Wednesday, September 30, 2009

W.I.P. Wednesday (it's this great new game I'm playing)

First off, to my writer buddies who don't already participate in WIP Wednesday -- you better jump on in. Cuz it's a really cool idea.

In fact, it's so cool, that if your eyeballs beheld any part of the previous two sentences, you might as well consider yourself tagged, cuz you are now officially playing.

I first noticed Matt Betts and Mercedes Yardley doing it, so I asked about it, and they directed me here, which is where a nice lady named Kate Karyus Quinn blogs, and hosts the thing and has this link about WIP Wednesday. Click that last one to learn the deal and get the cool graphic.

So... here's what's up with my 'work in progress':

I mentioned a couple posts back about how I've been writing fifteen to seventeen pages a day, and for the most part, I've been able to sustain that momentum. About four days a week anyway. Sometimes I can't avoid falling asleep -- sometimes for the better part of the day. And then I have to go and do actual work until midnight. (But at least it translates into actual cash money.)

Anyway. Strangely enough, I don't think I've ever mentioned this particular project on my blog before. It's called 'Talonshale', it's about the distant future of gaming, and what role-playing games would be like with almost unlimited technology. No, I haven't seen 'Gamer', but to tell you the truth, it offends me that they've made a movie out of my idea so quickly this time. Luckily mine's also a murder mystery -- a murder mystery for teenage dudes.

Who did it? Was it a hacker? Was it a computer glitch? Was it another player trying to make it look a glitch? There's only one way to find out, my friends -- wait another couple weeks and volunteer to be a beta reader.

Cuz yeah, my plan is for Talonshale to wind up around 65 - 70k words. Right now I'm at 50, and I'm thinking of setting the goal of finishing the first draft by next Friday. What do you think -- can I do it?

For those people who've been asking about Fiersom's Brood, I've got some bad news. Submissions are drawing to a close. Which I can only assume means no acquisitions editors are teenage dudes. This, in turn, means that my agent will be looking for my next project in the very near future, and my hope is that Talonshale blows him away.

...and then subsequently blows away the grown up editors, and grown up publishers, and ultimately -- teenage-dudes that still like to read.

15 comments:

K. M. Walton said...

I volunteer to be a beta reader. Fo'shizzle.

It might be bad news week because I just blogged about some stupid bad stuff too. Bad news sucks rotten eggs.

Kate Karyus Quinn said...

Hey, welcome to WIP Wednesday! Wow, I have to say I am impressed - like mouth hanging open, eyes popping out - at the amount of pages you write in one day. I'm am also just a little bit jealous, but I'm trying to keep that aspect under control;)

Thanks for the comment and feel free to follow, blogroll, and simply proclaim the awesomeness of WIP Wednesday as much as you want!

Mary O. Paddock said...

Consider me included. Thanks for the info. What a totally cool way to update people without wondering if you've gone on too long about your writing.

'Sorry to hear about "Fiersom's Brood". That totally sucks. Are you going to shelve it or what?

Debra Lynn Shelton said...

15-17 pages a day? Geez, I'm writing 7-10 and feel like I'm on fire. If I was writing 15-17 a day I'd have to call the fire department! So sorry to hear about Fiersom's Brood, but I have a feeling this new one may be your ticket to the big time. Let me know how quickly you'd need the ms read by. If I can work out my schedule, I'd love to read for you. You rock, Mr. Veen.

Paul Michael Murphy said...

I also volunteer to read.

Cate Gardner said...

You'll easily make your goal - congrats.

Unknown said...

Your idea sounds awesome! I can't wait to read it in print and from the sounds of it, that won't be too long in coming! :)

Kelly Polark said...

Wow! Amazing progress, V! Good luck! The story sounds very cool.

J.R. Johansson said...

I'd love to be a beta reader :) and also... who is your agent? I feel out of the loop all of a sudden. I think I missed something.

Bryan B. said...

Am I still allowed to comment here?


;)


Dude, this cracked me up:

it offends me that they've made a movie out of my idea so quickly this time

Anita said...

I KNOW you can have the first draft done by next Friday...I've been visiting this blog a long time, and I get the impression you can do whatever the heck you set your mind to...and you've got such amazing (and beautiful!) support in the form of your wife. You're going to rock those book shelves eventually.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, on a good day I write a paragraph. Or if I'm drinking, two paragraphs.

But I will beta read for you.

Ray Veen said...

KM -- Crazy about you falling down a rabbit hole. I'm assuming you were completely sober...

Kate -- Thanks for creating WIP Wednesday, it's a really cool thing. Looks like a couple of my buds seem to have taken an interest too.

Mary -- Yeah, it's shelved. Which sucks because I had a decent start on the sequel.

Debra -- Anybody can write fifteen pages a day if they're willing to let some of it be complete crap -- the art is in the editing. Thanks for the offer to read. I'll get back to you on that.

Paul -- And I also thank you for the offer to read. I haven't given that stage any serious thought, yet, so I'll let you know if I decide to take you up on that exceptionally generous offer.

Cate -- Thanks for the encouragement, and thanks for checking me out. I'm gonna return the favor in about two minutes here.

Nisa -- Not to be lame, but I'm gonna say the exact same thing to you that I said to Cate. Because I mean it -- thanks for the encouragement, and thanks for checking me out. I'm gonna return the favor in about two minutes. Well, one and a half now.


Kelly -- Thanks, buddy. Did I mention that it's composed entirely of cinquains?

Jenn -- My agent is Ethan Ellenberg. He's repped me for about a year now but like my post says, no sale so far. Feel free to email me anytime you want to ask anything about being agented or anything.

Bryan -- You can comment as long as you don't announce any new full requests. I'm going to check out your new blog in a couple minutes. (It better be funny)

Anita -- That may be the nicest thing anybody has ever said to me on my blog. Thanks you so much for that. Now I feel even worse about not being able to leave comments on your blog half the time.

Ben! -- Good thing I typed my password wrong, otherwise I wouldn't have seen your comment, and you totally deserve a response. So here it is:

'Thanks, man.'

HUBBYMAN said...

TALONSHALE, HUH? I JUST CHECKED MY "WORD" FOLDERS & THERE'S ONE THERE NAMED "TALON" WHICH HAS 4 DOCUMENTS IN IT. oNE OF THOSE IS ALSO NAMED "TALON." HMMM....THERE'S ALSO A FOLDER NAMED "RAY'S STUFF." MAYBE i CAN GET A PREVIEW HERE... (BG)

Ray Veen said...
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