Writing Marathon has drawn to a close - I netted about 35,000 words. (Yea!) I also gained greater understanding of my writing process, which has settled into a normal arc:
Step Zero, two months: Recover from past project, thinking great thoughts, outlining the new project, playing in your mind with characters and plots and the fun of creation.
Step One, one month: Wow! This project is fun! These characters are great! This world is wonderful! Why didn't I think of this before? I love, love, love writing this project, and I hope it is hugely successful, so that I can keep playing with this shiny new toy forever. (Net gain: 15,000 words)
Step Two, three and a half months: Steady writing, at least when the day-job and the calendar permit. Keep moving forward. Keep working. Remember the flush of creation. (Net gain: 15,000 words)
Step Three, one week: Real world has interfered; time for a Writing Marathon. Write! Write! Write! Create! Create! Create! Caffeine and chocolate are your friends! This is tough, but worth it. This is work, but worth it. (Net gain: 30,000 words)
Step Four, one dark night: Wait. This isn't really coming together. I've written myself notes at the tops of chapters, reminding myself where the current story diverges from what I drafted. This sucks. This is the worst thing I've ever written. This can't be. This will never pull together. My characters are flat. My plot is nonexistent. Why did I accept an advance? What the hell am I doing? (Net gain: 5000 very bad words)
Step Five, part of the same week in Step Three: Time to tear things apart. Go back into those early chapters. Write the bits that have been left as reminders at the tops of chapters, the new characterizations, the divergent plot points. Add a subplot or two. Break down the existing 65,000 words and find the 40K or so that are keepers. Unceremoniously trash the rest, re-writing as you go. (Net gain: 0 words)
Step Six, one month: Whew. That was hard. That was really, really hard. But now we're back on track. Now everything is lined up toward the climax. Now everything knows where it's supposed to go, what it's supposed to do. Write, steadily, even when the day-job and the calendar don't think they'll permit. (Net gain: 30,000 words)
Step Seven, one weekend: Re-read from page one to page the end. Realize that the Step Five Crisis of Faith saved the day. Tweak a few things here, smooth a few things there. (Net gain: 5000 words)
Step Eight, five minutes, with finger poised over "Send button": Send to editor, copy to agent. Start next project.
During the past week, I covered Steps Three, Four, and Five. Step Six looks like the Promised Land from this vantage point... For those of you who write, what variations do you have on these steps?
Mindy, looking for smooth sailing from here on out