Category Archives: Writing & Editing

“Restore India’s land mass dignity and independence!”

Nov. 30, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 1,698 words
• Total so far: 52,591 words
• Remaining: 0 words

Woo-hoo! NaNoWriMo 2011 is done, and I survived!

The last story has a lot of promise. A crazy, world-shaking proposition, a preposterous yet believable land claim, and a man with an unbendable will who lives to make his dream happen. And a certain stout-swigging hero.

For this knock-up of the story, I focused on dialogue and basic story framing. There are more facts to work in, more threads connecting different bits of the story, things to clarify to show how big the story stakes really are.

But it’s a start. That’s been the thing for this entire project. I knew I wouldn’t finish NaNoWriMo 2011 with a publishing-ready manuscript (also see: 7 tips to shape up your 50,000 words after NaNoWriMo – #Amwriting). I knew my stories would be skeletal at best. But, in some form or another, they’re written. Characters are developed. Locations are set. Plot elements are working—including many I couldn’t have figured out in any way other than just sitting down and writing.

There’s a lot of work ahead, to make these stories the best I believe they can be. But NaNoWriMo has been a great start.

And now, for now, it’s time to call it done.

Here’s to NaNoWriMo 2011, all 52,591 words of if!

Stay tuned… coming in 2012, the published version of these stories, plus, my first novel. Get updates on these projects…

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »

“Some say all the world can fit into a backpack”

Nov. 29, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 1,737 words
• Total so far: 50,893 words
• Remaining: 0 words

One to go.

Today’s story, the next to last in my 2011 NaNoWriMo project, brings together two of the most essential characters in my wee travel fantasy universe. Over a few pints of stout, they discuss the world, a bit of “what’s it all for, then?” and also give us insight into their characters.

For the moment, it’s a bit of a character piece, with discussion giving us more glimpses into who these two men are, what motivates them, what they hope for, what they despair of. In the back of my head as I wrote, I thought of Doctor Who: The End of Time, a bit of a character piece on The Doctor and some of his history and drive.

There’s good interaction and some fun dialogue. During rewrite, I’ll be able to dig out the core of the story, and expand on that.

Oh yeah. I’ve also crossed the finish line today! 50,000 words written, with one day to go (and with a couple of days off, to boot). It’s been a lot of fun, but it’s not done yet.

There’s still one more story to crank out, and that rough draft will get laid down tomorrow, the last day of NaNoWriMo 2011.

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »

“Sexiest bartender in Bangkok!”

Nov. 28, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 2,553 words
• Total so far: 49,156 words
• Remaining: 844 words

Two to go.

For my last 3 stories in this year’s NaNoWriMo project, I’m going to draft one a day, regardless of length. Today’s story is a simple boy-meets-girl. But boy, and perhaps girl, are far more than they first realize. Set in Bangkok, the exotic becomes the familiar. The complex becomes a simple choice that is nonetheless very hard to make.

The draft is hastily written poo on a page. But it’s a start. Though I will say that it’s fun to work in more of the same-name-but-different-people characters who are part of a big story element. There’s some challenge in clearly differentiating them, but it’s good fun. And creating new female characters especially is fun. There’s nothing like writing strong, smart kick-ass women.

Two stories to go. Tomorrow’s story I’m hoping to frame in a backpackers-go-philosophizing (and drinking) sort of way. A bit silly. A bit profound. With a helluvan ending.

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »

“…”

Nov. 26-27, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 0 words
• Total so far: 46,603 words
• Remaining: 3,397 words

We are on a Thanksgiving weekend retreat, so I decided to take yesterday and today off NaNoWriMo.

Instead, I’ve been doing some rough outlining for my remaining 3 stories, to be drafted during the last days of November. This is exciting. I hardly know what I’m doing; one story in particular is being difficult.

But they have outlines, and they’ll be written. Starting Monday and ending Wednesday. The last 3 stories of my 10-story short collection will be roughly yet crappily drafted, vengeance, romance, philosophizing and all. I’ll have something to work with. And the fun can go on.

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »

“The only thing China and Chicago have in common, is they start with the same first three letters.”

Nov. 25, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 820 words
• Total so far: 46,603 words
• Remaining: 3,397 words

Almost there.

Taking a short day today, to finish up a story and prep for the next one.

3 more stories to go, and this latest one has been a lot of fun. A new character took both my character and the story in a direction I hadn’t entirely anticipated. What I liked the most is this character taking a central plot element and bringing it full circle.

This character’s name is Jia, and her name is Chinese, meaning “outstanding person, or good.” She’s lively in her own way, and she’s unexpected in many ways. I’m really hoping this story isn’t the last I see of her… but we’ll see.

3 more stories to go. New directions to check out. And a finish line to get to. 50,000 words, here I come!

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »

“Whether you can stand to admit it to yourself or not, some part of you wanted to come”

Nov. 24, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 3,152 words
• Total so far: 45,783 words
• Remaining: 4,217 words

Such a big world, to try to put into a story.

Today, here’s a wee excerpt. To those celebrating Thanksgiving, may it be a wonderful day for you.

“They didn’t strap you in chains and tie you to an airplane seat,” Jia said. “You chose to come. You didn’t step aside and give the job to someone else. You didn’t resign. You came, from Chicago to China, scared and unsure. But you came. Whether you can stand to admit it to yourself or not, some part of you wanted to come, and that part of you rang through. And now here you are. If that’s what you could do unwillingly, half-unconsciously, just think what you could do if it’s what you really really wanted to do. And besides, Feckniss, I’ve never traveled either. We’d learn together.”

“Look, we don’t know where this would go,” he said.

“We never do. Not with travel. Not with love. Not with anything. We just do, and the path goes on with us, and we make the path we take. We never know how anything will turn out, not truly. We just do, and we just are. The rest is seeing what happens next.”

“I don’t know…”

“I don’t expect you to, right this second.” She took his hand. “You know, you feckin American, you Feckniss you, you really piss me off sometimes.” Jia smiled. “But I like you, Feckniss. I’m not saying forever the road. I’m not saying forever us. But I’m saying… I’m saying we owe it to ourselves to see what happens.”

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »

“…”

Nov. 23, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 0 words
• Total so far: 42,631 words
• Remaining: 7,369 words

Holy crap.

It’s about 10:30 p.m., and we just returned from the longest Portland day trip of my life. Usually this trip is easy, but today being the day before Thanksgiving, plus add some rainy weather, there were tons of traffic and accident delays.

I’ve had NaNoWriMo on the brain, but no words to pen today. Will make up today’s shortfall tomorrow before turkey time, while corn pudding is in the oven.

Going to be a good time, both Thanksgiving and the writing. I’ve got a relationship to build and possibly tear asunder—in the story, that is, not real life. And then we’ll see…

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »

“Feckness thunked his head on the mirror, his eyes closed. His reflection glared back at him, and shook his head.”

Nov. 22, 2011
NaNoWriMo status and progress for writing a 50,000-word novel in one month:

• Written today: 1,862 words
• Total so far: 42,631 words
• Remaining: 7,369 words

Feckniss

Back before I left my job, one day in a meeting I came up with an idea for a character. He never wanted to go anywhere or do anything. Travel was about as far from his mind as chartered accountancy would be from a hippy’s. He just wanted to be a worker bee, never growing, never changing, never doing.

And then… and then the story happened.

Suddenly, fearful Feckniss, of two minds all the time about everything, is thrust into a different land. He hates it. He hates everything, especially change.

Until he meets her. Now Feckniss has to face his fears—including a man in the mirror he really, really doesn’t get along with.

See all of Anthony St. Clair’s NaNoWriMo 2011 blog posts »