Burning That Candle

Beezel Candle
Originally uploaded by Rozanne.

This is the candle I burn every time I sit down to work on my NaNoWriMo novel (or I should say NonNaNoWriMo novel, since I’m not quite abiding by the official rules). The postcoital droop of the candle could be a metaphor for how today’s writing session (something like five or six hours long) went. I understand now why so many promising novels fizzle disappointingly at the end. I’d much rather just write a series of amusing (to me anyway) vignettes, than devise a carefully crafted plot. But when I got to the mid-30,000s, I realized I’d better buckle down because nothing much was happening! Yow!

I can’t say I’m really enjoying this latter part of the novel. It seems contrived and predictable, but I’m determined to finish it, so I’ll just keep plowing forward and then see what I think when the dust clears. It’s probably not helping that I decided to re-read Brideshead Revisited* after writing this post. I am just blown away by Evelyn Waugh’s virtuosic characterization and dialogue—and his seamless exposition. If I had time I’d reproduce some of it here, but B and I are off to see The 40-Year-Old Virgin at one of the pizza-and-beer movie theaters. We are both in need of some lowbrow entertainment.

Word Count as of this very moment: 45,328 words. Need 50,000 by Midnight November 30.

*Actually, I’m not reading it really. I’m listening to Jeremy Irons read it to me while I do other stuff like put laundry away. It's nice to have Jeremy Irons at my beck and call, I must say. Time—I don’t have enough of it!