Manuscript Monday: First Time
Today is the first Manuscript Monday. Every Monday, I’m going to talk about my current WIP and encourage you to talk about yours in the comments. I’m also open to any suggestions for my work in progress.
I’ve got a quick announcement before I get into my current project. Drum roll, please. I will be meeting with my critique partner, Casey, for the first time this evening to discuss our manuscripts and plans and poke holes in each other’s work. This will hopefully be both a trying and rewarding experience.
Now, let’s talk about what I’m working on. I started playing with the idea for my current work about six months ago. It’s taken me that long to get started on it, because I was busy building my writing lair, and honestly, I have been a little timid about taking up writing again. It’s been a rough start so far and I’ve only got about 1,700 words. I actually wrote 1,200 words the first attempt and decided to throw out those first 1,200 and rewrite. The first attempt just wasn’t something I was proud of, but it was necessary crap that needed to get out so I could get to the good stuff.
I’ve struggled a little bit to find the time to write, and I’ve also struggled with staying focused on the project when I do find the time. I’m hoping the added pressure of having to show some one else my work every week will help me stay focused on my goal. I’m not pushing myself too hard on this first novel, because I’m still developing the process as I’m writing the rough draft. I’m using a different program to write this novel than I did my previous two and there is a bit more of a learning curve. It can be an easy program to use, but it has a lot of extra features in it that I would like to be able to use, too. I wish the folks who make Scrivener would make a Windows or Linux version and share the love with those of us not quite willing to pay for a Mac, yet.
I’ve been reading a lot of Adult and Young Adult Urban Fantasy and Paranormal stuff. I always have. I used to read more Sci-Fi, but at the same time I was reading anything I could find with a vampire, werewolf, or dragon in it. So, naturally, my WIP is a Young Adult Urban Fantasy. It’s about a 15 year old boy that moves around a lot because of his dad’s military career. He gets settled somewhere and everything is not as it seems. I don’t want to get too detailed about the actual characters or plot, but I will talk about the different parts of the story (just not the details). If you want to know, then hopefully it will be published and you will get a chance to read for yourself.
That’s all for this Manuscript Monday. Oh, and a quick side note. I got my iPhone 3Gs order today. Yay, for me!
–Jerry W Stewart
Artist: Avril LavigneAlbum: The Best Damn Thing
Song: I Don’t Have To Try
Thanks Jerry! I’m hoping today will be as productive as I need it to be. I love the idea of manuscript Mondays, and I can’t wait to get my sneak peek into your new world. As far as my wip, you should have seen me walking around campus today.
I’ve kinda been trying to decide what direction I want my book to go, and I know my goal for this book, so I have a start point. But as I was walking today, I was inspired by the weather and in my mind’s eye I envisioned a wonderful scene of a storm about to start and a little girl in the park being approached by a young man. All the ideas that any girl should have running through her mind when approached by a strange man does, but he starts the conversation in the perfect way to lure her into security. He tells her strange things about her aunt that could or could not be true, and gives her a key. The key to what? Well, maybe I’ll keep going with this scene next Manuscript Monday…
Well, as eerie as this scene may become, I must say that I fit the nerd stereotype perfectly today, lugging around my bag, slightly hunched from its weight, notebook open in my hands. Walking and writing at the same time. It’s barely legible, but it’s 3 pages of ideas that have now made contact with paper.
Thank you so much for sharing your WIP. I’m looking forward to reading more. I love the comment you left because it reads like the opening of a story that I want to hear the rest of–especially the last paragraph. I feel like that, too, more often than not. lol