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Thursday, April 28, 2011

What's in your WIP file?

Thinking about Thursday

What's in Your Wallet WIP File?

    Rather than risk copyright infringement with Capital One (I know their ad people are reading my blog all the time, right?) I decided to use a picture of my poor (in every sense of the word) husband after we had to buy the entire family new shirts at Sea World. That whole, "splash zone" thing is seriously a warning. Who knew?

    But it isn't our best/only family vacation I am thinking about today. Nope, today I am thinking about a little folder on in my documents file titled "Work in Progress." I always have several  WIPs going at a time. Some are new and shiny. A few are polished and refined, but most are soft and warm. Like my favorite jeans. I know them, they have been with me for years. Several will never be finished. I just love the characters too much to let them go.

   Here is a peek into my file:
  • 6,000 word completed short story tentatively titled Homecoming
  • 50,000 word completed novel in various stages of revision. Currently out to crit partner. Awaiting final polish
  • 50,000 word completed NaNoWriMo novel from 2009 in various stages of revision currently on hold.
  • 51,000 word semi complete NaNoWriMo novel from 2010 on hold
  • 22 incomplete works in progress  varying in length from 1,023 words to a 17,000 word "character sketch" that took on a life of it's own.
So, what's in your WIP file?  
Are you working on your first novel? 
Or do you have several going/finished?





                                                   

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

You've got a nice looking husband there! :)

I would have bundles more, but I've lost so many files over the years to computer crashes. (now I'm almost anal about backing stuff up, even printing hard copies.)

I currently have two active WIPs. 2010s NaNo, the sequel to 2008s NaNo, at 55k words... needs about 5k more, I'm guessing. And a story I started a long time ago that I'd left idling on the internet and just picked back up last year. It's at 68k words... I'd like to get it up to 75k, because I know it'll lose a lot in revisions.

Others... 2006s NaNo that I need to retype (thank goodness I'd printed it out!) has around 50k.
2009s NaNo; I'd done a series of shorts that year and one stood out as wanting to become a novel. That one has about 20k words.
Several shorts ranging between 5 and 10k.

Genevieve Wilson said...

Wow! That's impressive. I can only handle one story at a time. Currently working on #2.

Linnette Rochelle said...

Hmm...I have one story, my first story, filed away because it needs major revisions. Other than that, I have several short stories that could be novel ideas. And I have my current wip which is undergoing major revisions as we speak.

Teri Anne Stanley said...

I'm kind of afraid to look at my WIP file...actually, it's pretty much: six or seven things, all abandoned for the next great idea.
And um, the file with the MS I am critting (really, I am!) for someone who we'll just call "A Very Patient Writer in Waiting"

Teri Anne Stanley said...

BTW, next time tell your husband to skp buying a shirt for himself (and then post that picture) *leering*

Lindsay Cummings author said...

finished my first YA dystopian and it came in at a whopping 87000 words! ack!

my second YA dystopian thriller is nearly done, coming it at an estimated 47000 by the end!

keep on writing! i miss you! and all the DFWcon ladies! =0

Dawn Alexander said...

Lindsay! So glad you stopped by! Miss you, too! Can't wait to read those YAs!

Scooter Carlyle said...

My WIP file is pretty eclectic.

1 completed musical.
2 short stories, about 3,000 words. Too chicken to send them out.
1 short story in the works.
1 novel that's utter drivel. I learned the craft on that one.
1 fantasy novel that's nearing completion, 97,000 words. I'm excited about that one.
2 choral pieces, one is SSATTB, the other TTBB. I'm currently revising the TTBB to SATB.
2 outlines for the next two books in my fantasy series.

DBarentine said...

My WIP is somewhat straightforward

1 Fantasy Vampire novel (in the works)
1 completed and edited Fantasy Pirate novel
1 completed and edited Fantasy War novel
1 completed but in edit Fantasy Zombie novel
1 major 5-book rewrite
6 first drafts to be rewritten and expanded on
and 8 outlines for future books

Loree Huebner said...

I'm actually working on two at once for the first time.

Both are in final revisions. One is a historical. The other is an inspirational historical romance.

It's strange going from one to the other.

I'm starting a new book in the fall.

Dawn Alexander said...

This is so cool. I love seeing what everyone else is working on.
Scooter~ you wrote an entire musical? That is impressive.

David~ Wow, you are well on your way.

Loree~ Sometimes it is strange moving from one to the other. I think it makes it harder to get completely into the characters.