Links and a Progress Report
Feb. 8th, 2012 06:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
glitter_n_goreFirst, check out this interview with Luke Walker about his new ebook, The Red Girl.
Second, in the continuing spirit of Women in Horror Month, fellow Houndie Night Flyer has posted on a spotlight on author Sarah Langon on her shiny new blog. Check that out as well.
In other news, I have now read two--count 'em, two--of the books in my TBR pile: L. A. Banks's Minion and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Crossing 'em off the list now.
Anyways, since I haven't done one of these in far too long, here's a progress report on what I'm actually working on writing-wise:
Novels:
Fire Worker--previously known as "Demigeists," so obviously the first piece of news on this one is I changed the title. The reason being that "demigeists," these neat little fun-sized ghosties I made up that travel through mirrors and steal souls very, very gradually, while still worth a shot eventually I think, just aren't going to work in the context I worked out. The total wordcount so far is 28,000. I'm about at the halfway mark.
Early Risers--Currently standing at 13,000 words, and passing the Plot Twist. Which, this being a zombie story, means the outbreak is getting worse. Another issue is I realized I haven't described what my protagonist looks like yet. I tend to be lax with physical descriptions for some reason, particularly for POV characters. I don't know why. I'll figure something out, I hope.
Shorts:
Doppelganger--four rejections so far, all form, no takers. I took another look at it and decided the beginning was weak, so I'm putting it back into the editing stage before sending it anywhere else.
The Candelabrum--3,000 after the second round of edits, and now I'm scouring my lists for where to send it. Wish me luck!
Second, in the continuing spirit of Women in Horror Month, fellow Houndie Night Flyer has posted on a spotlight on author Sarah Langon on her shiny new blog. Check that out as well.
In other news, I have now read two--count 'em, two--of the books in my TBR pile: L. A. Banks's Minion and Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. Crossing 'em off the list now.
Anyways, since I haven't done one of these in far too long, here's a progress report on what I'm actually working on writing-wise:
Novels:
Fire Worker--previously known as "Demigeists," so obviously the first piece of news on this one is I changed the title. The reason being that "demigeists," these neat little fun-sized ghosties I made up that travel through mirrors and steal souls very, very gradually, while still worth a shot eventually I think, just aren't going to work in the context I worked out. The total wordcount so far is 28,000. I'm about at the halfway mark.
Early Risers--Currently standing at 13,000 words, and passing the Plot Twist. Which, this being a zombie story, means the outbreak is getting worse. Another issue is I realized I haven't described what my protagonist looks like yet. I tend to be lax with physical descriptions for some reason, particularly for POV characters. I don't know why. I'll figure something out, I hope.
Shorts:
Doppelganger--four rejections so far, all form, no takers. I took another look at it and decided the beginning was weak, so I'm putting it back into the editing stage before sending it anywhere else.
The Candelabrum--3,000 after the second round of edits, and now I'm scouring my lists for where to send it. Wish me luck!
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no subject
Date: 2012-02-09 02:37 am (UTC)Good luck!
no subject
Date: 2012-02-09 05:50 pm (UTC)It's really hard to describe a POV character--especially in first POV--without it seeming clunky. Either you have to them look in the mirror and describe themselves or it has to be something like "a piece of my corkscrew curly, blonde hair fluttered across my brown eyes"--both of which are baaaaaad ways to go about character descriptions.
Try to think in real-world situations where your physical description comes into play. For example, I look a lot like my mom, only I'm paler and have red hair. Every time I go to the hospital or meet one of her friends, I *always* get "You look so much like your mom!" So, if this was a story, I'd fine some way to describe my mom early on in the novel, then at some point run into one of her friends and have them say "You look so much like your mom--except for your hair! I love your red hair!" (I get the red hair comment from strangers all. the. time.) and the audience would know, "Oh, so-and-so looks like their mom, but with red hair. Got it." It's slightly less clunky and forced then if I described myself from looking the mirror.