Writing Log: 9-7-09

Started Writing at 10 AM

Began with some additions to the text of Chapter 3. 360 new words. [Still need to describe the desert itself with greater skill.]

Then expanded on some of the descriptive material in Chapter 1, Scene one. 300 new words.

(It has been very helpful to have all the reference books I've collected at my side during this whole process. In the past I've spent too much time trying to decide certain details BEFORE I began to write, which made the reference material both distracting and burdensome, something I used to put off writing as much as to help me with the process.

What I'm finding now is that once the framework of a scene is established, it's helpful to go back to the reference material to flesh out or improve some of the sparser or less effective descriptions.

For example, I have three different books, two in color with lovely plates, detailing Arms and Armor. In this instance I created a composite influenced by the lamellar armor of Mongolian horse archers, the gaudy decorations of the German Landsknecht mercenary bands, and the beekeeping outfit I borrowed from my neighbor.

On an earlier day I used an illustrated historical reference on cities to combine certain elements of Carthaginian cities with those of early Islamic cities in North Africa to help me describe a street scene and some architecture.)

Moved on to Chapter 4, Section 1. Wrote 1775 new words for that section (which is now its own chapter), completing the first draft of it.

Totals for the day: wrote for 3 hours spread across two different stretches. (Including a slight interruption to deal with a disconnected hose that partially flooded the utility room.)

Wrote 2,435 new words today. Satisfied with the effort and productivity.