Thursday, November 3, 2016

NaNo Update

Yes - I know it is only day three but I have to encourage myself with everything I can. I've written over seven thousand words and just about half on my old ms Crooked Knife and half on the new one Caribou Dreaming. When I get to 20 thousand on CK I'll stop that one and write the rest on the new novel. That'll give me 70 thousand on CK and that should be enough for a first draft. Yep - I tend to add as I revise though I chop a lot too! Not sure about this process - it is sort of weird but it works to keep me motivated so I think I'll keep on. I've tried revising before on NaNoWriMo and I just can't do it without a word count being part of it. And it isn't exactly a word count I need on CK - I really am short a whole novel. It is very fun to be back in the game of writing on the mystery. I haven't tried in ages - since probably January or February. For one thing - I was very focused on actually finishing Bright Angel which also began on a month long writing marathon - though I believe it was the Burrowers version BuNoWriMo. I finished all the bits - the last revision, the sell package - including the dreaded synopsis and did my homework on where to send it. I sent it out in June and I have heard back from two of the six that I sent to. One publisher said that they liked it very much but didn't quite fit their lineup and the other asked for a full manuscript and I haven't heard back since. That's a good thing, no? They are arguing it at least. So four more to hear from but I feel like I've got a finished and polished package so that is good.

Crooked Knife is a mystery set in the community where I live. Actually it is here and across the bridge in Sheshatshiu - the Innu reserve here in Labrador. It is very political and maybe way too close to the truth but I'll get it down the way I feel it now and then deal with that in the revisions. It was easy to start because I had so many opinions on the way things are here - and I know this location will be exotic to most folks as it is a northern community with not only First Nation's folks but Inuit and an established base of what is called hereabouts 'Settlers'. Now, after the last month's embroilment in a very big environmental activism fight I think I know exactly how to write this. So yay! My new novel is a YA also set here. It isn't a mystery - or at least not yet - as a devoted PANTSER I never really know. But I'm three and a half thousand words in and it is mostly a teenage angsty sort of story - again with the exoticism of this place and the hook that this teenager is having an identity crisis that also involves three different races.

Here is a photo of Sheshatshiu from the bridge.


How is YOUR November going?

6 comments:

Liza said...

Good for you and your NaNo goals. I have never even dared, but that's because I know writing too fast for me creates all sorts of mistakes. I'm so impressed with those who go for it! I am delighted to hear that Bright Angel is under consideration. Now, every time you get a response, send another one out! Best of luck!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Keep going! You're doing awesome! I'm plugging along as well. Yeh for NaNo! :)

Jan Morrison said...

Thanks Liza and Madeline!
I like the idea of sending one out a package every time I get a rejection but truly - the number of publishers in Canada makes that unrealistic. I thought I would send out way more than I did but so far - just six. If I get totally rejected then I will try small American publishers but this isn't a genre book so need to pay attention to who will take it.
And yes Madeline - it is fun to be back at it. Oh, and Liza - nobody said nothin' about 50 thousand good words! Ha ha! I'm definitely spending time in the world of last years novel so this is kind of a rapid first draft and kind of a revision. It is a mystery so I do have to pay attention to details. Think I've got the nuts and bolts figured though. Yay!

cleemckenzie said...

Keep going! Sounds like you've gotten off to a terrific start! I'll try to come by and bring a few doses of encouragement when I arrive.

Stephanie Faris said...

Wow, you're doing great! I also find that when I'm away from writing for a while, when I come back to it I think, "I forgot how much I LOVED writing books!"

Crystal Collier said...

Sounds like you're making epic progress! Keep at it. Here, take some cheese to speed you along in the process. (I don't NaNo so I have the sanity to be everyone else's cheerleader. Or it could be because I'm busy with a book release...)