Posted on August 17, 2011 by Mary Flodin
I honestly thought I’d be finished with my first draft at least by June. Well, it’s already August, and I’m at about 450 pages. I’ve been writing this novel for a year! Working on it, hacking out the words, nearly every day. But it’s been in my head, wanting to be written, for the last ten years. My editor told me I shouldn’t write anything over 300 pages max, but I think I’m only about half way finished telling the story, and I’m already over that by 150 pages. It may be that ‘cut cut cut’ is in my future, but I don’t want to think about that right now. For now, I just have to get everything on the page. Later, let the revisions begin, if they must.
The chapter I finished today felt like the famous “mid book slump”. Am I half way through? Well, I have all the main characters, dynamics, and plot threads painted in, and now just need to weave everything along to a thrilling climax. oooph. I want to be finished with the first draft so I can start showing it to people and getting feedback. I’m in love with my characters. They are more real to me now than most people I deal with.
I write every morning, walk my dogs, exercise (swim, bike, beach, kayak, hike), garden (play with my new baby chickens), and at night, I read. I’ve read a mountain of fiction since I started writing my novel. Mostly in the mystery/thriller genre. But lately, I’ve become Addicted to George Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire. OH! It’s Wonderful! Five volumes, each almost a thousand pages long. Ahhhh. Finding a great fantasy series like this is like discovering a gold mine. Unfortunately, I’m almost finished reading the latest in the series, Dance of Dragons. Soon, like the rest of his fans, I’ll be anxiously waiting, for years, while he finishes his next book. (But I haven’t even begun to explore the TV series, the interactive games, and all the other fun stuff generated by Martin’s fantasy world.)
Imagine writing six big novels, in a series. I’ll be so happy if/when I successfully finish one! A series?? Don’t even want to think about that, yet…..