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Wordcount 11/11
Nov. 13th, 2021 01:45 pmNovel #4: 30k / 40k words total (?)
I hit 30k! Woohoo!!
I also just recently figured out the motive for the murder. Yep, it took me almost 30k words to decide on that part, lol. With that in mind, I've gone back and re-outlined the investigation, and I think I know all the major twists now. What's left is to figure out how to write my main character's investigation scenes and feed the information in an interesting way.
I think I mentioned before that this is the first novel I've written with a primary mystery plot, which means I'm developing a new writing process as I go along. For my previous books with a mystery subplot, I didn't care as much because I felt like the mystery was supporting the romance primary plot, so I wasn't as concerned about making sure the mystery was surprising and engrossing (at least, that's how I thought at the time; now, I'd think differently). But since this story has a primary mystery plot, I need to make sure it works, and works well.
But regarding process, outlining is a very odd thing for me. In the past, I've outlined my books after I've already come up with the key scenes and just need to figure out the connective tissue. Outlining before I have scenes in mind is...strange. When I look at my clinical notes telling myself that I need to come up a scene that will accomplish X, it's hard for me to feel excited.
But that's a necessary part of mystery writing, I guess.
And one thing I'm still trying to figure out is how to write investigation scenes that feel interesting, not just "protagonist talks to a succession of people like checking off a to-do list because they need to learn X information".
Onward, I guess.
I hit 30k! Woohoo!!
I also just recently figured out the motive for the murder. Yep, it took me almost 30k words to decide on that part, lol. With that in mind, I've gone back and re-outlined the investigation, and I think I know all the major twists now. What's left is to figure out how to write my main character's investigation scenes and feed the information in an interesting way.
I think I mentioned before that this is the first novel I've written with a primary mystery plot, which means I'm developing a new writing process as I go along. For my previous books with a mystery subplot, I didn't care as much because I felt like the mystery was supporting the romance primary plot, so I wasn't as concerned about making sure the mystery was surprising and engrossing (at least, that's how I thought at the time; now, I'd think differently). But since this story has a primary mystery plot, I need to make sure it works, and works well.
But regarding process, outlining is a very odd thing for me. In the past, I've outlined my books after I've already come up with the key scenes and just need to figure out the connective tissue. Outlining before I have scenes in mind is...strange. When I look at my clinical notes telling myself that I need to come up a scene that will accomplish X, it's hard for me to feel excited.
But that's a necessary part of mystery writing, I guess.
And one thing I'm still trying to figure out is how to write investigation scenes that feel interesting, not just "protagonist talks to a succession of people like checking off a to-do list because they need to learn X information".
Onward, I guess.
