First Drafts and Me

What’s on my mind?  Surprisingly I have a lot of things going on in my life right now.  Foremost is that I am almost finished with draft one of my next book in the Shadow Dancer series. This is the story of Leif.  I have had several people ask what happened to him and why he was the way he was.  Well, this book is the why and the how.  I have about 10,000 more words to get down for it to be done.  Maybe more.  I am working on the last two big scenes of the book.  Sometimes I get caught up in the action and it’s more words than I thought it would be.  That’s not a bad thing, actually.  As then when I have to go back and cut away all the useless stuff, there is still plenty of story left. 

I have never tried to write from a male perspective before.  I hope I am doing a decent job of it.  I will need to find a few beta readers to break it to me one way or another.  That’s still a bit far off though, as again, I’m only on the first draft.  That first draft is usually a mess by the time it’s written.  I will have to go back and really work on it page by page in order to fill it in and cut away and put together a more complete story.  I have found that my first draft is really only a shell of the story.  All the ideas and problems and people tossed around and stuffed in.  The first revision is killer.  I don’t know about some of the other writers, but the first revision for me is almost harder than writing the story to begin with.  No, it doesn’t take quite as long, but it’s still a job. 

Leif has been on my mind lately (I wonder why).  He is a lot more complex that even I knew.  He has had a hard life.  It’s no wonder he is a hard and cold man.  Yes, I do get attached to my characters.  I live their lives, their thoughts, their dreams while I am writing their stories.  It’s hard not to get attached. 

At any rate, that’s where I am right now.  His story is almost complete.  Will it have a happy ending?  I’m not certain.  He is going to have to decide that for himself. 

What’s on your mind this week?  Are you working on anything new and exciting?  This does not have to be writing related. This can be the new garden you put in, or the new book you are reading, or the new cabinets you are making for the kitchen.  Come on, share.  What are we all doing now that the warmth of summer has finally arrived?