Laura Anne Gilman's Blog, page 68
April 30, 2014
coffee at my elbow, cat on my knee, brain in a jar on the shelf
After Monday's "think it through without actually thinking about it" phase, Tuesday saw 3K new words get laid down, and a clear idea of where the next chapter's going. I don't know if I'll get another 3k today, but it's not going to b a stop-and-stare day, so it's all a win.
Mystery writing is, in many ways, a series of writing yourself into a blind alley and then writing yourself (and your character) out again. No matter how well I outline, I've never been able to avoid that. Since it seems to work, I'm not going to beat myself up over it too badly.
Massive amounts of Other Work to be doing as well, and mostly it's all getting done. Mostly. I've been very bad about juggling multiple projects lately. I'm going to assume it's a phase, or a distraction or something, and not beat myself up about it too terribly. Especially since the ongoing Feline Medical Issues are not things I can control. All the deadlines are currently green and steady*.
Currently, anyway. I never expect that to last.
Some day I'll even have the brainpower to write short fiction again. That would be nice....
*the deadline signals are as follows: green (sailing along, no worries about making deadline); yellow (a little stressed but in a good and normal way as we get to the close, time to slide a pizza under the door); pink (I'm only accepting calls from my parents and my agent, your email will be read eventually, I kind of forgot to eat); red (fuck you I'll sleep when I'm done shut up). Blinking = signal intensifies. A friend has threatened to make an actual lamp for my window with those lights, for everyone else's safety.
Mystery writing is, in many ways, a series of writing yourself into a blind alley and then writing yourself (and your character) out again. No matter how well I outline, I've never been able to avoid that. Since it seems to work, I'm not going to beat myself up over it too badly.
Massive amounts of Other Work to be doing as well, and mostly it's all getting done. Mostly. I've been very bad about juggling multiple projects lately. I'm going to assume it's a phase, or a distraction or something, and not beat myself up about it too terribly. Especially since the ongoing Feline Medical Issues are not things I can control. All the deadlines are currently green and steady*.
Currently, anyway. I never expect that to last.
Some day I'll even have the brainpower to write short fiction again. That would be nice....
*the deadline signals are as follows: green (sailing along, no worries about making deadline); yellow (a little stressed but in a good and normal way as we get to the close, time to slide a pizza under the door); pink (I'm only accepting calls from my parents and my agent, your email will be read eventually, I kind of forgot to eat); red (fuck you I'll sleep when I'm done shut up). Blinking = signal intensifies. A friend has threatened to make an actual lamp for my window with those lights, for everyone else's safety.
April 29, 2014
listen to your body, it's smarter than you are
Aged ribeye. Salt. Pepper. Butter. A little green salad on the side to make it slightly healthy.
Yeah, that'll do.
Yeah, that'll do.
sometimes you go forward sideways, with the prevailing winds
I woke up yesterday morning thinking "the bit in the outline is no longer the bit that should happen." Frustration occurred. And I wrote about a hundred words of a new bit, and then stared at the screen and thought "well, what do I do with that, then?"
And then I was distracted by a Chore that suddenly became Urgent, and a summons to lunch with the parents (also so I could play Parental Tech Support) and various other things that resulted in a day of being Helpful to Other People. Which, by the way, is seriously tiring. But I didn't bite anyone.
Which meant that the Bit was running in the background all day, not being stared or poked at. What some other people might call "not working," but we know better, yes. So when I finally got home, I wrote a few hundred more words, and thought "okay, I think I know where this is going."
And then I went to bed. Because sometimes the best thing you can do with a think is sleep on it.
And so this morning, I have a Bit-Think, and notes on the Think, and a fresh pot of coffee, and everything else gets put on the back burner until the New Bit is properly fitted and twisted. So the plan for today is AIC, with an extra helping of coffee.
Meanwhile, the morning has that odd clear light you get when the sun's only just hidden by clouds & it hasn't decided to rain, yet. Melancholy pretty. The weather co-operates: when the rain does begin (and it will), I'll be glad I was out and about yesterday, and in and focused today.
