So the second big project for 2005 is the novel. I figure this is my year to take on the big stuff that I’ve stayed away from. With the novel I plan on taking my time. I’ve got other projects on the burner, and the novel is in the back, but right now, it feels good to finally start getting this story out. Maybe I’ll put some of it up here. Who knows.
I've had the concept for this book for the last two years. But the thought of actually sitting down and trying to write it has been too big for me to even think of. But then, someone pissed me off. This novelist I met was aloof, when we were talking I said "Three novels! Impressive. I don't know if I could write one."
"Well, we all have our talents..." He said it in the most, I am-better-then-you tone. What?!? Please, I was just trying to be nice and break the ice. He read some of his work for the High School students at the event we were at, and I swear I caught several of them dozing off. Then I got up and gave a solid performance. No, this guy is just the fuel i need. internalizing it this way makes writing the book like a slam. And when I comes to the slam, I win, cause that's what I do.
At least that's how I felt before I started working on the first chapter. I thought, hey, I'll kick this books ass! But I'm half-way through the first chapter thinking, "What the hell was I thinking." This is my third novel attempt. The first one I wrote thirty-nine bad chapters. I started working on it in 1996. Good concepts, horrible execution. The second novel I stated work on was in 1999, again good concepts, and less horrible writing, but still bad. Since then I worked primarily on short stories when I came to prose writing. I've got a mini collection. All of which I like some more then others. I felt like i needed to really work the whole short form to understand the long form better. Not sure if I understand either one, but I feel good about where I'm at. So I'm working on the new novel and unlike anything else I've ever written it's coming slowly. I'm loving what's coming, but the pace of it is making me think it will take years to write this piece. Especially with all I have on the plate. But screw it, "We all have our talents." Well this will be one of mine.
