by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
I’ve pretty much figured out how to develop and write the rest of the first draft of the novel. The thing I was missing to date was an audience. Now that I’ve figured out how to “publish” chapters as I finish writing them, things should move a lot faster.
The reason is — I can’t go backwards. I have to accept that something is “real” in the novel’s universe because someone has seen it.
Things are going to get a little bit more difficult with Part 2 because it’s essentially the meat and bones of the first act. Right now, not a lot is going on in the novel in Part 1. I have to figure out how to spice it up some. I’m planning on going on a personal Writer’s Retreat this weekend and hopefully I will feel inspired by being alone with the novel for a few days. It’s worked in the past, so hopefully it will work again.
But, in general, things are moving fast.
I have a whole lot of reading to do. I really need to understand my characters better by reading up on subjects they would know about. That’s a lot of the backend stuff that is not as obvious on the page. It just takes time to actually read all this material.
I’ve been working on this novel for two years. It’s time to put up or shut up.