And then I was distracted by a Chore that suddenly became Urgent, and a summons to lunch with the parents (also so I could play Parental Tech Support) and various other things that resulted in a day of being Helpful to Other People. Which, by the way, is seriously tiring. But I didn't bite anyone.
Which meant that the Bit was running in the background all day, not being stared or poked at. What some other people might call "not working," but we know better, yes. So when I finally got home, I wrote a few hundred more words, and thought "okay, I think I know where this is going."
And then I went to bed. Because sometimes the best thing you can do with a think is sleep on it.
And so this morning, I have a Bit-Think, and notes on the Think, and a fresh pot of coffee, and everything else gets put on the back burner until the New Bit is properly fitted and twisted. So the plan for today is AIC, with an extra helping of coffee.
Meanwhile, the morning has that odd clear light you get when the sun's only just hidden by clouds & it hasn't decided to rain, yet. Melancholy pretty. The weather co-operates: when the rain does begin (and it will), I'll be glad I was out and about yesterday, and in and focused today.
April 26, 2014
hard choices...
This was originally a friends-locked post, then I decided what the hell...
I've done a lot of research and worldbuilding, to get the tone of the WiP right. I know, for example, that there's a way to shape bark into a crude tray, so you're not trying to balance your meal on your knees, around a campfire. And that would be a nice little detail, the kind of color that an epic fantasy novel seems to call out for, the kind of detail that readers of same seem to enjoy. And it would be easy - enjoyable, even - to slip that sort of detail into the book. To detail the meals, the way they travel, sleep, fight, cook, until it's almost as though you're watching, rather than reading.
And that would be good, and satisfying, and fun.
But... the underlying tone of this book has always been more sparse, broad strokes of daily life, with the details focused elsewhere, allowing the reader to assume and presume, rather than spelling it out. To make the reader dig for the meat, a little more. And I know...I know that this could hurt the book. The readers who will come to it, thinking "oh, epic fantasy with horses and magic n' shit" and then discover that the tone is...not that?
I could do the traditional thing. I could do that and nobody would think twice about it, because it would be expected, what the readership prefers. And the book would probably please more people/sell better. But...
It would change the book.
To clarify off the comments: if I thought this would be a negative change, it wouldn't even be under consideration. The fact that some of you seem to think I would...huh.
Change isn't bad. Traditional isn't bad. It's just a different journey to the same destination.
I've done a lot of research and worldbuilding, to get the tone of the WiP right. I know, for example, that there's a way to shape bark into a crude tray, so you're not trying to balance your meal on your knees, around a campfire. And that would be a nice little detail, the kind of color that an epic fantasy novel seems to call out for, the kind of detail that readers of same seem to enjoy. And it would be easy - enjoyable, even - to slip that sort of detail into the book. To detail the meals, the way they travel, sleep, fight, cook, until it's almost as though you're watching, rather than reading.
And that would be good, and satisfying, and fun.
But... the underlying tone of this book has always been more sparse, broad strokes of daily life, with the details focused elsewhere, allowing the reader to assume and presume, rather than spelling it out. To make the reader dig for the meat, a little more. And I know...I know that this could hurt the book. The readers who will come to it, thinking "oh, epic fantasy with horses and magic n' shit" and then discover that the tone is...not that?
I could do the traditional thing. I could do that and nobody would think twice about it, because it would be expected, what the readership prefers. And the book would probably please more people/sell better. But...
It would change the book.
To clarify off the comments: if I thought this would be a negative change, it wouldn't even be under consideration. The fact that some of you seem to think I would...huh.
Change isn't bad. Traditional isn't bad. It's just a different journey to the same destination.
April 24, 2014
Some days I have an opinion. Some days it doesn't matter.
So - after dithering and putting it off until my hair was several (4) inches below my shoulders an more than a little, um, shaggy - I finally walked into the salon this afternoon, fully intending to go drastic and have it all chopped off to above my chin, just for the change.
