For all you crazy NaNoWriMo people:
We’re supposed to be at 21667 words, today. I’m at 19,738, which wouldn’t be so bad, except that the number includes 6,020 words that I had before the month began (couldn’t wait to begin, you know).
I’ve run into issues– the setting I had originally chosen turned out not to be perfect based on a certain character who decided to show up and mess up my plot outline, so I had to go find the real perfect spot. I like it so much better than the first place, I’m already missing it, knowing they’ll have to leave it so soon.
I also had to pull out my giant timeline and cross-check some things, and then reset the historical moment by a few years. But everything’s settled, now, and we can get back to what I scripted out.
That last phrase was a joke, by the way. Something I do, when I need a laugh, is pull out my little plot outlines I’ve made along the way. These are relics of moments when I was inspired as to what should happen in the next few scenes. I’d grab the back of an envelope or a receipt or a napkin (writing around the grease spot left by a renegade salt and vinegar potato chip) or something meant for the recycling bin, and sketch it all out. Looking over them, perhaps 10% of what I wrote actually happened in the pertinent book.
Speaking of crazy things happening in your book, today’s entry on the trusty NaNoWriMo Calendar by Migratory says, “There’s no shame in adding zombies to your story.” I’ll have to think about that one. I think there’s the back of an envelope around here, somewhere…
Alex Drevessa 