Last 100 Hours

Posted on by scott

In one hundred hours, I have to turn in the first draft of Extras. In the unlikely event that this fact slips my mind, this piece of paper on my wall will remind me:

Note the word counts scrawled (by a madman, apparently) at the bottom of every day. As you can see, Extras has already surpassed Pretties (81,250 words) and Specials (77,500 words) in length. It may even reach the brick-like thickness of Uglies (87,625)!

But things are getting tight on the time front. For this reason, I have taken to writing in strange new environments. Including this hotel room:

Clockwise from far right: me, Lauren McLaughlin, Maureen Johnson, and John Green. Justine is being the hovercam.

Why this hotel? Well, a small collective of us have been writing together, I found a random deal on a suite, and decided that a new spot might be stimulating. The views were cool.

John Green, who makes a video for his brother every other day, documented the event. You can watch that here. It shows you exactly what a writer’s life is like. (No, really.)

For more evidence of my deadline insanity, here’s Maureen’s interview with me while I’m trying to write.

I think I’m the only one still writing. The others just blog about writing. It’s all very self-referential.

If you’ve written me fanmail in the last few months, this approaching deadline is why you haven’t heard anything. I’m sorry!

In 100 hours I will be free . . .

134 thoughts on “Last 100 Hours”

  2. Oh, and I laughed really hard while I was reading that interview. A whole new kind if hover equipment? Yay!

    And snow…so Extras takes place in winter?

  8. i laughed when i read the interview 2. and my sister laughed and she hasnt even read the books. shame on her! doesnt that reporter know that the absolute WORST time to ask an author questions is while theyre writing?

  9. well now im posting!!!! Scott hurry up the 100 hrs already!!!!!! We NEED this book!!! it looks so cool doing what you do and the Extras sounds very awesome (dont we already know)!! when i grow up i want 2 be a writer and im not jus sucking up.

  10. Hang in there Scott! only about 90 more hours to go, and then you are a free man! Well, about as free as your rabid fangirls will let you get…

    But you can do it! We support you 1000% we promise! if only for purely selfish reasons (we want that book)but still.

    Keep it up!

  11. Haha, I love the interview. Maureen Johnson sounds like a hilarious person, I should look for her books sometime. The video was really funny too. I couldn’t stop laughing when he started talking about his zit, and my sister kept looking at me funny. Good luck finishing up Extras. 100 hours isn’t THAT long, only um… a little over 4 days. Okay, maybe that is a while. But hey, better than 6 months. Anyway, I’m going to shut up now.

  12. hmmmmmmmmm a glass tooth. interesting. and 100 hours and the first draft is due. wow you must be under a lot of presure to get it done… hmmm… and you might still feel stressed afterwards… you know what might eleviate your stress? *cough*working on a new midnighters book*cough* just kidding ill stop. good luck!

  13. 100 hours? Oh my gosh! You poor, poor soul. If I had a deadline like 100 hours (or any at all) I would crack under the pressure because I’m a procrastinator. In fact, if there was a god of procrastination then I would be his Avatar. Yeah, serriously.

    The interview was funny, made me laugh.

  14. i would write, and i would do it as fast as a human can possibly write/type/whatever the heck you do so well.

    funny interview though.

    =d

  15. and if i had a body part made of glass, i would want glass fingernails, then when i tried to bite them (not that i do anymore) i’d break my tooth off. painful yes, but it’d be worth it i suppose.

  16. Oh my god!!!!! I’m so excited!!! I can’t belive its actually coming!!! AH!!!! I hope its really really really long so that it takes me a long time to read. And you know what, there should totally be a midnight opening for this book, like they do with the Harry Potter books!

  17. YAY!!!I can’t wait! well i watched the video and it was very funny! So its snowing in NewYork is it??(Thats what Justine said) I wold love it to snow here but from what I read on Justine’s site, yall don’t like snow..It’s snowing in Northern Akansas but I’m am in Central..

    Oh yeah I was wondering if there is going to be another book after Extras? Just Wondering..

  19. Flakes falling from the ground like a light snow…What kind of flakes ? Wait… Nah.(I hope!)

  20. lol, I AM a writer…partly…still doing the writing part 😀

    Anyways, 100 hours!?!?! That sucks…now I must watch the interview and video…

  21. i just think it’s cool that you hang out with maureen johnson and john green, since i have read their books. [i just read ‘an abundance of katherines’ in the past month]

    i recommend their books! especially the one i just mentioned, as well as ’13 little blue envelopes’ by maureen.

