IT’S
FINISHED!!!! Well at least the first draft of my epic science-fiction novel is
finished. Last Thursday I wrote the final words of a first draft I started
writing for in November 2011 for National Novel Writing Month. So it took me –
rummages for calculator – 771 days to write 214,935 words, an average of 278
words a day.
FINISHED!!!! Well at least the first draft of my epic science-fiction novel is
finished. Last Thursday I wrote the final words of a first draft I started
writing for in November 2011 for National Novel Writing Month. So it took me –
rummages for calculator – 771 days to write 214,935 words, an average of 278
words a day.
My initial
reaction to finishing was not jubilation, but sadness, as the story my imagination
had been developing for so long had ended. I really enjoyed the characters I created
and their adventures. I am going to miss them. It feels a bit like finishing
Uni. Considering how the novel ended, a sequel is not probable. Or then again…
reaction to finishing was not jubilation, but sadness, as the story my imagination
had been developing for so long had ended. I really enjoyed the characters I created
and their adventures. I am going to miss them. It feels a bit like finishing
Uni. Considering how the novel ended, a sequel is not probable. Or then again…
The Year
of the Edit.
Thus
begins the year of the edit. I have decided not to write anything new until I
have edited all the writing I have stacked up to edit and redraft. There’s
another novel, Stalking Tigers, which I was halfway through redrafting when a
new idea for a story struck that I just had to stop and write. Stalking Tigers is
128,000 words.
begins the year of the edit. I have decided not to write anything new until I
have edited all the writing I have stacked up to edit and redraft. There’s
another novel, Stalking Tigers, which I was halfway through redrafting when a
new idea for a story struck that I just had to stop and write. Stalking Tigers is
128,000 words.
And then there is the manuscript that got me writing, my apocalyptic vision of Australia’s near future: I’ll Just Sit Here and Watch it on My TV. I wrote it 12 years ago, before I had done any writing courses. From memory, it is about 120,000 words.
And finally, there are the first drafts of a 12,500 word novella and
a 6,800 word short story.
a 6,800 word short story.
I have decided
to work from shortest to longest and start with the short story. It will be
interesting to see whether it increases or decreases in size. I’m betting on an
increase.
to work from shortest to longest and start with the short story. It will be
interesting to see whether it increases or decreases in size. I’m betting on an
increase.
Other
Writing Activities.
I wrote
another article for Divine last week and submitted it on Friday. I also did my
first critique of a story in about a year and emailed it to the author yesterday.
another article for Divine last week and submitted it on Friday. I also did my
first critique of a story in about a year and emailed it to the author yesterday.
0 Responses
Congratulations, Graham! I hope the year of editing goes well.
It certainly is bittersweet to leave a group of characters you've grown to know so well. I finished the 3rd and (I expect) final Timesplash novel a couple of months ago. Those guys have been in my head since 2008!
The only consolation is that there will be other characters and other stories to fill the void.
Graham,
I look forward to reading the third installment.
A huge job ahead. Still, at least its finished. Congratulations. An awesome achievement.