I've done some of the character write up stuff. I don't think I've done a great job with it though. But I'm not done and that's what revision is for.

the part about the pirate ship

Good touch!

I'm still chipping away at 43, but I'm at the point where I'm looking for an ending of the chapter. A new complication has been sprung and now for another unexpected reunion that will span the end of 43 and the beginning of 44. I think I can still bring this thing in under 130k but it won't be easy.

I really do love the idea of running off adventuring on a pirate ship. So much more interesting than my daily routine, I bet. Do you think anyone will find me if I'm hiding out along the edges of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?

Announcement: Deena rocks!

You guys knew that already, right?

It looks like 43 is about in the bag, and I'm moving into 44. I had some trouble figuring out the reaction of a couple of characters bumping into each other, but I think I might have it okay now. There's some tricky stuff to figure out in these next few chapters. Curse you Rainier, who wasn't in the rough draft, you've make this part more complicated.

I'm still hoping that if I can bring this draft in at 130k that general tightening, cutting some of the opening, and cutting out an unnecessary fight will bring me down to a good level. Maybe I'll have to cut Rainier and his POV too.

Either that or see if I can work the plot into two satisfying stories instead of one. Though I think the act of having to cut it down, will make it better. I'll need to be smart about details and characters though.

I had a book concept I've been kicking around, but last night I had a dream that gave me an idea that makes it really come together. I'm making some notes, but that will have to wait until I'm done with this project. I think it could be good though.

Feeling better, after having been low energy and sick for weeks. 3,000 words written today. (I'm contributing a chapter in a university textbook.) Part of this is just a burst of energy after having been unable to write anything significant for weeks.

That's a lot of production there. Glad to hear you're getting better.

I'm in the midst of 44, I need to do some minor fixing of 43 still. 44 is sort of bogging me down, it's a complicated situation character-wise. The end of this revision is slowly starting to come into sight.

I'm done with 44 and 43 now save for a few minor corrections. Onward to 45, there is a lot of total rewriting until the last couple of chapters now. Slowness will ensue. This area had been a lull in the plot so I need to cut back some of it. There are essentially four things I need to have happen and I want to paste them together will little excess.

I think I can land this revision at 130k. Surely there must be another 10k that can be removed from tightening and my planned cuts. I'd also like to work in a few more details so I'm hoping to cut 15 - 20k and put about 5k back in just fleshing out descriptions and characters.

44 - 99.5
45 - 102 - 1/2 Way
46 - 104.5 - IC
47 - 107 - S
48 - 110 - Esc
49,50,51 - 119 - Return
52 - 121.5 - D
53 - 123 - AB
54 - 125.5 - Con 1
55 - 128 - Con 2
Epi - 129

Well, 43 and 44 are done and I'm on 45. There's a lot to cut from the rough draft which pretty much means rewriting everything.