    🙂

  26. I think I’ve commented on everyone’s blog about how jealous I am that you all get to work together like that. In fact, I’m sure both Maureen and John are sick of me repeating how jealous I am on their blogs. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it on Justine’s, but now I’m saying it on yours! 🙂 I’ve read books from everyone sitting at that table except for Lauren McLaughlin. Right now I’m in the middle of reading The Last Days, Devilish, and The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. I would be reading Magic’s Child, but haven’t bought it yet. (I know, shame on me!) Anyway, you all are amazing! I wish I could absorb some of your creative goodness, but I wouldn’t want to take anything away from you and your 100 hour deadline. I can’t wait for Extras! 🙂

  27. Yeah, I agree with Savannah. A midnight opening would rawk! Unfortunately, you are probably not “famous” enough for that. (I don’t know anyone personally who reads your books! Probably because nobody has really heard of you in North Vancouver. My friend is like ten pages into Uglies, but she fails to see the fabulousness of it!)

    Actually, that sort of makes sense. Nothing is sadder than an empty midnight opening.

  29. I can’t wait! I hope it’s even longer that Uglies!!! I still have so many questions about the book!

  30. lol, Scott. Maybe you should ask for a bit longer dead line, and relax for a bit…or relax for a bit WITHOUT thinking about writing or writing…but again, good luck 😀

  31. Hmm…all I have to do is tell my friends that his books rock, and they’ll try them ’cause the all luff me:D Besides, only an unfawesome person wouldn’t like your books, Scott…God!!!!!!! Now I can’t stop using fawesome and fexcellent!!!!!!!

  32. Im sooooooooooooo glad your making EXTRAS (i probably made my friends want to kill me in my sleep because i wont shut up about it) HURRY

    PLEASE! make sure you sleep because sometimes something that seems good at 3:00 AM can end up making no sense

    you should have a midnight opening (although that would work better for midnighters)

    sorry for going on and on, ill stop now

  34. Wow, Scott. I don’t know how you’re doing it all. Me = amazed. I sit here and cheer you on from Texasland.

    You should seriously do something REALLY nice for yourself on April 9th.

  35. Not sure it’s such a very productive tactic to work (on a DOOM DEADLINE) in a room with four very funny and smart people who like to talk…

    Good luck on the last stretch!

  37. well lets get to work scott!!! hehe just joking. and good luck!! and happy almost easter!!

    wow you now whats weird?? well any way i just got done reading one of Maureen Johnsons books lasn night!! and it was great!! it was called 13 little blue envolopes!! wow that was randome.. but any way…

    lets go scott lets go!! look at that you even have your very own chear team!! hehe kidding and good luck AGAIN, but hey you need it!! right?

  38. wow im in a good mood… probally because that means one step closter till Extras comes out!!!!!!!!!

  39. Alright Scott i promise we will talk about anything but your bald spot here.lol. Oh and that interview…uh…yeah…don’t be ashamed you are still writing i very much so LOVE the fact that you are still writing so that means when i actually can start reading this book i can go back to Brittani world and pretend that the uglies tetrology will never end.lol. ANd yes i did just make up a word for the 4th book on a trilogy. But the funny thing about that video is that it reminds me of me talking with my friends i’m happy to know that writing this book and being so close to your deadline isn’t torture for you. Good luck and God speed!

  40. And Alexa xoxo i read 13 Little Blue Envelopes like last week it WAS awesome because that i am now positive that i should go to London to find love. But yo what was up with her just going back to America i mean you just got like thousands of pounds, found out you have an uncle that can be your connection to your lost aunt, and you have fallen in love…but you must go back home? What the crap no you don’t you stay and have a ball!

  43. shure why not?? that sounds like fun… and Maureen… does keith go to America with Genny?? I just finished that book last night!! lol but hey it was good!!

  44. I loved the part in the video about the discussion about the “hem of the skirt of light.” HA HA!!

  45. SCOTT! why were u writing a blog post when u should have been writing Extras??? you’re wasting valuable time here. do i have to tattle on you?

  46. Hey guys. Scott just finished his sandwich, which has perked him up. He’s back in fighting form. I thought you would want to know how it was going, in INTENSE DETAIL!

  47. Okay, my computer crashed when I tried to watch the video. Seriously. I finally got it to play, but then I realized that the speakers don’t work because my dad keeps downloading 80’s rock on the computer. Loudly. So now it doesn’t work. And I can’t watch the video. Grrr.

  48. Addie-Wa asked “SCOTT! why were u writing a blog post when u should have been writing Extras??? you’re wasting valuable time here. do i have to tattle on you?”

    Not to worry. I wrote this post for Scott. Maureen helped. Scott is writing, writing, writing Extras and donig nothing else. I have to feed him and everything.

  54. ImInLoveWithJonthan! said “erm… i’d like to see someone dance with a pot on their head and write at the same time.”

    When you become a professional writer it’s one of the first things they teach you. After the secret handshake.

