Started: May 4, 2007
Finished: August 25, 2007
Total days: 113
Total wordcount: 54,654
Average words per day: 484 Waaaay below my 1000/day goal. But, there were many days off and many hardships. Oh well, at least it will be easy to do better next time!
Monday, August 27, 2007
aaaaaaand DONE!
I finished draft 1 of novel 2, tentatively titled "The Spirit Thief" at 10 last night. It clocks in at 54,600 words, which is too short, but I'm not worried. I skipped over a lot at the end, and I'm going to be adding several scenes in the edit. The final word count should be around 65-70k, putting it in prime marketability range.
Now, it's time for two weeks off while I move, plan novel 2, do some world building, and figure out how to solve all the problems I glossed over in this draft. I've got my work cut out for me.
Here's the schedule (Monday to Monday):
8/27 - 9/10: Move in, world build, brainstorm for edits, let the work sit. Brain storm for book 2 to see if I need to add any set up.
9/10 - 10/8: First edit, fix all plot issues, get my word count up, fix characterization, add in foreshadowing, basically turn a rough draft into a finished draft.
10/8 - 10/15: Let draft sit again, write first draft of query letter, synopsis, etc. Put together a spreadsheet of agents to contact.
10/15 - 11/5: Second edits. This is the final sweep, clean up readability, word flow, check pacing, grammar, etc.
11/5-12/3: Print up and hand out reader copies. Do spot edits, revise query letter and synopsis.
12/3-12/31: Incorporate reader comments, do one final read through chapter by chapter, prepare queries for mail out.
1/2: Mail out first batch of queries. After that, mail out 5 queries per week until it sells or I get sick of being rejected.
1/3: Start writing new book.
A nice, spread out schedule, I think. This time I want to be SURE the book is as fantastic as I can make it before mailing it out. For right now, though, I'm going to take a breather and bask in the glow of doneness (and type out some of these ideas that have been poking at me lately).
Two novels down, infinity to go.
Now, it's time for two weeks off while I move, plan novel 2, do some world building, and figure out how to solve all the problems I glossed over in this draft. I've got my work cut out for me.
Here's the schedule (Monday to Monday):
8/27 - 9/10: Move in, world build, brainstorm for edits, let the work sit. Brain storm for book 2 to see if I need to add any set up.
9/10 - 10/8: First edit, fix all plot issues, get my word count up, fix characterization, add in foreshadowing, basically turn a rough draft into a finished draft.
10/8 - 10/15: Let draft sit again, write first draft of query letter, synopsis, etc. Put together a spreadsheet of agents to contact.
10/15 - 11/5: Second edits. This is the final sweep, clean up readability, word flow, check pacing, grammar, etc.
11/5-12/3: Print up and hand out reader copies. Do spot edits, revise query letter and synopsis.
12/3-12/31: Incorporate reader comments, do one final read through chapter by chapter, prepare queries for mail out.
1/2: Mail out first batch of queries. After that, mail out 5 queries per week until it sells or I get sick of being rejected.
1/3: Start writing new book.
A nice, spread out schedule, I think. This time I want to be SURE the book is as fantastic as I can make it before mailing it out. For right now, though, I'm going to take a breather and bask in the glow of doneness (and type out some of these ideas that have been poking at me lately).
Two novels down, infinity to go.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
*BANGBANGBANG*
So here I am, 2 major scenes from the end of my novel and I hit a brick wall. This is the CLIMAX, where all the twists are revealed and everything comes to a head, and my villain refuses to work with me. All I ask is a little evil pontification, why is that so hard? Normally, it's the EASIEST thing to write, but it just won't come this time.
So, here's the plan. I'm going to go through what I've already written and make a road map. Then, I will add foreshadowing and villain development where it is needed (like a literary hotfix). That way, when I reach this current tangle again, I'll have a fully developed, well foreshadowed villain coming up with his own lines, rather than a cardboard puppet I shove lines into. Everybody wins!
Sadly, this pushes the complete date back by another week at least, most likely, but the book will (hopefully) be much stronger when I begin the edit.
I'm well ahead of my September first deadline anyway, so I can afford to do it right. Assuming, of course, that I don't slack off. No room for slacking off this late in the game!
So, here's the plan. I'm going to go through what I've already written and make a road map. Then, I will add foreshadowing and villain development where it is needed (like a literary hotfix). That way, when I reach this current tangle again, I'll have a fully developed, well foreshadowed villain coming up with his own lines, rather than a cardboard puppet I shove lines into. Everybody wins!
Sadly, this pushes the complete date back by another week at least, most likely, but the book will (hopefully) be much stronger when I begin the edit.
I'm well ahead of my September first deadline anyway, so I can afford to do it right. Assuming, of course, that I don't slack off. No room for slacking off this late in the game!
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