I worked on the novel all weekend.
And it was good.
All day Saturday we sat under the grape arbor. I wrote, David worked on a project for his herb class and Isabel hunted a packrat through the grape vines.
All day, she hunted this rat. At one point, it came crashing through the leaves, hit the ground and dashed over to the massive climbing hydrangea to hide. That was a dramatic moment though. For the most part, her project was as quiet as ours: lots of stalking. The occasional creeping over the vines and wires, pink jellybean toes wrapping for purchase.
She sat in the sun on the adobe wall for so long she had to retreat to our shade and lie there, panting.
And I’m nearly done. I think I have about 25 pages to go. It’s been slow-writing as I tie in each plot thread. Much like the beginning of the book, the ending has seemed to require that I immerse. I only wrote about 4,000 words over the weekend, but I was in it for hours all day Saturday and Sunday. When I started back in February, I did the same thing: low wordcount, lots of noodling.
I’m excited to see it come together like this, seeing moments from early in the story bear fruit.
I’ve decided on a working title: The Body Gift. The ending is confirming that choice, with all kinds of resonance. Of course, I don’t delude myself that the title will make it all the way through publication, but I’m happy with it for pitching and querying.
But now: to finish.
I love the sounds of your writing place under the grape arbor in NM. It sounds peaceful 🙂 And it sounds like we are at the same point in our novels, too, except this one is my first. The title of mine is what I'd hope will make it through to the end, but like you, I'm prepared to give it up.
Will you be pitching at conferences next year or from your computer, or both?
Both Madison! Though I do have an agent who wants to see it when I finish. Then RWA National is a few weeks away and I'm pitching there. Think good thoughts!
What a great way to spend the weekend. I went totally opposite. I didn't write one word, didn't even turn on the computer. Instead I read. I layed by the pool and in the pool and I read. Gave my mind a couple of days off from thinking and just enjoyed the written word by someone else.
It was great. Really looking forward to the day I can tell you I spent the day being lazy reading your written words!
Good Luck on the finish.
Ah, Kelly – that sounds so fabulous! I want to do that, too. I hope that day comes soon. Thanks for the good thoughts!
Sounds like you had a great, productive weekend. I wish I could write on the weekends, but I sometimes feel like I'm still in college mode (when college was *cough* years ago)…you know, work all week and slack off on the weekends?
I'm thinking good thoughts for you at Nationals. I think I'm going to avoid all agents/editors this time around and concentrate on not feeling lost 🙂
Thanks Danica – I suspect you'll have more fun with that approach! I never used to write on the weekends, but this felt very fun and natural, to do nothing but…
Jeffe, I love the title. Even without knowing what it's about, I'm intrigued and want to read it. 🙂
And don't you just love, love, love it when a story grabs your heart and soul and writing it becomes as natural as breathing?
Ooh thanks, Keena! I'm glad you give the title the thumbs up. Now I have like a zillion "loves" and only one eensy "no" *cough*KAK*cough.
I do love it, this feeling – one I'm not sure I've had before. I could seriously get into this author gig!