  55. Haha yall are funny! Are yall still in the same hotel room as on the video? Justine I hope your enjoying the snow because I know how much you LOVE snow! hehe 😉 I wish it will snow here but its only 53 Farenheit 🙁

  57. Heh heh… ‘insects dancing in the hem of the floodlight’s skirt.’ Had you said you needed the bugs, the first thing I would do when I get Extras would be look for that line.

  59. so THAT’S why you haven’t been answering my emails….
    Well, if it’s for Extras-la I can’t complain. 😀
    Keep up the hard work!

  60. Scott you are dancing with a pot on your head….ummm…Scott did you do some pot before you put the pot on your head?lol. Kidding kidding. Oh and Maureen i would love for you to do an interview that would be awesome. And i have to ask Maureen does Keith go with Ginny back to America well never mind silly question if so i think you would have mentioned something like that in the end ok well anyway. Good luck again and keep dancing Scott!

  61. Scott– WRITE WRITE WRITE!!!!! FAster faster faster FASTER!!!!!

    By the way, send some pictures of you dancing. that would make my day. really

  63. i still want to see scott with a pot on his head dancing. 🙁 im sad there was no video made of that. or was there? Justine, Maureen, John, Lauren was ther by any chance a video of this dancing escapade we could watch? hehehehe scott dancing with a pot on his head. 🙂

  65. wow im excited!!!!!!!!!! like a WAY lot!!! hehe and that does sound pretty funny… scott dancing with a pot on his head??!! well if you didnt get a video of that then you should re-an-act it so we can all see it!! that would really make my day!!!! hehe

  67. I have a few things to say.

    Firstly; that video is awesome. Though maybe, if you only have 100 hours left, you shouldn’t be talking about the skirts of floodlights. But it was funny and entertaining (while it lasted). You have some weird friends.

    Secondly; the interview is even more awesome. Just remember to get her back when SHE is 100 hours away from a deadline 🙂

    And, lastly, you probably shouldn’t be reading this if you only have 100 hours left. Not that I’m telling you what to do or anything.

    Can’t wait to read Extras!!!!
    -Topaz

  71. poor scott only a few hours lefy. 🙁 good luck. but well if u are reading this you probally already finished writing Extras. so i guess i mean good luck editing, i think. make sure Extras kicks butt!

  73. Tori-wa sounds better. But that’s just me.

    Hey, Scott, on Easter do you take an Extras-break for chocolate?

  76. i like anna-la… but thats just me!! lol and i think i might get my first cavity this year
    🙁 but hey I LOVE CANDY!!!!!!!!! and now im going to ask… Alexa-wa or Alexa-la??
    hehe i just had to ask… but i do want to know and go scott!!! 🙂
    xoxo Alexa

  79. I like Kiersten-wa! and i think i like wa…
    🙂 alexa-la is cool! it would be so awesome if they did another interview…the first one CRACKED me up!!!!! 😀

  80. cool thanks iminLoveWithJonathan… and Anna-Wa!! and i think that we can just make one up for kiersten… right?? like Kiersten-ra?? idk… is it ok with scott? i hope so hehe jk!! i kind of got the last days for easter to!! well kind of because it isnt here yet… but my mom did order it!! yeppe!
    xoxo alexa-la

  81. i just finished it. it was so good. well actually i finished it about an hour ago but close enough. sooooooo good. only it didnt have te bio lesson on parasites every other chapter. it just jumped point of veiws a lot. and every chapter is named after a band. scott wrote a bio for every band name he used at the end of the book.

  82. Yeah, I missed the parasite chapters. But there was the Night Mayor tapes, so it all evened out.

    Tess-la or Tess-wa?

  83. um… tess-la deff!!

    and i cant wait but hey thats a cool way to name the chapters… i would never be able to cuz i such at band names!! teehee and i think my book come in on the 11 or something like that…
    xoxo Alexa-la

  88. SCOTT! IS EXTRAS DONE YET?????? WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 🙂 im happy. lets see. you posted that it was due in 100 hours at 9:54 AM on April 6th. 100 hours from then is… 4 days and 17 hours so… your deadline is april 10th at 9:54 PM. i think.

  89. go scott!!!!!!!! whooooooooooooo! 🙂 only a few more hours! only lets see…46 min till the 10th then 17 hours and 54 min until 9:54 PM on the 10th. so 18 hours and 11 min from when i started writing this comment!

  91. you can’t just be excited for this you have to be EXTATIC and OVER THE TOP HAPPY!!!!!!!! does any one know how much longer?!!?!?!?!!?!?

