Only around 400 words written today, between 8am and 8:30am, but I’ve got today’s Future Jeff cartoon to draw before heading to my normal/real life job. The good news is, as you can see from the photo, I’ve hit the 30,000 words mark. Go me! Until next time… keeeeeep writing or reading or both.
Something just occurred to me. A great first draft of a novel is like a really poorly played game of chess. I’ve never been any good at chess. I never plan ahead, and I always just hope for the best when placing my pieces (I’m mostly hoping the person opposite me is as clueless as yours truly). This makes for a disastrous game of chess, but a brilliant and spontaneous first draft. You place all the characters where you think they might like to go (I often plan the first few chapters, but no more than that) and then see where they go from there. Let rip with your pen or keyboard, and enjoy the ride. You’re the first reader of your story, after all, so this time will never come again. Until next time, keeeeeeep writing (or reading, or both. Whatever you’re into, I won’t judge).
Had a great writing day yesterday. I went down to the local coffee shop (I say local; it was a Costa) and typed for around two hours. It’s amazing how a change of scene can inspire you and help you concentrate on the job at hand. I got around one thousand two hundred words down of my WIP, so I intend to smash that figure today. On a side note, I was sent an amazing audioplay by a very talented writer, Jessica Gilbert, last night. Definitely a name to look out for in the future, and I’m continually impressed by the resilience of my Canadian writer friend, Caroline Herbert. She’s writing her debut novel “The Things We Find in the Apocalypse” and it’s a corker. That’s all for now. And remember, keeeeeeep writing! Or reading, or both 😄
Hello again. I’ve not posted any updates for a while, but rest assured, I have been working hard. I’ve started writing my new novel, which is a cross between ‘The Time Machine’, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’, and possibly ‘Bridget Jones Diary’, although, having never read that last one, that description might not be entirely accurate. I’ll give you plot details in future posts, but for now, here’s the first draft of the prologue.
A Beginning of Sorts
Hi. I’m Rhys. Rhys Baker. It’s been a rough few months – or is it years? – it’s hard to tell with all the time travel in my system. Anyway, a few months back, or whatever – that’s when all my troubles started. Maybe your life’s been even worse – I can’t really see how – and my story will be a welcome distraction from your pain. If so, I’m glad to be of service. I think.
Sometimes, events are beyond our power. We like to believe that we ultimately have control over our fates, but, as my tragic tale will prove, control is as much an illusion as the belief that our pain lessens with the passing of time. In fact, although I couldn’t have known it at the, well, time; time is the very thing that caused all my pain in the first bloody place. I kind of did it all in the wrong order. Don’t worry; you’ll get what I mean, eventually.
I’ll start at what I thought was the beginning…
When it rains in this chaotic city, it pours, causing chaos and awe. The powerful rain transforms the city and its people into a symphony of water and emotions.
Birdbaths in her Palms
This is a great piece of prose from one of my latest followers. Enjoy!
JOHN D. PAYNE IS WRITING 