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06/21/2005: "The Light! I've Breached It!"

Yayayayayayayayay!!!! I did it. I got my word count--with 14 words to spare!!!!

Now I have to smooth everything out. The stuff I've added to the story has added emotional depth, and I LOVE the changes. However, it's all a little...lumpy. Needs a writerly steamroller.

I'm just SO excited to have gotten this far with these revisions. At first, I was a a bit overwhelmed. After all the cutting, I realized I needed over almost 5K words to make the MINIMUM word count suggested by the editor, 59K. It was difficult. 5K fresh words on an unfinished ms. isn't a problem for me. 5K words on a finished, polished story is a little different. Each scene is so tied in with the one before and after it, that inserting new scenes was impossible. I was mostly left with expanding existing scenes. Though I did manage to create one brand new scene that was a continuation of the one preceeding it.

But now I've topped the 59K summit and am on my way back down. I'm pretty sure that I'll add another 200 or so words as I go through and smooth and polish, and that's even better.

Hoping to get this puppy out on Friday. Monday at the latest.

And let me just send a shout-out to Steph, who has read Snowbound about a thousand times to find places where I could add words, and who still volunteers to read it more (can you say "glutton for punishment?") And her suggestions were brilliant. She'll be published soon. You watch.

Replies: 18 brave souls responded

on Tuesday, June 21st, Emily said

Congrats on heading towards the finsih line!

on Tuesday, June 21st, Joely said

YAY!! Super work, Larissa! This is so cool--we're going to hear awesome news on this blog very soon, I think.

on Tuesday, June 21st, Steph T. said

Brilliant? Obviously, you've run out of coffee again, haven't you?

I had FUN!! It's such a great story - hurry and smooth it so we can hear good news soon!!

on Tuesday, June 21st, Larissa said

Thanks, Emily! I can see the finish line ahead!

Joely, I hope you're right!

Steph, I have plenty of coffee. You ARE brilliant! (Or you fake it well...)

on Tuesday, June 21st, Charlene said

*flings confetti in the air* Hurrah, you're almost there! The smoothing out is the easy part. Downhill all the way!

on Tuesday, June 21st, Silma said

You go, girl! You go, girl! *does the Ren & Stimpy happy-joy dance with you* Now treat yourself to something nice as a reward. Ice cream, chocolate... you name it.

on Tuesday, June 21st, Emma said

*high five* Way to go! And yes, hurry! The *thisclose* club is getting kind of sick of your militant vegetarianism. We want you gone.

on Tuesday, June 21st, Larissa said

*sneezes at the confetti in the nose* Thanks, Charlene!

Silma, does beer count as a reward? A case, maybe?

SUBTLE militant vegetarianism, Emma. SUBTLE!!!!!

on Tuesday, June 21st, Jill said

Oh I'm so glad! Can't wait to see you've gotten The Call.

on Tuesday, June 21st, Danica said

yay!! Congrats! You know, you're making me want to hurry up and get some stuff done. I'm sorta getting sick of being here in the chicken club.

on Tuesday, June 21st, Michelle said

All right! Party in Larissa's blog! Woo hoo!

KNEW you could do this. Fingers crossed for a sale!

on Tuesday, June 21st, Shesawriter said

Congrats, congrats, congrats! Don't you feel liberated? Good job!

Tanya

on Wednesday, June 22nd, Carolyn Louaillier said

Congrats on hitting the downslope -- I know that's great feeling!

on Wednesday, June 22nd, Cheyenne McCray said

Yay, Larissa! Congrats on your word count and figuring out how to get that puppy where it needed to be. Hugs!

on Wednesday, June 22nd, Lynn Daniels said

*showering Larissa with cyber-chocolate confetti* WTG!

on Wednesday, June 22nd, Beth C said

Thanks for sharing your process, Larissa. You must feel like a million bucks right now. You did it!!! Congrats!

on Thursday, June 23rd, Sasha said

Way to go, Larissa!!

on Thursday, June 23rd, Larissa said

Thanks, guys! I'm now 300 words over, which is awesome! But I still have a lot of work left. Just wanna get this puppy done and sent off!