Whipping Out A Novel

I’m going to finish this novel.

I say that a lot these days. Right now, I’m completing Wolf’s Bane (Demimonde #3). I’ve technically been completing it for some time now, but recently I imposed my deadlines. It’s time to get down to business.

Problem is, there are too many distractions.

I can’t be the only writer holding her own horsewhip, threatening a stinging blow, if that’s what it takes to get the job done.

I’ve been getting some decent word counts done on my writing days. However, my enemy right now is time. I have a full-time job outside the home, I have a family that works me over-time, and all the responsibilities of a multi-book author that seem to be on my mind all-the-time. I’m terrified that I’ll look at the clock one day and there will be a fist-full of hands, sweeping away the precious hours, reducing my writing time in favor of duties that claim priority.

But those mornings when I’m home alone…out comes the horsewhip. Get typing! Put down the phone! Close out the Internet! And, for the love of editors, shut off the TV!

I’m a stubborn lady. I don’t like to be bossed around, not even when it’s myself doing the bossing. That’s why I spent time charting out my deadlines on my calendar. It’s not bossy; it’s simply enforcing work guidelines.

I also recently picked up a copy of “90 Days To Your Novel” by Sarah Domet. Although I am about 60% done with the first draft of Wolf's bane, I thought that this book may help me stay on track with my own deadlines (although I definitely don’t have 90 days to finish this book!) I have a subplot to flush out so I’m looking forward to re-writing my outline—yes, rewriting it, because the book had the nerve to go off on its own half-way through writing.

In addition, a few days ago I got an email from my writer friend SK Falls (she’s also published under the name Adriana Ryan). She and another author are going to embark on a Fast Draft—a summer camp buddy-write—and she invited me to join in. When I saw that the proposed dates for the Fast Draft fell right smack-dab in the middle of my first draft writing time, I could have squealed.

Serendipity, I love ya, you little muse! This is exactly what I needed. We’ll get our word counts in, we’ll encourage each other, and we’ll Tweet about the process. I can’t wait to see who else joins in.

So, this is where it begins. Currently I have 56622 words into Wolf’s Bane (goal is 90k for the first draft). I have my deadlines marked in Sharpie, I have my outlining tool (90 Days To Your Novel), and I have my buddy write that will cement it all together—because a buddy write means, above all things, ACCOUNTABILITY.

I’ve got a solid plan to finish this novel. I’m feeling confident that I can leave my horsewhip in the closet.

And, because I’m a pay-it-forward kind of writer, I’ll be blogging about my Journey to the End of the Book in the hopes that I might encourage another writer to do the same thing.

Give us a shout out—are you writing? Are you reading? Closer to the Fast Draft, I’ll let you know who else is writing it so you can follow our progress on the social media.

Don’t give up and don’t let us give up. We might just be writing the books you really want to read.