Blog No. 361
I bought a game. I know I shouldn’t have, but I was out and about on Sunday and stopped at the store. It was a game I’d been wanting (the first on was quite good) and it was on sale. I spent several hours that night getting used to the new controls (why do game makers do that, anyway? The first game was just fine. Now I have to forget the way it was and learn something new). It was a fun evening of wasted time that capped off my week and a half (and a bit) of sloth after the writing sprint. I was going to finish a short story, but I only had one writing session for it. I’m probably half way there (or more) so I’ll keep picking away at it, but it’s time to face the dreaded edits.
Monday was a write off due to elections and boxing (I’m too tired after working out to do anything productive). I spent the time at the day job picking away at the review I was supposed to have finished a while ago, but even that was stilted due to the flow of people coming to vote (and mostly the poll clerks bothering me because they were bored). I did manage to get out Wednesday and start those terrifying edits. I just did the first two chapters and spent some time on the review. I don’t want the second draft to take too long, but I wanted to ease myself into the water—make sure I gave myself enough time to be properly harsh. I’ve said it before, I’m a butcher with edits. I cut a lot more than I add and with this story, I think cutting is going to be my friend. I had initially planned on it being somewhere between 30 000 and 35 000 words, expecting that I’d go over a bit and cut it down some. The first draft topped out at over 45 000, though (just more than Neon).
I doubt I’ll manage to get it anywhere near 35 000, but I’m betting that I can get it pretty close to 40 000. I hope to get the review and the short finished in the next week or two. Starting in November, I have to figure out how to write comics. The illustrious Glen Hawkes, creator of The Misadventures of the Bowling Ball and graphic artist extraordinaire, did the cover for Broadcast Wasteland (he’s actually waiting on me to finish). In trade for his amazing work (I can’t wait to show it) I’m going to help him write some of his upcoming issues of Bowling Ball. I hope I can do it justice, he does a great job if it on his own. Mostly, I plan on writing an issue, then going over it with him so he can adjust it to his liking and point me in the right direction for future issues. It’s exciting and a bit nerve-racking. (When you see the cover you’ll also see how I got the better end of that bargain).
There are a couple other short stories that I’ve started for various reasons over the last few years that I’d like to finish up, but with the review, the comic, the edits, and the novel still waiting patiently in the background, I don’t know when I’ll manage. Maybe I’ll try to make those my at the day job project. I can’t always get work done at work, but it’s nice to have something already planned when I can. There are three events scheduled for the rest of the year. The Biblioasis Reading is on the 30th (I still have to find a reading to do). The last ChiSeries of the year is on November 13th at Meteor, and I’ve been invited to an author signing in Tecumseh on November 23rd. Not a lot, but enough to shake things up. It’ll be another dash to the end of the year. Here we go!
Ben Van Dongen 