AQATSA: Like a hit-and-run driver, just keep going and ignore that bloody mess behind you
Trying to make myself not go to bed before I've written at least 1000 words. The problem with this plan is it keeps me up late.
So I am writing Chapter 36 now. I am at almost 222K words, and am also trying to make myself keep writing -- do not rewrite. So when I decide to change something completely, I just keep writing, and if someone were to read the entire draft right now, it would be a godawful mess, because Chapter 36 totally contradicts what happened in Chapter 16. Because, duh, I have to rewrite Chapter 16. But I haven't done that yet because I am not sure yet how I will resolve the problem in Chapter 16 that has me writing something differently than I planned in Chapter 36. And my usual habit has been to ponder and stew on this for a while, and go back and rewrite sections here and there and basically keep polishing little bits without getting the larger outline formed. This is not a productive method of writing.
I see a manuscript as being kind of like a sculpture. You start with a big block of stone, and chip away until you've got a vague outline. And then you chip some more until what you had in mind is recognizably taking shape, even if it is kind of rough and ugly. And then you start working on details, and here and there are some nicely crafted bits but the whole thing is still unfinished and badly proportioned. But you keep working on it, little by little, a chip here and a chip there, and eventually it's starting to approach a finished form, and then it's detailing and polishing until it is done to your satisfaction. (If you're lucky, you do not accidentally chisel off the head and say, "Oops, maybe this will have to be a cat instead of an elephant.")
My problem is that long before I have even a rough elephant shape, I'm becoming obsessed with getting the trunk just right, and then I start polishing its toes and putting some wrinkles in its hide while the damn thing is still missing its hindquarters! So, my current resolution (besides staying up late until I add to my word count) is do not rewrite.
Much.
Since I am up late, I am too lazy to make a wordle. I thought about teasing you with a list of current chapter titles (many of which will change), but some of them would be a bit spoilery.
So, here is another vague rough sketch that may just be a concept sketch or may actually appear in the book:
Also, for some reason, I signed up for the pphpficexchange again. I blame ebilgatoloco. It's totally her fault.