  92. EXTRAS IS A TV SHOW IN ENGLAND. ITS ALREADY SHOWING. Sorry, i just had to do that. when i saw it on the tv guide, i was like, no way, it isnt even finished yet, but due to time travel…

    no, there is a tv show called Extras, but its about extras in films and TV shows, not whatever Extras is about.

  93. so wait, if the dragt is being handed in in a few days (or less, keep going Scott!) when will Extras come out, because its going to sit on someones desk, be read, be edited, you ‘might’, but probably not, have to change something, then it needs to be printed, shipped out to bookstores, and sold. When is that? and will there be an English version?

  96. i marked the date on my calender… i cant wait!!!!!!!!!!! and i like in Dover, Delaware… its really boring thier is nothing and i mean NOTHING cool/fun to do here!!!!!!!
    but hey extras comes out in october so im really happy!!!!!!

  97. oops typo… i meant i LIVE** in Dover, Delaware… not “like in Dover, Delaware”!!! teehee

  101. so yea i totaly cant wait until extras comes out!!!! its going to be amazing!!!!! im sooooo excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  102. I just wanted to let you know that the chapter that describes Anathea inside the darkling and chapter 32 where Rex has woken up as a halfling will probably haunt me for years. You have scarred the mind of a young child. I think I may be morbidly curious also, but I can’t stop wondering how the darklings transformed Rex into a halfling. You think you could answer this in a next blog entry, or maybe email me?
    But then, for some reason Peeps didn’t freak me out nearly as much. I think I’m too used to the idea of vampires by now…and I thank you for giving me lots of interesting knowledge about parasites that I can gross my friends out with.

  103. yeah the whole rex turning into a halfling… how does that work? how do you combine a human and a darkling? and why does it only work with seers? or would they just not want a halfling polymath or halfling mindcaster or something?

  104. I think it doesn’t only work with seers, it’s just that the darkling groupies need to communicate with the darklings through lore symbols, and only seers read lore.

    I always pictured the transformation as, like, slicing open the darkling and sticking the midnighter in, and sewing little pieces of darkling flesh to the person. It totally, totally creeped me out.

  107. or how about darkling flesh sliding over the midnighters skin, like in the trailer for spiderman 3. (has that been released in america yet, we’re still waiting in England)

  108. i think indigoeyes is right about the darkling transformation
    OT
    i got 6 friends (and 1 teacher) into the uglies trilogy
    i got 2 friend + same teacher into midnighters
    the other trilogy : 3 friends, same teacher
    i no, i just felt like sharing that

  109. so that means that Scott’s books are a meme! well pretty much everything is a meme (its something that it passed on from one generation to another but is not genetic, like religion or festivals or fashion or teachings)

  112. I guess all of your theories could be true…I just haven’t been able to imagine it yet. Just…wondering. I keep thinking of those human arms sticking out of the darkling’s chest (the image of Anathea as a halfling is, I think, much worse because she looks like a twelve year old) and the body is almost SUBMERGED into the darkling flesh…But see, if the darkling flesh was just sewn into Rex’s skin, how would they combine their minds? This has been bugging me for days. I can’t really explain my disgust at the idea–it just freaks me out so much, being stuck halfway inside another creature, sharing its mind, let alone an EVIL creature. Ugh. I just…ugh. *Shivers*

  113. hey guys, are the midnighters sifi or fantacy? I’m trying to get a hold of a copy but I want to know some stuff about them first.

  116. yeah i know we’re on 116 in comments! scott get done fast so we can write ona page without scrolling down for two years…lol! extras will be awesome I am SO excited

  118. Um….I watched the video….you are as random as me and my friends.

    I’m still wondering if that really really really bad, or good.

  122. as in to kill the darklings, im not happy about it
    though they made the blue time to get awy from things like computers

  123. yeah but in case of halflings that are surfing the web: *abbreviations*abiogenically*abnormalities*
    *abolitionisms*abolitionists*abortifacient* *absorbability*absquatulated*absquatulates *abstractional*abusivenesses*accelerations *accelerometer* (13 13 letter words!)

  124. Well all I can say is that you better have gotten that done and turned it in because I want to read it and I know that everyone will love the book after all the work and time you put into it and that will be the greatest part of all!!!!!:)!!!!!

  126. Wait, what? *stares in confusing* *re-reads passage over and over and over and over and over.* i sorta get it…uhg, no wonder ppl call me slloooww…^_^ sorta..

  130. yup, i’m actually writing a story of my own! its really action-packed with twist and turns, quite interesting (if i can say so myself)

  131. OMG! i’m reading something posted way more than a month ago RIGHT NOW!

    My friend and i wher talking about during the 7th grade gradution (extras that is!) we can’t wait.

  133. I couldn’t understand some parts of this article Last 100 Hours, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.

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