My current project is smoothly going, less than a month if I truly work on it. My book, a few months if I truly work on it. Realistically? With my procrastinating, a goodly while
My current work is about 70,000 words in. Based upon my other works (and the outline) I have about another 60,000 words or so to go. Right now I am re-reading and editing the first 70,000 before adding new words. I've been so busy grading papers and doing other work related projects, I want to keep the story's tone and cadence fresh, and remind myself of some of the small things--all while doing a little editing and revision. Names for titles...sometimes they come first...like the title to my SF novel. For my first fantasy novel, it didn't come until about 3/4 of the way through the first draft. The other novels in the fantasy series, I knew them when before I began outlining. The reason is that it's a series...I knew what the main thrust of the storyline was, and the titles are all similar. Two single-syllable words. I guess for me, initially, I think about the storyline and a phrase that will give some hint at the tone or content.
I'm very close but also very far. It all depends on when I am prepared to stop. Every time I get close I have more ideas on how to develop the characters. As for names, I've gone through a few different titles. The current one was from a small selection of options voted for here on the forum, but the final title will be decided upon publication, God willing.
I have a couple finished short stories. One's finished in that if I handed it to you right now you'd have a beginning and end but it needs massive revising. Most others, I'm not even close.
The title of this made me laugh XP The one I'm working on now is a little more than halfway done. I don't know if it's considered short or not, but I don't like to think that it has to be long to also be good. It was supposed to be two separate works, but I didn't like the way the first one would end with basically few things happening and it'd leave you hanging at the end.
As the old saying goes, a story is never finished, only abandoned. A published story is just one the author has stopped working on. So the question to ask is really: how close are you to stopping?
@KaTrian and I are putting finishing touches on the last chapter of our WIP, a mix of military sci-fi and space opera. This is probably the 20th draft or more, but we still have to do at least one more draft, hopefully the last one before we can start pitching it. My guess is that it'll take about 6 more months ('cause work and school keep getting in the way) before the last draft is done. I love the story, especially the characters, but I'm also so fucking sick of it and I'll be a happy camper when it's done, and we can finally move on to one of our other WIPs.
Mines finished in the sense that I have completed the first draft, but it's the only one I have managed to finish and it took the better part of two years as I was writing another piece at the time which helped take my mind off my main project whenever I got stuck.
I'm hoping to finish the second draft soon. Maybe by May if I can keep working on it. I'm hoping the third draft goes a little more quickly since I'll have the plot down.
first draft of my first novel was done last year but now sits gathering dust while i finish my second novel. that one is about 70 odd thousand words in and i can`t see the finish line yet. then are the moments i look over some of the other parts already finished and see the problems...... titles i usually get anywhere along the writing process, might be at the beginning, in the middle, or near the end. Monaque
Just had my first novel, Lincoln's Treasure, published and it's now being sold on sites like Amazon, B&N and BAM. It's also in this site's bookstore. Be forewarned, the work doesn't end when the manuscript is finished! Still lots to do to get it into stores, papers and other media; not to mention signings, shows and other events. With that said, I'm collecting my thoughts now for starting it all over again with a second one. The first one took soooo long that I'm not sure I have another one in me at times, but I think I've settled on the story and will start writing soon. I believe I learned so much with the first one that this one should go faster and smoother. At least I hope so. Chris
Monaque, It's not unusual to find lots of issues or needed changes after you thought you what finished a manuscript. Editing seems to be a never ending process, especially for a new writer. Keep working on it and it'll get to the stage you want. Stepping away from it for a short time will likely allow you to see many of the problem areas.
590 word draft, one and a half chapter. It's the most I've ever actually written and stayed with. I know what the story will be about so that makes it a lot easier.
I might be about a month away from finishing ... and in a month's time, I will probably be around two months away from finishing. Honestly, it feels like I'm moving backward. I'm on my what I would call my second draft, and have a list things that need to either be fixed, improved or in some way re-written. For every item I tick off, I figure out two more issues. Not that realising faults is a bad thing, but it's certainly demoralising to watch the issues pile up faster than I can fix them.
I'm 20k words into my 2nd draft of a novel that was 91k words on the first draft. (Though this draft seems to be coming out about 15% longer on the chapters done so far.) Hard to know how many drafts it'll take until I've done with it.
If you're anything like me, titles are really difficult to think up. The novel I've finished, edited, and am currently formatting for Kindle publication, ended up with my working title (one word only), plus a subtitle. However, there are lots of great sources that folks sometimes don't think of, to look. Some folks go to Shakespeare and look for a phrase that makes sense to them. Some folks get their titles from the Bible. Any well-known poem that is no longer in copyright is something you could look at, to take a phrase from it. Even speeches and quotes from famous people can offer ideas, although it's probably best not to copy directly without permission. One of the best sources, though, is traditional music. Any traditional songs that are not attributed to a particular writer are up for grabs. I got the title for my second novel (the current WIP) from a well-known traditional bluegrass/old timey song. You can also use a popular song or any other song as inspiration or partial quote, but be sure to get permission beforehand. The person who wrote the song may want some sort of payment. It's worth looking into this, if you find a title you really want to use. However, if you want to avoid the hassle, pick stuff that is either out of copyright, or attributed to that wonderful, world-famous author and songwriter ...Anonymous. Or Traditional. Don't worry that this doesn't sound very sci-fi. It's amazing the way meaning jumps out at you, when you start looking. What's particularly good about this method is that your readers may be familiar with the source, and so they will bring their own interpretation with them. It's a great way to begin a story, whatever kind of story you've written.
congrats on the published status, that must feel good...... thanks for the input, it is all pretty new, but it`s a good feeling too....i guess it`s such a huge project that it all seems never ending, writing, then editing, then more editing, then more writing.......you mentioned stepping away from it, i once read a writer say (i think it was Tim Hallinan) that once you are finished writing then you should let it sit for a while, maybe a few weeks, then read it back to yourself, you get a better perspective......not sure if that`s true for all you guys.... Monaque
Thanks. It does feel great. I even had a few sales in your UK!!! It's slowly being discovered by readers. Your post includes good advice.
Advice I could have used myself when I finished my first novel. I mistakenly let two people read it before I even read it back myself. Live and learn I guess. From what I`ve heard sales take a while to get going, so I`m sure they`ll ramp up soon.
I'm working on final revisions of my first novel right now and plan to publish in May. I started it over three years ago, so it's been a long process. I have a second book started, which will be part of a series. Both are science fiction.
Midway through my second draft of my first project. I can see my writing evolving and my characters becoming more fleshed out so hopefully I'll have my first story done soon within the next couple of months.
