Digital Diary – Goals

Primary goal: Complete draft three of The Waterclock Wars. The first thirty pages should be strong. The first chapter should be engaging and eventful; exposition should feel natural and appropriate, show versus tell. Compare beta comments—note where they struggled with the narrative and when they had questions. Then, reorder chapters … Continue Reading Digital Diary – Goals

Write drunk, edit sober

When The Waterclock Wars consisted of little more than an outline, a loose cast of characters, and scattered, half-baked ideas compiled into essays, I had a routine. I would race home after work, boot up my laptop, and pour a mixture I called ‘my poison’ into the largest cup I could find. It consisted of liquor … Continue Reading Write drunk, edit sober

Potassium

At the bar one afternoon, while working on the first draft of The Waterclock Wars, I was greeted by a gentleman who referred to himself as Lucky. His friend was eager to be off to their original destination, but Lucky had dedicated himself to drawing me away from my tablet. … Continue Reading Potassium