>_<

Some nights are simply a bust.

Wrote a few hundred words. Got the sense they were probably the wrong few hundred words. Stopped. Pondered skipping to next scene. Remembered that next scene isn't the scene we thought was next, because another scene has to happen first. Tried to figure out how to stage that one. Failed. Attempted to step back and regroup. Brain refused. Contemplated doing more reading for the book instead of writing. Brain refused that, too.

Not yet tired enough for sleep. Not sure what to do.

Today's been one of those days. But it ain't over until I get sleepy, so I have to find something the petulant three-year-old now ruling my grey matter is interested in doing until that happens.

I doubt it will be anything productive. Because this just isn't a productive night.

more excerpt, more discussion, more everything!

Twenty days and counting; the last piece of the excerpt has gone up. (Beginning is here.)

Over on the sirenscon LJ, the discussion of Midnight and Ashes continues with a new question, regarding time and point of view in the novels. The first question, about the connection between the mortal and faerie worlds, is still open; you don't need to be a con attendee or even an LJ user to jump in.

And speaking of things you don't have to be a con attendee to do, there are four days left to submit a recipe for the drink contest. There's been some by e-mail already, and I'm looking forward to trying these things out!

August 11th is Crankypants Day

Continuing the theme from last night, I am having an extremely crankypants day. The cloudy weather isn't helping; this is the kind of day where I could really use to go sit in warmth and sunshine, and there is neither to be had.

Halp?

Please to be posting good news, or funny anecdotes, or pictures of adorable kittens. I could use it today.

Not *again*.

Dear Book:

I hate you.

No, really. We've gotten to that stage of the writing, the stage where I really just want to light you on fire. It happens almost every book (except for the rare ones that just sail straight out of my head -- of which you are SO not one), but this time, I really, really mean it. Why? Because I just figured out that I could solve about 90% of my pacing problems . . . by moving your start date back three months.

This falls into the category of "annoying change" rather than "major seismic upheaval," since most of what I have to do is change the dates on scenes. But that's about 100K worth of scenes I have to re-date

FUCK I just realized that doesn't work.

Because there's a scene that has to happen on a specific date, and that specific date is before what I thought would be the new start date. But there are other events that have to happen on other specific dates, and SON OF A BITCH I HATE YOU.

<beats head into desk>

Never again, people. Never again. I am so very done with this historical fiction thing, where I can't just decide when stuff happens because history says otherwise. I've been doing this for four books, and I will never subject myself to it again*.

I'm sure I'll find a way through this. But it is going to cost a lot of pain and suffering along the way. (It already has.) And right now, I kinda want to light the book on fire.


No love at all,
Your Writer.



*Of course I'm lying. It's like childbirth. In a few years, when I've forgotten the pain, I'll probably decide this is a good idea again. But right now, I mean it.