"The greatest handgun ever made." - Revolver Ocelot
I stopped by the library for some research materials for my novel re-write. Read all about it after the break (and watch some videos). Photo of Gunsmithing Guns of the Old West by David Chicoine and Colt’s Single Action Army Revolver by “Doc” O’Meara
The novel I’m working on now is very different from my first, The Magic of Eyri. This one, called Drake (after the main character) for the moment, is a bit more serious and darker. But not too serious. I would describe it best as spaghetti-Western fantasy-horror, if that makes sense (and it probably doesn’t).
Drake uses a gun based on a Colt Single Action Army revolver (think of any Western film you’ve seen, that’s the type of gun, more or less). To be clear, he isn’t using an actual Colt, as the story takes place in my own weird fantasy world, it is just inspired by the type of gun used in Westerns.
And let us not forget the Colt SAA’s appearance in Metal Gear Solid
As such, I wanted to make sure I used the correct terminology when describing the firearm (although its use will be hardly realistic). I was at the library and saw they had a couple books on Colt SAA and old west guns. Bingo.
The rewrite is going rather well, and I’m happy with my progress. I’ve been writing every day this month (the rewrite started on the 1st), and my daily goal is at least 500 words. I know that is not a lot, especially for a National Novel Writing Month veteran like myself (2,000 words/day!), but I wanted to take it easy.
The advantage of the small word count is that it is an easy goal to reach, so I don’t have to stress over how much I write–plus, it makes it easier for me to come back to writing.
How?
I like stopping on a “high note,” when I’m on a roll with a scene. I find that if I stop while I’m in the middle of cranking out a scene, I want to get back to writing faster. Plus, it helps me remember where I left off a bit better (I am also using the “stopping in mid-sentence” trick).
When I’m asked for novel writing advice, I always make sure to mention not burning yourself out. Stopping while on a roll is a great way to go–but if you force yourself to write for too long, you may find it difficult to want to return to the story (but everyone is different, so try different methods on your own).
If you stop while you are having fun writing the middle of a scene, you will want to return to the story as soon as possible.
But, if you go too long, and force yourself, you could become discouraged and let that story sit for a few days (or weeks, or months!) before you try it again.
Like I said, everyone is different in the way they write, and there is not a correct or wrong approach. I just know what does and does not work for me.
Photo EXIF
Shutter Speed Value 1/49 sec
F-Number F4.5
ISO Speed Ratings 200
Exposure Bias Value 0 EV
Focal Length 33.0 mm
