So I’m working in Word now. Yaaay.
No, I don’t mind not being able to jump to whatever chapter and scene I want, like I can in Scrivener. Scrolling is fun. *eyelid twitch*
Many thanks to everyone who has helped me figure things out so far (like how to highlight the whole document so I could format– never picked that trick up on my own). I think I have it formatted correctly for editing. Now I just need to finish this read-through, and wait for my editor to say that it’s time.
For WIPpet Wedensday, here’s the last twelve lines (in my WordPress editor, anyway) that I read over. The math? 26th, minus 14 for the year. Because I’m reasonable like that.
Oh, context… mer man (hello!) was just visiting with Aren and Rowan, and he and Aren (POV character in this scene) are trying to figure out how to help Rowan. Kel (mer dude) is getting ready to change forms and go back to the water. Aren is refusing to acknowledge that he has feelings for Rowan, because… well, long story.
–
We reached the dock, and he stepped out of his clothes and handed them to me. I put everything in one of the wooden crates in case he needed it again.
Kel looked out over the dull gray water. “Try to be honest with yourself about what you’re feeling for her.”
“I don’t—”
He held up one hand to stop me. “I know, you don’t want to. It’s against your family’s religion or something.”
“No, I mean I can’t let anything like that happen. I told her I’d try to help her. You know as well as I do that she’s not safe as long as she’s with me.”
Kel looked back at me and raised an eyebrow. “You think safe is what she wants?” I didn’t answer. I had no idea what she wanted, and I doubted she knew, either. “I’ll see what I can do for her, if you’re sure that’s what’s best. It’ll be up to her, though.”
“Of course. Thank you.” I turned and walked back up the path, and heard Kel splash into the water behind me. I suddenly felt more alone than I had since I was a child, and hurried toward the light of the house.
–
Yes, there’s quite a bit of casual nudity in this book, what with people changing physical forms and all. I haven’t had any complaints so far. 😉
For more WIPpet Wednesday goodness, stop by and see our host KL Schwengel and click on the link near the top right corner to find everyone else.
ROW80 UPDATE
Like I said, I’m just trying to be ready to send this thing off. After that, I’ll be reading, and going back to that plan of trying to finish Resurrection. I’m feeling a little better about things than I was a few days ago. I just wish I enjoyed challenges more, you know? I’m happiest when things are easy and I can be lazy.
There, I said it. I wish I were different, but that’s me. I haaate challenges. Does that mean I get bonus points for going ahead with one?
I think I need to get back to working in my office. I’ve been upstairs too much lately. Need my own space.
Um… I think that’s it for my update, actually. Oh, but in other news, Krista Walsh’s Evensong is on sale for 99 cents this week for e-books. If you haven’t got it yet and think you might be interested in a fantastic fantasy adventure that involves an author being transported into the world he writes about (and facing the characters lives he’s been ruining), go get it now! Links here. It’s a great read, well worth a buck and a few hours of your time.
disregard the prologue 
February 26th, 2014 at 12:43 pm
Thank you for the Shout Out! Especially after succh a great WIPpet!! I love the whole “denial” bit of a relationship 😉 and no. Definitely not about to complain on the nudity. Anything to get the temps up around here!
February 26th, 2014 at 12:45 pm
I think there’s enough gratuitous female nudity out there. I’m just doing my part to even things out, that’s all.
And yeah… the denial thing is almost cliche, but it’s just so much fun to work with. 🙂
You’re most welcome for the shout out.
February 26th, 2014 at 1:25 pm
No, definitely won’t complain about the casual nudity. Anything to even the score, right? Right.
It’s ok to have cliches (they exist for a reason, after all), as long as you put your own spin on it. Sounds like that’s what you’ve done. 🙂
February 26th, 2014 at 2:06 pm
I agree that a lot of cliches/tropes exist for a reason- often because they’re a common experience or desire. I say if it makes sense in the context of a character’s past/personality/current situation, we shouldn’t avoid using them just because they’re common. That doesn’t mean we can be lazy and just use them because we can’t be bothered to put effort into being original (and as you said, we should try to put our own spin on things), but I don’t understand the knee-jerk “that’s been done before!” reaction you see so often. Yes, the love triangle is a cliche. It’s also a fantasy for a lot of readers who are putting themselves into the main character’s shoes (ooh, two hot guys want me, yay!), so there’s good reason to use it once in a while. We just have to make it original somehow. 🙂
And yeah, I don’t complain about my own characters’ nudity much. I wish I could say it was actually a purposeful statement or an effort to even things out, but it’s actually not so noble. It just never made sense to me that magical characters in books/movies can shape-shift and take their clothes with them, so I ended up with some awkward moments for my characters. It’s been fun for me, though!
