Actual Writing Work (and Google +)

[dr_pretentious]

A friend who Really Knows Whereof She Speaks gave some advice on the opening of the Big Book, so I'm tinkering with that again. It's the first time in a couple of years that I've read more than a chapter in a sitting. Surprising, which things still look good and which demand improvement. My own sentence structure habits annoy me. I could probably cut 2000 words out of this manuscript on conjunctions alone.

I may just work to the end of the manuscript and do that, since the publishing schedule at Drollerie is way behind, and has been for a while. Even if I finished the Ria story today, my publisher wouldn't be ready for it for a bit. Running a small press is really, really hard, and in ways I'm glad I don't have to deal with. If I ever start talking about doing that, remind me that I said I wasn't suited for it.

Meanwhile, I've gone and registered for Google+. Not sure what I think of it yet, since it's hard to get enough contiguous computer time to do more than two computery things in a day. Sound off, if you're using it.

Comments

[kistha.livejournal.com]

YAY big bookness.

It's funny the opening had such depth, and texture...something you don't see much anymore, which is sad.

The depth and texture thin and thicken along the way, but it kind of fits with the weaving as a metaphor.

I hope to see the rest of the story someday.

google+

[barry priest (from livejournal.com)]

It really is just Facebook by Google. If you are already in the habit of not FBing while writing, then just do the same for g+ (with the exception that if you use Google for research you can easily throw up a post on something interesting you find, with a few less clicks than FB). I generally only consume FB and G+ while commuting or while waiting for Hunter and Xander to fall alseep (hidden danger of early co-sleeping) unless someone posts something so horribly interesting and it doesn't render on phone (bad content provider, no biscuit) then I mark it to look at later.

[showingup.livejournal.com]

BIGBOOK!!!

The brain remembers, and craves accordingly.

[laradionne.livejournal.com]

Oooooh! The Big Book!

[onyxtwilight.livejournal.com]

*sound*

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

There's about 200,000 more words of contiguous draft toward the second volume, if you ever find that you Must have More.

I like a lot of things about the current opening, but this person has suggested changes that might fix the things I've never been quite satisfied with. So I'll try a draft her way and see how it plays. If it doesn't work, then I still have something to stand pat with that mostly does work.

Coming back to this book still feels like coming home in a way that most other projects don't.

Re: google+

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

About half of the time I give to social networking sites is on my Droid, in the car, while one or both kids nap in the backseat. The stuff that really eats into writing time is replying to emails that need more than a couple of sentences, and Black Gate's blog, where I have a habit of writing (or at least attempting) thoughtful responses.

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

I try to be an agent of dopamine production in this world.

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

Now that I'm working in Open Office instead of Microsoft Word, quirky formatting differences make it appear to be even bigger.

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

You were one of the first people I found.

[showingup.livejournal.com]

From the comments every time you mention your work, I say you're succeeding.

Oh, lovesss your storrriesss, prrrrrrrecioussssssssssss!