Sarah Monette's Blog, page 75
January 31, 2010
The Goblin Emperor: first draft finished
108,600 words, and the draft is done except for that troublesome scene in the middle.
Now, this is a first draft, which means it still needs a lot of work. The worldbuilding is patchy in places and drafty in others, I suspect the pacing of one of the subplots is completely fubar, and the language is not as consistent as I would like it to be.
But these are all problems which can be fixed; in point of fact, they're what a second draft is for. And doubtless, my editor and my valiant beta readers,...
Now, this is a first draft, which means it still needs a lot of work. The worldbuilding is patchy in places and drafty in others, I suspect the pacing of one of the subplots is completely fubar, and the language is not as consistent as I would like it to be.
But these are all problems which can be fixed; in point of fact, they're what a second draft is for. And doubtless, my editor and my valiant beta readers,...
interviewage
There's an interview with me (in which I also pimp
![[info:]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380438177i/889613.gif)
matociquala
and
elisem
) about "After the Dragon" up at
Fantasy Magazine
.
matociquala
and
elisem
) about "After the Dragon" up at
Fantasy Magazine
.
January 30, 2010
walk between the raindrops, dry as a bone
108,000 words. (My target, for those of you playing along at home, is 110,000 words, and due February 1st, i.e., Monday.) The draft is complete except for the final chapter and one scene in the middle--both of which, oddly enough, have to do with the same subplot. Chapter Thirty-Five will be finished tomorrow, and hopefully I can fix some of the lesser worldbuilding as well. The missing scene probably won't get finished, as it requires technical details which I may need to research instead of...
January 29, 2010
walking on knives
What with the whiny princess feet, I've been thinking a lot about the Little Mermaid recently.
I should say clearly, btw, that I hate Hans Christian Andersen. Terry Pratchett is on record as hating Lewis Carroll, and the way he feels about Carroll, although completely antithetical to my experience of Carroll, is pretty much word for word the way I feel about Andersen: "I didn't like the Alice books because I found them creepy and horribly unfunny in a nasty, plonking, Victorian way. Oh, here's...
I should say clearly, btw, that I hate Hans Christian Andersen. Terry Pratchett is on record as hating Lewis Carroll, and the way he feels about Carroll, although completely antithetical to my experience of Carroll, is pretty much word for word the way I feel about Andersen: "I didn't like the Alice books because I found them creepy and horribly unfunny in a nasty, plonking, Victorian way. Oh, here's...
AKICILJ, Prince of Wales edition
I have a question which I just realized I don't know the answer to. It's spoilery for the first chapter of The Goblin Emperor--although it isn't anything that won't be equally evident from the dust jacket copy--so I shall put it behind a cut-tag.
I'm going to use an analogy, because it's much easier to explain than making you learn all these imaginary titles. Let's take an imaginary English king--Henry XX, say. Henry has two sons, Mortimer and Bernard.
Q1: My understanding is that Mortimer is P...
I'm going to use an analogy, because it's much easier to explain than making you learn all these imaginary titles. Let's take an imaginary English king--Henry XX, say. Henry has two sons, Mortimer and Bernard.
Q1: My understanding is that Mortimer is P...
DO NOT WANT
Okay, Mirena.
While I appreciate the dramatically reduced menstrual flow, the REASON you're lurking up there is to deal with these ever-fucking menstrual cramps. Being woken up at 5:30 A.M. by random, vicious cramping is NOT ON.
Get with the program.
No love,
Mole
While I appreciate the dramatically reduced menstrual flow, the REASON you're lurking up there is to deal with these ever-fucking menstrual cramps. Being woken up at 5:30 A.M. by random, vicious cramping is NOT ON.
Get with the program.
No love,
Mole
January 28, 2010
not much on talking, he's just too mean to die
102,000 words and counting.
A couple of musical thoughts, sponsored by the Infinite Loop Playlist, to distract/entertain/madden you while my hair does its Doc Brown impression and I sweat and bitch and moan and grovel in the wordmines*:
1. The lyrics to "Come Together" fit into "Choctaw Bingo" without even a ripple.
2. For anybody who may be needing to explain enjambment to their students, "Jesus Etc." might be a good modern example to start with. Because the enjambment, it is everywhere.
---
*Yes...
A couple of musical thoughts, sponsored by the Infinite Loop Playlist, to distract/entertain/madden you while my hair does its Doc Brown impression and I sweat and bitch and moan and grovel in the wordmines*:
1. The lyrics to "Come Together" fit into "Choctaw Bingo" without even a ripple.
2. For anybody who may be needing to explain enjambment to their students, "Jesus Etc." might be a good modern example to start with. Because the enjambment, it is everywhere.
---
*Yes...
January 27, 2010
Roscoe tried to miss 'em but he didn't quite.
I have made it to 100,000 words.
Also, something interesting and difficult and really quite unexpected just happened. I like this, as a writer, because it means the story is alive and kicking. It is also an incredibly mean thing to do to my protagonist, about which I should perhaps feel guilty but don't.
My infinite loop playlist has been slowly expanding. It's now:
1. "Jesus Etc." (Norah Jones)
2. "Long Black Veil" (Roseanne Cash)
3. "Song for Sonny Liston" (Mark Knopfler)
4. "Belated Promise Ring...
Also, something interesting and difficult and really quite unexpected just happened. I like this, as a writer, because it means the story is alive and kicking. It is also an incredibly mean thing to do to my protagonist, about which I should perhaps feel guilty but don't.
My infinite loop playlist has been slowly expanding. It's now:
1. "Jesus Etc." (Norah Jones)
2. "Long Black Veil" (Roseanne Cash)
3. "Song for Sonny Liston" (Mark Knopfler)
4. "Belated Promise Ring...
Progress!
I have made it to 100,000 words.
Also, something interesting and difficult and really quite unexpected just happened. I like this, as a writer, because it means the story is alive and kicking. It is also an incredibly mean thing to do to my protagonist, about which I should perhaps feel guilty but don't.
My infinite loop playlist has been slowly expanding. It's now:
1. "Jesus Etc." (Norah Jones)
2. "Long Black Veil" (Roseanne Cash)
3. "Song for Sonny Liston" (Mark Knopfler)
4. "Belated Promise Ring...
Also, something interesting and difficult and really quite unexpected just happened. I like this, as a writer, because it means the story is alive and kicking. It is also an incredibly mean thing to do to my protagonist, about which I should perhaps feel guilty but don't.
My infinite loop playlist has been slowly expanding. It's now:
1. "Jesus Etc." (Norah Jones)
2. "Long Black Veil" (Roseanne Cash)
3. "Song for Sonny Liston" (Mark Knopfler)
4. "Belated Promise Ring...
