I know when I finished writing Family Secrets that I said the word count was at a little over 86,000 words.
I cut and trimmed, and checked again, only to discover once I put it all together that I was at over 88,000 words. I forgot to add in the word count for this prologue I wrote that I am really pleased with.
I know I said no epilogue. Even my proof-reader agreed. Where I wrote "The End" on the manuscript, she changed it to "To Be Continued...."
But, I did get this great brainstorm for a prologue. It introduced Mike earlier in the book instead of his voice suddenly showing up in Chapter 11. I tweaked my last chapter -- my non-epilogue -- so that it and the prologue are like two book ends holding the middle chapters together.
I missed the contest deadline I was shooting for. It was still open last night, but by tonight, the contest had reached its maximum number of allowed entries. Oh, well. Shooting for the contest gave me the goal and motivation to write those last almost 40,000 words within the last four weeks, get my manuscript proof-read and corrections made.
I still would like to cut my novel to around 85,000 words. Time to prep this baby for finding a publisher.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
fini
Family Secrets is fini -- finished -- done -- The End.
A little over 86,000 words, so along with all the usual editing and proof-reading, I need to trim some fat. Still, moving right along.
A little over 86,000 words, so along with all the usual editing and proof-reading, I need to trim some fat. Still, moving right along.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Family Secrets Countdown
Jan 23rd - wrote 6706 words
Jan 24th - wrote 3395 words
Jan 25th - wrote 1651 words
Jan 26th - wrote 2868 words
Total for four days - 14,620 words
Total word count for Family Secrets so far - 78,156
Chapters remaining to be written: 1
Moving right along. After that last chapter is written, then it is on to the editing, proof-reading and all that other good stuff that is involved in trying to get a novel sold.
Jan 24th - wrote 3395 words
Jan 25th - wrote 1651 words
Jan 26th - wrote 2868 words
Total for four days - 14,620 words
Total word count for Family Secrets so far - 78,156
Chapters remaining to be written: 1
Moving right along. After that last chapter is written, then it is on to the editing, proof-reading and all that other good stuff that is involved in trying to get a novel sold.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Engineer Battalion (Const) in Vietnam War
This weekend I did a lot of Vietnam War research, particularly regarding the engineer battalions that were sent over there and the projects they worked on. I have my husband's stories for my novel, Family Secrets, but I wanted to flesh them out a little by getting the "bigger picture".
Actually, what prompted me is I ran across the coffee can in which my husband had stored his original DD-214, patches and ribbons from his army service. My husband is not a coffee-drinker. But, coffee cans are among his all-time favorite containers for storing items, especially in his shop, which is where I found this little jewel.
Unfortunately, you can see from the back of his DD-214 (which I used as the backdrop) and some of the ribbons, not all his war memorabilia stored well in the coffee can.
It was interesting to learn more about engineers, the role they play in the military in general, and about his unit in particular during the Vietnam War. I will eventually mount these items in a shadow box for display in my living room along with the framed memorabilia I have from my father's WWII experience. But for now -- well -- except for the DD-214 that is in a plastic sleeve, they are still in that coffee can (in the house, not the shop).
 |
| Served in U.S. Army Co. D 84th Engineer Battalion (Construction) 1967-68 |
Unfortunately, you can see from the back of his DD-214 (which I used as the backdrop) and some of the ribbons, not all his war memorabilia stored well in the coffee can.
It was interesting to learn more about engineers, the role they play in the military in general, and about his unit in particular during the Vietnam War. I will eventually mount these items in a shadow box for display in my living room along with the framed memorabilia I have from my father's WWII experience. But for now -- well -- except for the DD-214 that is in a plastic sleeve, they are still in that coffee can (in the house, not the shop).
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Non-Epilogue
Today was not a writing day -- it was a Daughters of Utah Pioneers day -- but I managed to get in some writing.
I wrote the final chapter of the book. It's a shorty. No, I am not finished with the book, yet. I still have four heavy-duty chapters to go. I wrote the conclusion now because I want see where each of my three story lines need to end up.
