authoring destruction

Committing to yWriter, I think. (http://www.spacejock.com/yWriter.html). The fact that it presents me immediately with 'viewpoint' as an important piece of information scene by scene makes me feel like it was designed just for me ("Marie, why is the first half of the novel primarily told in first person, from two perspectives while the second half of the novel is in third, and from about FOUR?" "I don't know, Logi-Brain, that's an excellent question and one I'll surely have to address eventually...").

Also, the dude seems to be pretty awesome; a novelist himself and committed to free software, etc.

Also, getting back into the swing of groceries and cooking. Making myself balanced, good, regular meals. Trying to get to bed early; still sleeping poorly. Interesting dreams. Last night's was very bizarre and a little scary.


Aaand... I had some stuff written about the dream but, then LJ crapped out on me and I think I'd rather wander off instead of type here. Although, no coffee yet and I had to shower cold, and I don't feel groggy or headachey. Not caffeine addicted after all?

I don't really have the first idea how to go about the next segment of work that needs to go into this thing. There are a lot of additions, like I said before, on top of the massive amounts of revision, editing, proofreading... I know this process is far more than one go-through, and I could be deeply entrenched in it for another few years, easily, before I 'm ready to send this manuscript off (which I intend to; I do intend to seek publication). And then it will get rejected and I'll do MORE work and on and on!

I do know, however, that I'm really excited about it. My writing has improved a lot in the year since I started the early parts of the novel... I kicked myself into high gear with that initial endeavor and have explored my abilities a lot. So, bringing the first 30k words or so into compliance with the rest of it will be fun. I like feeling as though I'm definitely improving something, which won't be hard to reach in terms of that stuff ;) I also need to start compiling some kind of an organized list or outline to account for what is written and to illustrate what is not, because there are things I need to add. Parts of it are skeletal because of lack of time, lack of focus, lack of knowledge... I need to do some concrete research into epidemiology, into the plagues of history (evolution and climate change for the sequel! Aren't you excited?!)

One person has read through the majority of the text (and will likely finish soon; he's a fiend!), and I'm extremely relieved to have a second pair of eyes taking in the story this early in the process. That means it's out of my head a little more and someone who hasn't been thinking about it nearly as much as I have can tell me how clear or unclear things are.

I'm printing the manuscript right now (hoping it finishes in time for me to make it to work in a timely manner). Yesterday, I bought a ream of paper and a dark red binder (and two brand new red pens). I'll find some dividers and a folder; I have a little hole-punch in there, too, so that I can keep track of scraps and notes that don't go onto the pre-punched paper. It's hard to describe how unbelievably gratifying it is to have this thing to work on. I have deeply and passionately wanted to accomplish this since I can remember. Even if it was just my primordial consciousness striving to emulate one of my parents (my father was about finishing his novel when I was a tadpole), it's lead to a lifelong pursuit that I've come to love very, very much.