Today's Writing

So here I am at the library, working on my “book.” I shouldn’t put that in quotation marks. It’s actually coming along these days. Ever so slowly. I write a page here, two pages there, add a sentence someplace else, or even just a clause to make a scene more real. I’m up to about 117 pages, typed, double spaced. How many words is that? How many words do you need before it’s officially a book? One of the things I worry about is that the first thirty or so pages might have to come out. Or be drastically edited. Does it matter if I write an extremely skinny book? Some of the books I see over at the middle school library are very skinny, not that many words on the page. Books that can easily be read in one sitting. As long as the story is compelling, or interesting, or funny, or relevant, and as long as it’s well-written, length doesn’t really matter, does it?

I was reading yesterday about Laura Amy Schlitz, who was just announced as the 2008 Newbery Medal winner. She completed her book in 2000 and sent it to eleven publishers. It was rejected by four of them before being picked up by Candlewick Press. Problems delayed publication for another six years! Meanwhile she published two other books and is at work on a third. I’m too impressed, and discouraged, for words.

Makes me wonder how long it will take to publish mine, assuming I complete it in a reasonable amount of time. Last year I said I’d have the first draft done by May. I wasn’t done. Then I didn’t work on it all summer. Too distracting with the kids home. Then I said I’d have the draft done by the end of the year. I worked on it intermittently all fall but is the first draft done? Umm…no. But it is progressing and for that I am happy. My new goal is to have a working copy, i.e. first draft and major edits done, by the end of June. I picked June because (1) it’s doable, given the progress I’ve made lately, and (2) I’m planning to attend week 3 at the Chautauqua Institution, which is devoted to writers and writing. Maybe I can learn something. Maybe I’ll meet someone who can guide me toward completing this project. Maybe that week will be the launching of my writing career, so I can tell people who ask that I’m a writer and have something to show for it. (I still hide behind “I’m a lawyer” in response to inquiries.)

And by the way, in case anyone is wondering, I’ve completed my work on the book for today, so I am not in any way procrastinating by posting this. So there.