The first time I went for a songram when I was pregnant with Christopher, the incredibly dour ultrasound tech barked at me to "evacuate your bladder until it's only one third full." She was one of those efficient human machines who work in medical lab kinds of places and she scared me more than the whole business of pregnancy did. I remember standing in the bathroom, wondering if other people (even you men) knew how to do such a thing.
So what does that weird anecdote have to do with writing? Well, I never really know how long or short anything is going to turn out until I'm done, and it was the same in that bathroom. (Just in case you're wondering, I was sent back to the bathroom because I had not estimated correctly) Some writers know they are writing a 50,000 or a 120,000 word novel. I just know I'm writing a story.
Anyway, I've been spending a lot of time reading books I don't normally read, like chic lit (sorry, not a fan), steampunk which I'm undecided about, a couple of mysteries which I found formulaic, then back to YA and MG which I loved. The problem with broadening your horizon is it makes you that much more comfortable to stay in your own little spectrum of color. Really, who can beat the likes of Robert Cormier or Harper Lee?
And I've been spending a fair amount of time walking with the kids on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. This is pretty much what it looks like:
What have you guys been doing this summer? I have to visit everyone's blog to see what's been going on. It's nice to be away from the Internet, but it's also nice to come back.
5 Comments on Summer!, last added: 7/11/2011
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Welcome back to blogging!
I'm conscious of pages, rather than word count. And my outline tells me where I am.
I've been walking along the beach and bay.
Happy writing.
I think I kind of know my book length (in process) far better than my my bladder capacity!!
I can't believe that nurse. She belongs in a book somewhere.
I am only 1/5 the way through a new WIP due to revisions with other stuff...ugh.
Happy Summer!
Definitely more conscious of pages rather than word count, Medeia.
At least you have an outline to help you. I just scribble notes and type.
That nurse was a legend, Shelley. We used to sit in the waiting room and exchange stories about her.
1/5 done? Wow. I just can't tell these things. Writing has so many different approaches.
Nice to see you back Anne! I've been mostly away too and actually finished revisions of my little novel and finally feel like I've got it where I want it.
What else have I been doing? Reading a lot. I tried reading an award winning *adult* novel and it was so encumbered with back-story and flash-back from like paragraph one, page one, I threw it across the floor. I kept wondering when the story was going to start happening. Give me kid-lit ANY day!
I don't outline either - I enjoy telling the story and seeing where it takes me.
I laughed at your sonogram story - I remember asking the tech during an ultrasound how I was supposed to know something like that! :)