I’m chained to a desk at a virtual torture center called Camp NaNoWriMo, working on a new book. It will be an Eric and Cosmina Beckman novella (it follows Democracy’s Thief, coming to an Amazon near you soon), and it shall be [I slam my fist on the table] at least 30,000* words long, damn it!
*Newsflash: I am now aiming for a 50,000-word total.
How big a book is 50K words? That’s the length of The Great Gatsby.
My plan is to finish it in one month (July). Here’s how it’s going:
52,093 / 50,000 words. 104% done!
2017/07/23 11:59: I finished the book!!
Want to encourage me or complain about my sloth? Leave a comment (below).
Al Macy, Author 
You’re off to a good start! I am looking forward to reading this around holiday time. No pressure, but I think Santa does not want to disappoint an avid reader. Keep up the good work!
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You go, Mr. Macy! You can do it!
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Hurray! You have done the hardest part- you got started. Now you are already three days ahead of schedule (see how I rounded up for you). You also have a distinct advantage, in my humble opinion, by writing about Eric and his very interesting family. I love them all and am very excited to know that I will get to read more about their lives.
Also, I think watching you meet this goal is a great spectator sport because at the end of the game all of your readers WIN!
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You really have some nerve, comparing the length of your novel to “Of Mice and Men.” Oh, I see, it’s the length, not the novel. Forget that I said anything. Dum, da dum, da dum, da dum. Now, how do I erase this comment?
You know Elvis sang taht song “RETURN to senda.” Was he singing of the RETURN key on his keyboard? Today he could have made the title “ENTER to senda.” Why am I writing this gibberish? My attention span seems to have gotten about as short as that guy, umm what’s his name, um he keeps talking about the size of his crowd. But, honestly, “Of Mice and Men” ? – oh well, based on past performance, I think maybe your book will be that good.
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>Comparison to “Of Mice and Men.”
Ha. I was sure someone would bring that up.
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Well Al Macy, if you are committed in front of your peers, I think that is good! Just keep up your good work for those of us hooked on you Beckman novels!
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Bully good. Pip pip and all that. Keep up the good work!
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Ha ha! You got it!
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So is this the point where you start cutting?
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Maybe. Steven King* says: Second draft = First Draft – 10%. We’ll see. I usually add stuff.
* Senator, I’ve read Stephen King. I knew Stephen King. Stephen King was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Stephen King.
Ha ha. Well, uh, that’s not really what I meant.
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When do I get to read it, (now, now, now) please, can I, can I ,can I, sounds like a little kid huh.
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It won’t be too long. It’s really first-drafty now. But if you brush your teeth and put on your pajamas … ha ha. Watch my newsletter for a request for alpha reader. Thanks for your enthusiasm!
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