Book.

Regular stalkers will be aware that a few weeks back, I decided to write a fantasy novel for the online outfit. I came up with an idea, and a 30-point outline which I fleshed out. The outline now runs to about six A4 pages (it's handwritten with lots of crossing out, so I'm estimating here). I also have about 10,000 words written (most of which I will re-read in a month and then delete with a cry of horror, but still).

So. Uhhhh.... this novel-writing thing... how exactly do you go about it?


I mean, I have my outline, I'm 10,000+ words into my pile-o-shite first draft... and I'm sort of flapping about in the breeze. I feel like a five-year-old trying to steer a Harley. You sort of get writing, and it's chugging along fine, and then you read back everything you've done today in the context of everything you wrote on Tuesday, and the bits just don't match somehow. And you've spent 1000 words describing a tree or a table or a fish or summink, and then somewhere else you've had someone have their village destroyed by Dire Tapirs, find out they're the sole survivour of the F'Koop Clan and heir to their magic Stick O Doom ect, climb a big mountain, meet the party of rag-tag rebels who are going to Save The World At The Last Minute, and all that's happened in half a fucking page.

How do you write about climbing a mountain anyway? "There were rocks and they got cold and nearly fell off a couple of times. The end."

I suck.