet. Omg, I just realized what it is. I actually thought of it last night without realizing that’s what it was. “HEY, LOOK OVER HERE!’ Thankyouthankyouthankyou.
Note:
A message from Lisa M reminds me: during hard parts of a novel, writers ask friends, “Do you remember if I went through this last time?” This journal will allow me to look back and see the answer.
After work:
Hmm. Interesting. Wrote rough draft of chapter 3. Couldn’t find a way to do it in a main character’s pov, so did it in the pov of least important character in scene. That seems to have allowed me to view the other characters better. Now I think I can rewrite it correctly. G’night.
Monday, Nov. 30
Before work:
Damn. Ideas in shower>>write til midnight. If this keeps happening I’m going to start showering in morning. Today: transfer chpt. 3 to main character pov.
After work:
Draggin’ in. Chapter 2 (?) is crappy, bless its heart. It’ll get better. One scene is too close to something that really happened; must change it to protect the guilty. Stopped by the Corinth Library to study “limited 3rd person point of view”. Learned a few things. Geez, wouldn’t you think that by my 20th novel I’d …know this stuff??! Need to reread John Gardner’s books about writing fiction.
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009
Before work:
The plan for today: start checking page proofs for SRL. Letter accompanying them said Ballantine has two peeps checking them. Nobody ever told me that so specifically before. It’s a reassuring feeling to know there are three of us. I miss stuff. They probably do, too. Maybe a trio will catch it.
After work:
Didn’t work on page proofs. The newer book called, and I needs must answer. There’s now at least one scene that is better than it was a few hours ago, but my poor character just got such bad news. Thinking about next scene now.
Wednesday, Dec. 2
Before work:
Overnight, part of my plot for the new one fell apart, right on schedule. This is not bad news at this stage, although it can feel that way. Letting it simmer. Dear characters: please discuss among yourselves while I’m off reading page proofs for SRL.
After work:
Jack Getze reminded me in a facebook comment yesterday: “make it worse, make it worse, make it worse. That helped today in addressing this question: “Why does character A lose respect for character B?” Because of 1, 2, 3. Also useful : “make it harder, make it harder, make it harder.” Harder to say, harder to do, harder to find.
As an old friend used to say about life in general: “if you have a problem, make it worse until it gets better.” Three seems to be the magic number. Making something worse and “worser” may not be enough, but making it worse, worser, worstest, worstestest may be too much. What is it in fairy tales? Three tasks for the suitor to win the princess’ hand?
Thursday, Dec. 3
Before work:
I’m at Amazon.com right now, reading first chapters of Lee Child novels to remind myself how he does it, and I don’t even write that kind of book. But a master is a master. IMO, he and Dick Francis are masters of two things in first chapters: they make me love their main character, and they make me want to know more. Any writer can learn from that. I sure do. ::goes back to read next first chapter::
After work:
Planted myself at Panera and grazed through cookie, coffee, the soup and salad as I finished the first run-through of page proofs of SRL. I consider it rent for office space. So glad to be able to get back to writing soon. I’ve found only a few minor things to correct so far, and one scene to consider rewriting.
p.s. Have I mentioned that I hate it that Advance Reader’s Copies and bound galleys go out as uncorrected proofs? Hate it. I don’t want outsiders seeing anything until I say it’s finished, dammit. Good luck with that, little control freak, lol. Let go, let go. . .
Friday, Dec. 4
Before work:
There is one short scene in the page proofs that is bugging me. I’m going to tear it open and try to figure out what’s missing. It’s such a important scene emotionally. I think maybe it goes too fast. Too much external conflict, not enough internal conflict. (Waves at Don Maass who harps on this point in his workshops.)
After work:
Speaking of page proofs, I scared myself to death today when I found a mistake in my understanding of a law. A quick visit to one attorney and a call to another one solved it, and I actually like the changes I’ll have to make, but oh my god. Breathless with either shock or relief, not sure which. Both.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Before work:
Last night I dreamed that a writer friend of mine, Judy Greber/Gillian Roberts sang four lines of a lovely melody I had never heard before. When I woke I remembered two words from it: ladder and writing. So naturally I googled that. 
Look what I found and have already ordered: http://cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-07659-3/three-steps-on-the-ladder-of-writing
After work:
Worked at The Plaza Library while waiting to pick up my mom at her luncheon. The rewriting due to my misunderstanding of that legal issue is coming along well so far. I realized this morning how lucky I am that I didn’t find the mistake until now. If I had understood this legal thing correctly early on, it would have changed the book–added scenes and characters that I am very very glad aren’t in there now. Only now, with the finished book, is it possible for me to see how little I actually need to write about this particular legal thing. Strangely, the little bit I have to change is making the whole book stronger.
Worked on the website–at Panera on 75th St.–with Cathy H. (They have a great apple thing.) Cathy found a nice pre-book write-up about Scent on Library Journal. They advised librarians: “Expect interest.” She also showed me an email she got from Seattle Mystery Bookstore in which they list it among the books they expect to be most anticipated in their store for 2010. Good omens? I don’t know what I’d do without Cathy to manage my web stuff!