My Webster's Desk Dictionary defines epilogue as it applies to a written work (as opposed to a speech) as follows: 1. a concluding part added to a literary work.
I often read novels with epilogues. An epilogue may tell the consequences of the main story either in the time period immediately following the end, or it may tell what happens decades later. It's kind of like, the story is over now, folks, but just so we don't leave you hanging, we'll tell you how things turned out for the characters in the long run.
The last chapter I just wrote is not an epilogue. There are no concluding parts to add so the reader knows what happened to the characters after the story is over because this novel is only a segment of a larger story. Therefore, for my final chapter, I only needed to tie up a few loose ends.
I wrote the final chapter of the book. It's a shorty. No, I am not finished with the book, yet. I still have four heavy-duty chapters to go. I wrote the conclusion now because I want see where each of my three story lines need to end up.
My Webster's Desk Dictionary defines epilogue as it applies to a written work (as opposed to a speech) as follows: 1. a concluding part added to a literary work.
I often read novels with epilogues. An epilogue may tell the consequences of the main story either in the time period immediately following the end, or it may tell what happens decades later. It's kind of like, the story is over now, folks, but just so we don't leave you hanging, we'll tell you how things turned out for the characters in the long run.
The last chapter I just wrote is not an epilogue. There are no concluding parts to add so the reader knows what happened to the characters after the story is over because this novel is only a segment of a larger story. Therefore, for my final chapter, I only needed to tie up a few loose ends.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Three Thousand Words
I wrote about three thousand words today, plus I edited a bunch more. Let me assure you, that is a lot of words for one day.
The big Vietnam chapter is complete. I was happy to get that one put together. Of course, I still need to sleep on it and edit it.
All in all, it has been a good day. I still feel like I am writing mode, so I probably am not finished yet.
The big Vietnam chapter is complete. I was happy to get that one put together. Of course, I still need to sleep on it and edit it.
All in all, it has been a good day. I still feel like I am writing mode, so I probably am not finished yet.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Title Shuffle
Not only am I willing to shuffle the chapters around if I decide it will help the story flow better, I am not above shuffling around titles.
GOFTS is going to be plain ol' GOFT. These ladies are not really a society, just a group of friends. At best, they are a club. So, I am taking the "S" off the title of this group and adding it to.....
Family Secrets. I have been fighting the urge to change the name of this novel from a singular "secret" to the plural for quite some time. I finally decided to listen to my subconscious on this one. There is the one big secret, but it is surrounded by other little secrets which, as they are revealed, help Jennie deal with her personal issue that she is keeping secret as much as possible.
The third title shuffle is the name of the series. This was the Jennie Graves series. Instead, they are going to be the Golden Oaks series. Yes, I intend to keep Jennie and her family among the predominant cast of characters in future books. However, I think by shifting the focus of the series to the community, I can broaden the options for future books.
After all, the GOFT ladies (or "goofy ladies", as their family members like to tease them) are an interesting bunch. Each of them is unique. Focusing on one or the other of the members of this group occasionally could keep future plots interesting.
GOFTS is going to be plain ol' GOFT. These ladies are not really a society, just a group of friends. At best, they are a club. So, I am taking the "S" off the title of this group and adding it to.....
Family Secrets. I have been fighting the urge to change the name of this novel from a singular "secret" to the plural for quite some time. I finally decided to listen to my subconscious on this one. There is the one big secret, but it is surrounded by other little secrets which, as they are revealed, help Jennie deal with her personal issue that she is keeping secret as much as possible.
The third title shuffle is the name of the series. This was the Jennie Graves series. Instead, they are going to be the Golden Oaks series. Yes, I intend to keep Jennie and her family among the predominant cast of characters in future books. However, I think by shifting the focus of the series to the community, I can broaden the options for future books.
After all, the GOFT ladies (or "goofy ladies", as their family members like to tease them) are an interesting bunch. Each of them is unique. Focusing on one or the other of the members of this group occasionally could keep future plots interesting.
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