How to Start Eight

I finished Chapter 7 on Friday night! It was the fastest chapter to write so far. Zoe's there, she's had her first anger-moment, and Zachary's decided he doesn't like her. Oh, and Dr. Murphy's back, too. He actually went to the mainland and brought Zoe back with him. They know one another. He had been staying at the mainland facility while recuperating; and, later I want to make it known that for years now he has been going back there to work with Zoe off and on. There were times he was away from the island and Zachary didn't care where he went because, well, he doesn't like Dr. Murphy. But that's why there's a level of familiarity there between Murphy and Zoe.

Trish has read chapters 4-7 in the space of a couple of days and she's given me such nice compliments I don't know what to say. She did give me a note for Chapter 6... take out references to "getting some." She pointed out they wouldn't really put that on Zachary right now, one thing at a time. Even if they know it might happen (MIGHT), they really wouldn't be talking about it.

Notes:
* Want to do more water scenes. Show how at-home he can be in the water.
* What's wrong with his back? Is it nerve damage or not?
* Is he still "sick" and if so, will it progress anytime soon?
* Where's Paul Spencer these days? Will he come back for a visit, or to implement some change that he's paid for?
* I want to have a scene where Jacob betrays Zachary's trust.
* Why didn't they ever talk about Zoe before? I need to have a good reason.
* When do we learn what happened to Feem? And when we do, will it play out like it did in my other draft where they are at dinner and someone tells the story, and then Zachary remembers it (pretty much verbatim from the old draft...and this is going to be the ONLY scene that survives this way!).
* Still be thinking of how he leaves the island.
* Can we see Bruce? And the other hybrids interacting with Zachary directly?

In other news I am almost done reading "The Host." Stephenie Meyer's done it again. I love her style. I love the things he chooses to include in her storytelling, and the way her characters think. I love the first person thing! I am just so, so inspired by her stuff. I've never felt like someone else's style feels like my own style. I think that way, too, and hopefully write that way. I've also noticed she has some very short chapters. So I should keep that in mind, too... I'd love to find out what her typical wordcount per chapter is. Just an fyi.

The many meanings of "action"

I'm well into Chapter 6 now. It's all talking so far, which has me a little worried. But it might need to happen that way. I mean, the stuff that happens WOULD entail a lengthy conversation or two...it's the most exciting thing to come along for Zachary and probably even the rest of the team, in a long time.

I surprised myself in describing (and thinking of) Zoe as a soldier. She's always been a kind of wild child in the other versions of the book... and you know what, maybe she still is. Even though she works with the military it can't change her inherent traits. Besides, Zoe having this military experience can be a nice contrast between the two of them, a contrast that wasn't there before.

Anyway, if all goes well, tonight I'll finish the chapter and start Chapter 7. I can't fall into that old trap of "putting off writing the good stuff", as I like to call it. I did that for the entire last version of this story and it wasn't fun. I lost interest. I will NOT let that happen with this one! My goal is to finish it this year, if not by the end of the summer. It'll mean watching fewer Netflix movies and forcing Greg to be a writing-widower, but it should pay off when it's all done. I just need that ONE first, complete draft. And then I can find an agent. I'm really confident I can get one for some reason. Now getting it published? That's too far out to try to imagine. I'll take it one step at a time, thanks.

And enjoy the writing in the meantime. Because it IS just the most fun.

Searching for a Chapter 6 Start

I finished Chapter 5 the other night! I am still not sure about it, of course. I hardly ever feel entirely sure about anything I do on this book...but as long as it's holding my interest I figure that's the most I can hope for, really. "Write what you want to read" is the BEST advice ever. Thanks, Anne Rice (1990) and Stephenie Meyer (2008)!

I took out the silly tight wetsuit business. Whew. He does the OWE, hits on one of the trainers, and talks to Bridget and Dr. Bergen about, well... ;)

Fun.

Personal circumstances have diverted my attention for the past couple of days, though. So I haven't started Chapter 6 yet. But I have a feeling it will come kind of easily once I get started since I am so psyched about what's coming up. I just need to think of a good pick-up line of dialogue, since I end Chapter 5 with an important line...and I want it to go right into the same scene again. I like how I ended Chapter 5, actually.

Notes: not many right now, other than having fun thinking of all this stuff. I've got to get down to business ASAP.