Borealis 5: First Draft Complete

After several days of intense scribbling and staring at the ceiling (a vital part of the process), I'm delighted to report that the first draft is finished.  The fifth and final book in the Borealis series is now ready for the torrents of gore editing.  I'm very happy with how it's turned out.  Of course, now is the time that I read through it again and ask myself, "Whose handwriting is this?  I can't read this scribbling."  And that's how editing begins.

It's currently at 75k words, which makes it the second-largest book in the series.  I don't know what you'll do with this information, but I felt like sharing.  Also, because I'm me, I'm compiling some pointless interesting statistics about the series that happen to amuse me.  I'll share them later.

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Quote of the day:

"Well, shit."

- Captain E.J. Smith, RMS Titanic

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Borealis 5: Even More First Draft Progress

I'm delighted to report that the writing continues, with words all over the place.(1)  The first draft of 'Borealis 5' is at 60,000 words and counting.  It's full of stuff; I'm happy with it.

In related news, I can also report that my handwriting is getting worse, and is pretty much incomprehensible scribbling at this point.  I'm happy with that, too.

Once the first draft is done, it will be time for the reign of blood editing stage.  Someone way smarter than me (not a high bar to clear, but still) once said that a first draft is just filling the sandbox with sand, and that the sand castles don't get made until editing starts.  They said other smart stuff too, but I wasn't paying attention by then.

For those thinking of trying their hand at writing, you're in luck.  My fellow accused bestie Lia Black has a new blog called 'The Palimpsest Pen' where she offers helpful(2) advice for those who are thinking of picking up a pen.


1.  Not like that.  Ew.
2.  And by 'helpful', I of course mean 'catastrophic'.

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Quote of the day:

"If it's on the Internet, it must be true."

- Julius Caesar

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Have you ever noticed...

I spent about twenty years working in corporate environments.  I dwelt in cubicles, toiling away for some of the least-respected companies in Canada.

In that time, I noticed a lot of things going on.  Things that make cynics feel entirely justified in their cynicism.

For instance, there were a lot of military- and war-themed metaphors.  At one point or another, I heard all of these used in the workplace:

• execute on a strategy
• launch a new campaign
• drop the bomb
• take the hit
• attack a problem
• capturing market share
• fall on my sword
• provide cover
• targeting a market
• lead the charge
• managers spending time in the trenches
• battleground markets
• employees as troops

Why is that?  Is it an unspoken admission that the job isn't fulfilling?  That what they're doing lacks drama, or nobility, or any identifiable moral purpose?  I don't know, but I do know that mentioning it meant I "wasn't a team player".

Maybe it was just a function of the time period.  I've been away from the corporate world for a few years now, and for all I know they now use Pokemon-based metaphors.  I think I'd very much prefer that.

Leveraged synergistic paradigms, I choose you!