I apologize for not posting regularly. I have been writing regularly, but as I am still trying to adjust to married life, I have not always made the time to post my progress here.
Before I post the snippets from each day, I would like to share with you my concept mapping.
I have taken the time to write the events of my novel on 3×5 cards. Each card holds only one event. I have placed them in chronological order on the walls of my room.
I love having something so concrete to fall back on. Many a time I have found myself unable to continue (even while doing stream of consciousness writing). I look up at my map, see where the story should be going, and I’m off once more.
As I don’t have much time to spend here, I’ll jump straight to the samples.
Day 4 I wrote about my main character first contemplating higher beings, and then meeting one of the other main characters. Below is his thoughts upon looking at the sun.
I did not know if anyone was up there, behind that little light in the sky. If there was someone watching all of this going on, watching all of the sadness and pain, but all of the happiness and smiles too. I waved, wanting to make sure that person (if there was one) saw me. I nodded too, not knowing if they could hear me all the way down here.
Besides, if there isn’t a person, then what does it matter if no one saw me wave?
By Day 5 I realized that my story was severely out of order. I spent all of my words focused on bringing the gap between the first and second chapter. A lot of what I wrote needs context, and as I don’t want to confuse you too much, I’ve picked one of the few passages that don’t need context.
I was never good with words. I was never able to convince Harling or Mother that things would be okay. Both of them were much better with words than I. Mother told me that I took after Father instead, with my larger figure and my physical abilities much further along than those of the other children (and even some of the adults) my mind wasn’t as focused as Harling’s, or even Mother’s really.
And then Harling came home from his first fight.
Day 6 was my quantity day. I wrote over 2,500 words to catch up to the 10,000 word mark. As of yesterday, my story is at 10,056 words. And I know it will end up being much longer than 50,000 words.
Here is Day 6’s sample.
Safe. Our place held only those who would come through in times of need. Nowhere was there a dwelling holding one who held malice toward another in the village. The city attracted people of malice. The outskirts offered a solace, a safe haven where the inhabitants only strove to live. Not survive, but live.
I arrived at Studies. Today was applicable mathematics. The kind tradesmen used when they had to barter for things that were not strictly considered valuable. Things that were not considered currency. Some tradesmen did not have any use for currency. We learned of the value of things, why they would be important and in what circumstance they would be most useful.
White noise. Murmuring. I did not know. I could not understand what else they were speaking of. I simply sat there and watched my Tudor in his element. Telling us what he knew as truth, what he knew we would use after we pulled away from our parents when we came of age.
I hoped that day would never come. I did not want to leave Mother.
I wouldn’t.
I have so much going through my head for this project, I’m thinking that I will be working on this well into next year. My goal is to have a first draft of the novel by the end of this year, and to work on editing and rewriting as much as my life allows.
Readers, tell me what you think of what you’ve read so far. Is it worth reading? Is it horrible? Is there anything that sticks out as amazing, or atrocious?
