Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, Northern Ireland
A book I'm working on is set in this town.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

I am not a day person...

I spent much of Saturday and Sunday working myself up to digging into "...Owen Taylor", and got started writing between 8 and 9 pm both days. I could easily keep writing past midnight...which I did Saturday, but it's not feasible Sunday because I have to go to work, the next morning.

Even on my early days, I don't really start writing till after 4pm. I'm just not ready till then. At least, that's how I see it, right now.

I did get myself going a bit earlier today by digging into the story to make some changes to the beginning chapters. One problem with writing from the hip with my characters is the inconsistencies that show up. And how later in the story things that happen can't work within the timeframe allowed or with the location as I've described it earlier.

One thing that popped up, for example, was the situation regarding Lemm and his brother, Tiago. Both worked on the grounds of the condo-complex Owen lived in. The property is handled by Dion's management company, which is registered in California as a business. And Owen is politically active.

Initially, I had Tiago and Lemm being illegal, having snuck into the US from Chile. I can't have that. It's stupid. Dion's company would get hit hard by Immigration and the fact that Owen has illegal immigrants working on his grounds would be attack fodder. So I had to change that, come up with another way.

It also worked better for Playa Royale, the name of the complex Owen lives in, to have 18 units instead of 10. And I found a point where Jake's awareness of how his uncle made a living did not maintain consistency.

But...that's what this whole fight is about -- making the story solid and workable. And I now have close to 82,000 words set down...372 pages...with probably a good 20,000, left to add. Maybe 25,000. Won't know till I'm done.

And I'm sorry Jake, but I'm ready to be done.

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