There'a a party going on in my head right now. Why? Well, the biggest and best news is that Hunter, Book 3 of The Great Man series was finished late yesterday afternoon.
Everybody dance now!
At 106 543 words, it falls short of the expected 110 000, but man it feels good to be finished the book! It'll be even better when I've finished the series, but that won't be for another year I don't think. I have to write two more books and rewrite another. All the same, come payday, I am buying myself some wine and celebrating! In the meantime, I'm celebrating by not writing for the rest of the month (yeah, right! Let's see if I can actually hold off that long...). It's the small things that make life worth the living.
Six books is a fairly long series, and is, frankly, a lot of work. Thank heavens I love writing!
Outside of writing, life is going along much as it always does. My terrible, yet hilarious luck had righted itself by the time the Wutan Lion Dance troupe gathered and performed. It was a high-profile occasion, with Canadian dignitaries and an ambassador or two. I shook hands with many politicians. There really was only one I much liked. I'm not naming any names.
The dance actually went very well. Again I was demoted from cymbal-player to extra body. Luckily, there was one duty I was able to perform, and it wasn't pulling a cart around! I collected the New Year's blessing banner near the end of the performance. Go me!
Actually, this was one occasion where I wouldn't have minded being in the lion. When we first arrived there were so many video cameras... I hate having my photo taken, let alone being filmed. At least being in the lion, I wouldn't be able to see the crowds, and the cameras, and the reporters, and the video crews...
alk;srf;o
Excuse me. I just shuddered.
All the same, Wutan Lion Dance will be in a couple of papers, I'm sure. This is a good thing for the group, and, despite having to have my photo taken with several politicians (not to mention being in the background of countless other shots), and being filmed, I'm rather stoked about it.
Go team!
Alright, I ought to go and... do nothing... Here's your Forgotten English word:
Gantelope:
This punishment, which is called running the gantlet, is seldom inflicted except for crimes as will excite a general antipathy among the seamen, as on some occasions the culprit would pass without receiving a single blow, particularly in cases of mutiny or sedition.
- William Falconer's Universal Dictionary of the Marine, 1771
From Ghent and Dutch loopen, to run, because the punishment was first inflicted in that place.
- Joseph Waorcester's Dictionary of the English Language, 1881
2 comments:
I am so jealous of you I almost hate you! I've been through I don't know how many re-writes of the same story and it never felt right. Then I started taking Stephen King's advice and I'm gonna keep writing until it's finished.
Anywho, CONGRATULATIONS. Would you be willing to share some advice on what you did or didn't do to finally get the job done?
Fellow scribbler,
Joanna
Hi Joanna!
Stephen King has it right, just keep going until the work is done.
I personally have a lot of time to write, and so target for about 3 000 words a day. Sometimes I make it, sometimes I don't. 1 000 words is about what the average writer aspires for a day. That said, don't stop yourself if you find you're on a roll. Just go for it!
I also give myself breaks. If I find I'm burning out, I take a day or two off and just relax. Sometimes your brain just needs to come down.
I'm an odd writer in that I don't outline... at all. I get my character (the protagonist) and the way their story ends. I just let the story go until it ends. I've done this twice now and have one two book saga and a six book series (book 3 of which is now finished).
However, most people I've met online have insisted a detailed outline is the only way they can write.
You need to find a way to outline (or not) that works for you.
Most important of all, just keep going! You will make it!
Good luck!
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