February 26th, 2014 at 2:45 pm
You’d have to do better than that if you want to balance out the female nudity! Barely noticed it – he took his clothes off – he’s a merman – but I still don’t know if he was fit or not:) maybe it’s already been mentioned:)
Joking apart I liked the snippet are you going to let us know what happens?
February 26th, 2014 at 2:50 pm
Already covered that a bit. It’s hard when it would be out of character for the person narrating to talk about how hot his buddy is, but there’s a pretty good idea of it. You get that he’s broad, athletic, black-haired and darker-skinned, has a charming grin… And then there’s a description from a woman later, though no outright oogling.
Nope, no spoilers here. 😀
February 26th, 2014 at 4:19 pm
Personally, I like that your characters live in a world where they are perfectly accepting of casual nudity. 🙂
Krista’s book sounds entertaining, too. Thanks for letting us know about the sale. Woot!
February 26th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Some more than others. 🙂
I like to spread the word on book sales, especially for ones I love. Everybody wins!
February 26th, 2014 at 9:05 pm
Aren…*le sigh* *gazes off at nothing* I want all of it. Now. Not to be pushy or anything. Old stuff and new. On my desk…er…in my laptop. Pronto. But you’re going to be mean to him, I just know it. *glares*
February 26th, 2014 at 9:11 pm
Like you’re not just as mean. 😉
But I’ll take it as a compliment that you want more.
February 26th, 2014 at 9:33 pm
Me?!!? Mean?!!? I represent that remark. 😉
February 26th, 2014 at 9:34 pm
You totally do. I’ve never literally chained one of my characters up and tortured him. 😉
I mean, you do it so well…
February 26th, 2014 at 9:46 pm
Casual nudity is a good thing. Unless you are forced to view it among over-fifties, like me. *g* (My disturbing experience was the old folks of at least 60+ running around naked on Lanzarote, but it made it very clear to me, that nudity is not = nudity. *g*)
Just a thought ,,, 🙂
February 26th, 2014 at 9:47 pm
I really like the struggle you’ve alluded to here – it seems as though he loves her but for her own good feels he can’t be with her or something like that. The chivalry/selfless hero vs the romantic lover. Might be reading that totally wrong, but regardless I’m intrigued!
February 26th, 2014 at 9:55 pm
It’s funny, because he doesn’t think of himself as a hero and isn’t an especially nice person, but he thinks that while he’s trying (for the first time in is life) to do something selfless. The whole “I have to do this for her own good” thing is going to get him into trouble, but he means well.
I kind of like Aren. 🙂
February 27th, 2014 at 12:35 am
While love triangles have their cliche moments, it’s not so much a problem of being unrealistic, but a problem of being culturally unaccepted (at least in a lot of the “Western”, and some “Eastern”, world). So if you’re creating a fictional culture/world, you can have any social standards you want. Have relationships where people exchange partners because they all love each other, etc…
And casual nudity? Sounds natural to me… 😀
February 27th, 2014 at 8:07 am
I think you’d get along very well with my merfolk. You just described their romantic lives quite nicely. 🙂
February 27th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Actually my characters would probably get along with your merfolk quite well. I can write about worlds I wish existed, but there’s this idealism/realism barrier I haven’t managed to surmount in my head yet. Too much of my upbringing keeps me from acting the way I sometimes wish was “normal”.
February 27th, 2014 at 3:07 am
Great dialogue – love the banter. Such a unique piece with mer-men and all! I would totally read this. 🙂
February 27th, 2014 at 3:41 am
If you make each chapter a heading and use a symbol to mark out scenes and then make this into headings then a list comes up at the aide which makes it a LOT easier to navigate. Loved the excerpt too 🙂
February 28th, 2014 at 12:43 am
Nope, no complaints about the casual nudity. Though, honestly, once I know a character is a shape shifter of some sort, the casual nudity is something I don’t really get titillated over unless things are about to get steamy 😉
Word is definitely a pain to work in. I think that’s why I probably keep my chapters in separate docs until the last possible moment.
February 28th, 2014 at 5:48 am
Gotta love a guy giving up a girl he loves for her safety. That or you want to slap him around the head. But of course there’s going to be more to their story… right?!
February 28th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
Mostly I want to slap them when they’re treating a woman like she’s a child (not a fan of most “alpha male” types). Aren’s guilty of that, but Rowan’s definitely not prepared to put up with it. Makes things interesting. 🙂