February 25th, 2010 by Neal

I spent most of this week trying to read and failing. I spent the rest of it dealing with this new idea that sprung upon me for an ongoing, and as of today I have completed the first issue. More on that as it develops.

Monday I plan on resuming editing, so when that happens, more here.

For readers from the Homepage and the 2,300 view syndication crew, crazy and kind, who want to talk about Smallville, I really don’t any more. No offense. This will be where you find what I’m doing otherwise.

Thanks.

February 18th, 2010 by Neal

Every single Weird Al song, like, ever, has made me laugh at least once. I love Weird Al.

He finally did one that made me kind of sad and provided thought-provoking mental commentary. I suppose it’s funny if you’re not close to it.

Wonders never cease:

February 18th, 2010 by Neal

Three novels, one year. And this is not counting the 20,000 abandoned words of Hal 2. Shee-it.

I’m pretty pleased. So pleased, in fact, I’m gonna give myself a week of light duty before I pick up the editing. Reading. Research. People watching. Considering my next project. I will probably break this vow, but hell.

I added about thirty thousand words to the last two books, but they were ten thousand words shorter, so Hal 3 will probably be about 100-105 K, I am now estimating, though it is my goal to be bigger with the description despite minimalist inclination. Rough draft final count:

I begin to think I could just write novel after novel non-stop. This is a fairly leisurely pace since I’ve eliminated any and all side projects and distractions, and I’m still getting a lot done. That said, I would not be averse to doing a novel while doing comics, or a novel then a comic. I’ll think on it.

February 17th, 2010 by Neal

Fifty five hundred word day. Almost cranked the rest of the book out. Home stretch. Tomorrow will be the day barring hurricanes and dinosaurs.

February 16th, 2010 by Neal

Was having a rough day until an old friend told me she heard about my comics before hearing I’d written them, and that they were going to get their hands on them. Sometimes it doesn’t take much.

I’ve been wrought with a lot of misery in my head for the last day, which is an on-again off-again thing for the last few months. I had a good bout of a month there where all was well, but today was a bit of a spin until the ship set to rights.

I am realizing I have written two full novels, and will have finished a rough draft for a third, in less than a year. Crazy, man. I also realize spring is coming, which is a hopeful proposition.

I think I have two or three days more with this novel before it’s in the can. Depends on how long and hard the final scene is, and it’s a toughie. I’m tired.

Quick question, though. Does anyone read this? Are these updates fun for anyone? Am I wasting effort here I could throw into a journal and keep private?

February 12th, 2010 by Neal

Fifteen thousand, six hundred twenty-four words this week.

(SLUMP)

February 11th, 2010 by Neal

Climaxes, if you will. There’s the major plot, the subplot, and a smaller dilemma that must be resolved. I’m learning to weave these things together. It not only makes the plot stand out more, it makes the entire thing much more fun to read and write.

I can tell already this is gonna be a nice big monster instead of thinking it might be, and I’m proud of that. I’m at about 48K, and I imagine the final rough will come in at about 65-70 K. Maybe more. If this follows pattern, it means a 110 K novel, as I’ve estimated. I know it’s a shallow thing, but as is evident by the chart, I love the numbers aspect of things, how it shapes up, how it changes over time. I just looked at the roughs of the preceding novels, and there’s a strange trend. Up until Hal, there was always a fairly similar rough and final in terms of count, meaning I kept the bones mostly the same, then rejiggered the wording. Starting with Hal (and to a degree, one redraft of Renegades), I would write a lot of the interpersonal stuff, the dialogue, the action, and some of the snark, and then I would rewrite it ALL while adding supporting detail, like setting and the like. It’s been a lot of fun, and taught me a lot about how to better craft a novel.

The really scary thing is looking at the first Hal book and seeing the creation date of March 17. It’s been a year, and I’m already almost done with the third novel? This is either one of the most insane OCD power trips I’ve ever selfishly indulged in, or maybe I’ve found one of the major characters I’d care to remark upon. The madness is in not knowing either way, but hell, at least there are results:

February 10th, 2010 by Neal

I can feel the steam building to finish this puppy, now all I need is for it to stop yarking.

These are the jokes, folks.

But all that aside, thanks to quick action on the part of bud Jake Black, I now know stuff about restaurants, so that call to action is SOLVED. Woot!

GREAT bloody day. Getting up earlier has benefitted me. Four thousand bloody words today.

February 10th, 2010 by Neal

Question! I know the laws are very puritanical with regards to spirits in Utah, and I have tons of info on that, but here’s a question:

Can a minor work in a bar that has a restaurant section if he doesn’t handle the booze?

I worked at a restaurant with booze as a kid and that was find, so long as I didn’t serve drinks or handle them. Is it the same in Utah?

February 9th, 2010 by Neal

Good, hard work. Yee haw.