Since the new job began, so too has a new routine. Writing comes first ( immediately after the hygiene and dressing essentials ), and runs from 6:00 AM to about 7:45. Then, it’s work. Once the holidays wrap up, the writing can start at 5:30 AM. With the late night shopping and holiday traffic, turning in early enough for that wake up call is difficult. Once the nights are free again, another hour or so opens up in the evening for writing.

I do like the job, though, as the work is task-driven. That is, the focus is on communicating open issues, rather than obsessing on how something was done. Whether an item is open is far more important to the boss.

Through the office window is a great views of the woods and old, wood frame buildings. Right now the students are on break, so it’s quiet on campus, save for a few instructors wandering the grounds.

Met with The Eight readers ( numbers four and five ) last night and into the early morning about the book. Since one of the two is a die hard mystery fan, this went very well. They definitely got on board with my vision.

I can’t say enough how valuable it is to vet feedback from one reader off another and get real time comments. Stephen King makes a good case for a reader group for all his drafts. Having tried it, I’m sold on this technique; the more eyes, the better. Their contributions can not be overlooked.

For instance, a key character owned a pet with a specific personality, and one reader made a point that the character had no business owning an animal, much less a high strung one. Not only did the pet conflict with their character, the critter added zero to the story. Alas, the the pet was slated for file 13 – the trash.

When I mentioned this cut to the couple last night, they suggested assigning the same pet to another character and renaming it, plus a way for the animal to contribute texture. All made possible by various iterations of feedback.

Who loves The Eight, baby?

Broke the 7,000 word mark on A Time For Dying, which suggests the concept might be one larger than a short story. I could be wrong about that, however; the coming weeks will reveal more. If the manuscript reaches 15,000 words, and feels like the characters want more, then perhaps it is the stuff of a book. Ultimately, I’ll let the story dictate the form.

Could see working on this while implementing The Eight’s recommendations to the novel, so at worst, it’s a nice side project. Some distractions are good. 😉

The hard work of The Eight continues. Considering everyone is an unpaid volunteer, I’m impressed by their diligence and efforts. While the proposed November 23, 2005 deadline struck me as a nice concept, given holiday preparations, illnesses, and traffic, I never expected most readers to hit that date. One did, and several others came in a few days later. Five to seven weeks is a far more realistic turnaround time.

Next time around, I’ll pick a date seven weeks from the initial distribution, and one not during a holiday season. This will be with the understanding that some might need an extension. Eight weeks for The Eight – a catchphrase I can love.

This Friday, I’ll meet with members four and five for feedback review. The following week, I have a tentative session – pending work schedules – scheduled with number six.

Number Seven is a major wild card. Honestly, not sure when they will finish, but likely right before Christmas.

Due to a meltdown at his employer – mass layoffs led to the overtime or unemployment line conversation – number eight has been excused without prejudice. A man’s gotta eat, after all.

And that’s where The Eight stand.

In the meantime, the query letter is ready, as is a three page synopsis. Revisions will take two to three weeks, so this project won’t reach agents until mid January. Even though the initial contact only includes 10-25 pages of the novel – I compiled a list of agents who encourage sample chapters along with the query – I’m not shopping the project until the manuscript is done. When they request the whole book, I can fire it off the following business day, without wondering if I missed something.