Writing this story has a story. I have a hunch not the first connected to stories in this challenge this year.
So how did this one start? With a title, of course, as they all do. I went to my list of half titles from Original Science Fiction Magazine 1955-1960 and saw the half-title “The Song.” So I went to my list of half-titles from Ellery Queen Magazine 2000-2001 and saw the phrase ”of Memory” and knew I had my title. And, of course, I knew it had to be a jukebox story with that title.
It was 2:45 a.m. on Sunday morning the 16th of January, 2011. (Saturday night very late.)
I have known for years that at some point I had to write Stout’s story about leaving the Garden and selling the bar and jukebox to Richard Cone. (How Richard Cone came to the Garden Lounge and what happened to the Garden Lounge if he didn’t buy it has already been written and published in the story, “He Could Have Coped With Dragons.”) I just had never come up with a real reason Stout would sell the Garden. Or at least I hadn’t in my conscious mind. My subconscious had clearly been planting clues along the way in different stories.
Anyway, with no idea where I was going other than the idea that Stout was going to sell the Garden, I sat down and started typing. At 3:30 a.m. I had 3 pages done and I stopped, still not sure where I was heading. This was Sunday morning, remember.
Monday morning (Sunday night) I ended up not getting to the challenge because of other projects and I was tired, so went to bed around 4 instead. No pages. Now keep in mind that doesn’t mean I don’t write. In fact, I wrote a lot of words that day on different projects. But since I’m pretending for the sake of this challenge that I have a 60 hour-a-week day job (my other writing and activities), that way you all can see how this is done by carving out time.
Tuesday Morning (Monday night) I honestly just forgot about it and worked on other projects. Didn’t remember the challenge until the next day, actually.
Wednesday Morning (Tuesday night) I was just flat too tired to care. I had driven Kris to the Portland airport in a driving rain and then came back, about seven hours gone if you count stopping for lunch and dinner along the way there and back. And dark, driving rain and mountains are not a fun drive. So I worked on a few other things and gave up early on everything.
Thursday Morning (Wednesday night) I decided I had better get back to the challenge, so about 2:00 a.m. I went to my writing computer, opened the file, and finished the story in 14 pages by 4:30 a.m. Looked for a cover for about 15 minutes and couldn’t find anything I liked so went to bed.
Right now it’s about 1:30 a.m. and I’m about to put up the story on the electronic publishers and then here. The cover took me about a half hour to do and this stuff is taking a half hour to write these posts and put these up, and it will take about a half hour to launch the story on the three publishing sites.
This is story #5 in 21 days. About 4.2 days per story. At this pace I will finish about 87 stories. So I will need to make up a few along the way. Standard for me.
Hope you enjoy the jukebox story.
TOTAL HOURS SPENT (Including writing, publishing, and cover and putting it up here and writing this post) just over 5 hours spread over five days.
Started January 16th. Posted and published electronically early January 21st.
Word Count: About 4,900 words.
I think a challenge like this favors short story series. I’ve (1) got the characters (or theme) in mind and I’m (2) forcing myself to write a bunch of short stories all at once, it’s quite possible that a situation for 2 will match 1. Throw in a few one-shot stories, and all’s well.
I’m sitting on full outlines for story six and seven, but real life keeps throwing parties. The weekend is upon me, though, and nobody parties on the weekend.
I just have to say that these stories about the stories are VERY helpful. It;s good to get an idea of what it takes a pro to work his magic.
Probably the thing that strikes me is how much time this all takes. As you stated, you approaching this all as if you work 60 hours per week and then write ‘on the side’ as it were.
So here we have a 5000 word story (approx.) done in roughly 3.5 hours. That’s about 1400-1500 words per hour. I rounded some numbers, but that’s the general idea…
My point? All the whiners and criers that ‘have no time to write that wonderful novel’ are really over-thinking it all.
1400 words an hour is a pretty good pace, but I think Dean has mentioned more than once that he considers himself a fast writer by virtue of his effort, not necessarily that he physically writes fast. If he’s superhuman at 1400 words an hour, then I am too, because I average about that and i am not a 20+ year pro with bestsellers and a writing income (YET!!!) I might also suck at it, we’ll find out around March when I am done w/ my novel!
Anyway, 1400 words an hour 5 hours per week is 7000 words a week. 52 weeks a year last time I checked, so assuming a writer goes on vacation and/or gets sick a few times, even if you only worked 40 weeks per year on writing, that’s 280,000 words. So that’s either 3 novels a year or an installment in the Wheel of Time series
.
The point is, Dean, your insights are motivational. I know I get discouraged here and there when I feel like I’m just not fast enough or I miss a day or two because the kids have Christmas concerts or whatever. But this really does help.
I’ve laid down about 19,000 words since the 1st of the year and I have about a 50 hour a week job and 2 kids and Grad School to contend with. Did I work all 20 days since Jan 1st on my book? Hell no. But I am still averaging about 1000 words a day. Fast? Hardly? 4 book a year pace? Sure is!!
Thanks Dean!
Thank you for this. It’s always beneficial for me as an aspiring writer to see the experience behind the stories, it kind of helps me feel like I’m not totally alone. So thanks!
Sarah Allen
(my creative writing blog)
Great story, Dean. I’ve been wondering about this one for quite a while now. Glad to finally read it.
Yeah, that sounds like writing while working the day job. Thanks for posting these notes. Blogging does add a load to the job, but it does give people insight.
Haven’t read the story yet but for what it’s worth, amazing cover!
Great cover! It’s rather striking.
I completely agree that these “stories behind the stories” are just awesome. It’s made me see that there is NO EXCUSE for not doing it. In fact, I’m thinking about doing my own title challenge in February — just to see how it goes.
You should, Jeff. Great fun.