H, who has been doing my hair for six years now, took one look at me and said "no, you look fabulous, I am not cutting all that off."
We compromised, which is to say I lost.
But it is shorter, and much less shaggy now, and if I still want to go short for winter, she will graciously allow me to do so. :-)
Hey, in all those six years, she's given me exactly ONE haircut I wasn't a hundred percent thrilled with. She's probably earned the right to boss me around a little.
H, who has been doing my hair for six years now, took one look at me and said "no, you look fabulous, I am not cutting all that off."
We compromised, which is to say I lost.
But it is shorter, and much less shaggy now, and if I still want to go short for winter, she will graciously allow me to do so. :-)
Hey, in all those six years, she's given me exactly ONE haircut I wasn't a hundred percent thrilled with. She's probably earned the right to boss me around a little.
April 23, 2014
children, fools, and writers on deadline...
Reaching for a research note this morning, my elbow hit the edge of my coffee mug. Coffee spilled EVERYWHERE....
except onto my laptop.
*waits for heart to resume normal operations*
except onto my laptop.
*waits for heart to resume normal operations*
April 22, 2014
*buffs nails, smirks*
For those who've read the earlier Gin & Tonic books, I'm pleased to say that Agent Asuri is back.
And she and Ginny are just as much fun to write in-conversation as ever.
“I know that you would not interfere with a police investigation. And I know that you have at least enough sense to be aware that you’re a person of interest, by virtue of [plot redacted].” Asuri held up a hand. Her nails were cut short, polished with a dark red that, on her, looked professional as hell. Ginny was envious. “Yes, I am aware of your claim that [plot redacted] and I’m also aware that you have no reason to trust the local police to believe you and so might be contemplating investigating this on your own, to cover your own ass.”
Ginny tried to come up with a suitable “never would I ever” response, but came up blank. Because the agent was right, of course. On all counts.
And she and Ginny are just as much fun to write in-conversation as ever.
“I know that you would not interfere with a police investigation. And I know that you have at least enough sense to be aware that you’re a person of interest, by virtue of [plot redacted].” Asuri held up a hand. Her nails were cut short, polished with a dark red that, on her, looked professional as hell. Ginny was envious. “Yes, I am aware of your claim that [plot redacted] and I’m also aware that you have no reason to trust the local police to believe you and so might be contemplating investigating this on your own, to cover your own ass.”
Ginny tried to come up with a suitable “never would I ever” response, but came up blank. Because the agent was right, of course. On all counts.
April 21, 2014
My Monday, in photos
Peregrine!(this photo is not mine; I spent too much time going ooo and no time grabbing my camera)
My office for the day.
When you find wet paint, make art.
and thus ends just another day in NYC....
April 20, 2014
So, this weekend...
Nice weather and occasional walks, broken up by an Unexpected Vet Visit (CatofSize now has painkillers for his knee, and we'll revisit the possibility of x-rays next week, if he's not healed by then) and Digestive Discomfort, aka "LAG spent much of the weekend on the sofa bitching about her internal organs."
Which means I'm behind on both writing and editing. Argh. This week is going to have to kick into high gear, and then some, no matter what my body wants.
Meanwhile, I managed - by dint of sleeping through a lot of it - to miss most of the noise about the Hugo nominations. But yes, congrats to the Hugo nominees who earned their reader-acclaim! I'm not going to single anyone out because I have a lot of friends on the list and I'll doubtless forget someone, but I cheered each and every one of you... and no, I'm not a voting member so yes I CAN say I'm rooting for you all!
Which means I'm behind on both writing and editing. Argh. This week is going to have to kick into high gear, and then some, no matter what my body wants.
Meanwhile, I managed - by dint of sleeping through a lot of it - to miss most of the noise about the Hugo nominations. But yes, congrats to the Hugo nominees who earned their reader-acclaim! I'm not going to single anyone out because I have a lot of friends on the list and I'll doubtless forget someone, but I cheered each and every one of you... and no, I'm not a voting member so yes I CAN say I'm rooting for you all!
