atheilen

Your three favourite things are being snarky, drinking, and getting laid. You get to do all of these in this chapter. So, um, what's the problem here? Oh, and you also get to pull a knife on someone, although I'm not sure who at the moment. Just go to the party and let me write, damn you. She's really much better in this draft.

Much love and appreciation,
Sarah

I'm writing a scene right now where one of my main characters has decided to Make a Stand. He's decided that he won't stand to see a reprehensible act committed. He will take action. He will live his beliefs, finally, instead of lying or merely paying them lip service. And he gets to demolish a completely pathetic character in order to do it.

It's beautiful.

And it hurts like hell, because in two pages, the whole thing will come crashing down on him.

I think I find moments like these harder to write than the tragedy that follows them. Because, even though I've had this sequence planned out for ages, part of me is still rooting for him. Part of me is going "YES!" as he begins to carry out justice.

And then I remember.

My mom asked "You can't just make it a happy story, can you?" No, no I can't. At least not in Chapter 7 of (probably) 25. The incident that is about to happen changes the direction of the entire series. I suspect even I haven't figured out how important it is.

But damn, it hurts when it's like this, when the character is struggling to gain the high ground and I have to push them down.

Or something like that.

Onward.

Lament for the Winds:

25,125 / 125,000 (20.0%)

So yeah. I think, finally, after only oh...2 and a half years, I have finished the setup of the book. I can now, you know, concentrate on things like plot and stuff. Everyone says the Middle of the Book is dire, but I have to admit I'm actually excited to be working on a new part. This is stuff I have not dealt with, rewritten, rethought, or angsted over- finally!

Hee. I'll get back to you on that when I'm further along in the chapter.

I think this book will actually wind up being five parts of 25000 words each, with each part containing five chapters. Hmm. Will have to see if I can work some symbolism into the story. It would be nice if it turned out that way, because then the book would actually be, you know, sellable. Well, aside from issues like craft and stuff, but who cares about *that?*

Who am I kidding? I'll definitely overwrite. And never sell anything. At all. :P

In other news, proving that the bizarro world of pros interacting with fans is not confined to Eljayland, there's been a discussion on Malaz about Brandon Sanderson, author of the new book Elantris, and an essay he wrote about Tolkien. I was a bit snarky, considering the unpleasantness most Tolkien debates inspire, and the tired, tired Tolkien vs. Mieville debate. A couple of other people were snarkier.

Then Sanderson posted in the thread.

Oops.