by 
Shi Guarding My Computer
I’m not superstitious, but I do like the idea of the Chinese Imperial Guard Lions flanking my computer. I usually keep them on the chest at the entrance to my office. When it comes to my writing, I figure I need all the help I can get.
This picture shows how things look as I’m getting ready to start my writing. The coffee and reading glasses are for obvious uses, and my notebook is a place to jot down things I need to look up, like how to make night vision glasses.
My protagonist and his crew are Steampunk inventors and innovators, and when one of the character’s pulled out his night vision goggles, I realized I had no clue how he could have made them. Turns out they are easy to make.
As I write I’m discovering several things I need to know. So much for thinking I’d done excellent research.
How are things going?
Better than I expected. First, I’m writing with very little revision. I write, and the next day, I read what I wrote the day before and make a few changes. There isn’t time for more than fixing some typos or making gibberish sentences into something coherent. This process, born of necessity, was a little frustrating at first, but I’m getting over that feeling.
What is fantastic is how fast the first draft is going. As of last night, I have written 16,364 words. I plan to add 2,000 more to that today. The draft is rough and will need lots of revision, but I love revision.
The Story
I’ve got a detailed outline, which is how I work, and the story is progressing nicely.
In the beginning, I was concerned that I wouldn’t have time to take creative detours and explore new ideas that pop into my mind as I write, but that hasn’t been a problem. I take those detours, which more often than not aren’t detours at all but excellent additions to the story or characters. I love how the subconscious works.
Will I be finished with the book on November 30? No, but I plan to keep up the schedule, and I should be finished with the first draft by the middle of December. I’ll start my revision in January.
Writing Is a Lonely Life, Or So They Say
Yeap, Miss Kitty, named by my niece so not some old person’s reference to Gun Smoke, is my helper. She thinks she’s my companion and inspiration.
She found my dragon this morning. When she gets tired of that, she’ll stare at me or grab my arm as I type. When I ignore her, she’ll walk across my keyboard to help me compose. When I shoo her away, she’ll turn her nose up and leave, punishing me with the absence of her imperial presence.
All you cat owners know the routine.
That’s All Folks!
Gotta get back to my novel and word count. This blog post is 547 words! More than one-quarter of my daily goal! What was I thinking?
The Usual Reminders
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