Book 2 Update

1. I’m at 37,000 words. I think this is probably halfway! I can definitely feel the draft (and the plot) gaining momentum. I wrote one of my favorite chapters last week. The Playwright says it’s one of his favorites too. (Unlike most of my favorite scenes, it involves no kissing. Just friendship and magic and danger and ladies losing their tempers.)

2. This is my first time working from a detailed outline. I still get stuck, though, when I’m not sure what my characters would say to each other in a certain moment. It took me three days to figure out the first words between Cate and her godmother.

3. Outline notwithstanding, my favorite moments are still those serendipitous little surprises that sneak their way in. When I have that sudden flash of inspiration, it’s so exciting. That above-mentioned favorite chapter–half of it wasn’t even in the outline! And it’s so good. Am I allowed to say I think it’s good? Rest assured, I am dubious about other parts.

4. My Secret Goal was to finish this draft before I leave for California this week, so I’d have time to take a break and get beta feedback and revise before I turn it in. Hahahahaha. I realized at the beginning of October that it was kind of an insane goal. It took me nine months to write the first draft BORN WICKED; I don’t know what possessed me to think that I could write this book in two and a half. It’s due at the beginning of December; I will finish by then; that will have to be good enough, Oh Inner Perfectionist.

5. I’m not a write-every-day writer. I never have been, but I guess I assumed, now that writing is my full-time job, I would become a disciplined, 1k-a-day writer. I have not. I can edit every day, but drafting is harder for me. I have Writing Days and Not-Writing Days. On the Writing Days, words pour out in a mad rush, and I usually write 2-3k, so it seems to work out to roughly the same wordcount. I still feel sort of peculiarly guilty, though.

6. In case anyone’s wondering whether writing is easier now that I have a book deal, it is not. I’m not wondering whether anyone will ever read it; I know they will–but that’s kind of a mixed blessing while drafting. Now I’m wondering what my editor and her assistant and people who loved the first book will think, and the prospect of disappointing anyone is terrifying. I have to really work to put those expectations out of my head and concentrate on the story.

7. I kind of can’t wait to be done with drafting and start editing. I love editing!