Nice writing day so far. I decided to go with non-bloody and no dead bodies, so am proceeding with that scene. I thought about it and saw that bodies and blood would throw the story off because it would make everything more dire and change the way the characters react and think. It's too early to have consequences that high and that real, because it will make everyone too cautious.

I am vaguely setting a writing goal, although it may not stick because I may have to get a second/third job (depending on how you count) pretty soon, which will leave zero time for writing. But if I do get to keep writing, I think I will shoot for having enough bits and pieces of this new beginning (which looks to run 10-15 chapters, and could be a third or more of the book; the entire structure is up in the air now) to go to local critique this summer. I haven't been able to do that because kids' school interferes, and anyway a critique group can't help much when you're rewriting stuff they've already heard ten million times. But school will be out in a few months, and a critique group is exactly the thing for taking chapters and reading them in order and getting them to make sense and not be boring. So my vague goal is to have enough of this new "beginning" to start putting it in order by late May. Fingers crossed that something* comes my way soon so I don't have to drop writing completely and can work toward this goal.

I wonder if this beginning could possibly be as much as half the book. Probably not. Still, I have no idea how the rest of the story is going to shake out once this part is done. I mean, I know what happens, but I expect to see what's important about what happens, and I expect to be cutting a lot and changing the entire focus of the story. I am currently inclined to hope that by then I will understand what the story is really about.


* People say that money can't buy happiness, but it sure the hell can. Here is proof: I am unhappy right now. Watch how happy I get the second I have any money. I'll be dancing in the g-d streets.