Novel Writing Update

Since I returned to Seattle after my journey home for Thanksgiving, my progress on the novel that currently serves as my main writing project has been quite promising. I have now reached 32,608 words, which comes out to 65 pages (1.5-spaced, size 11 font), which is just slightly short of the 35,000-word goal I had set to reach by the end of this week, an issue I am currently working on addressing. But although I have found setting daily word goals a useful way to prevent myself from getting overly mired in a difficult question or unresolved portion of the story, the word count is, of course, secondary to the development of characters and storyline. Fortunately, the latter process has been progressing even more satisfactorily than the former.

The story is really beginning to come together. I now have a general idea of all the major plot points and the ways that they are going to interconnect. There are all these interwoven mysteries, so I am working on how they emerge and how the connections between them are gradually revealed. The characters are also becoming increasingly fleshed out, and I'm getting clearer mental pictures of the city and the society.

My current plan is to get a rought first draft of the novel in its entirety done by the time I return home for Christmas. I'll then take a few weeks off for some holiday merriment before returning to revise, add, and otherwise get the novel into the best shape that I can on my own. After that I will send it out to any friends/family members willing to take a look at it and give me whatever feedback they have on what works and what doesn't. (I'll probably be ready for this part of the process in late January, and if you are at all interested/willing to participate, please let me know and I would be delighted to add you to my list of people I'm planning to send it to, otherwise known as the list of my favorite people. :-) Taking that feedback into account, I will revise further, and then start working on communicating with editors to see about the possibilities of publication. If nothing else, it will give me the chance to experience the whole process of novel-writing, and leave me with something to show for this year of literary adventure.

In the moments between bouts of writing, I have been able to connect with a number of friends in the Seattle area, and I have definitely appreciated the increased level of social interaction, as well as the chance to spend time with such supercool people. Recent excursions have included a birthday party for a UPS theatre friend at Gameworks, where I spent the evening running around playing video games with the incomparable Evan Tucker--more fun than I can convey. I also saw the spanish film Volver with Nati at the Egyptian, a local independent cinema, met up with the elusive Jason Moy for coffee, and visited the fabulous apartment of my former Trimle suitemate, Marlo, where we prepared a Southwestern feast of various chip dips and some bell pepper slices topped with a delectable mixture of rice, tomatoes, onions, spices, and cheese--very delicious!

This afternoon will be my second chance to attend Bethany Presbyterian, the church I have decided to call my home while in Seattle, and afterwards there is a college age fellowship time, which I am looking forward to. So basically, this is just an update to remark how incredibly well things are going at the moment. And now, back to the novel!