When I don’t feel like I’ve tripped and fallen into the pond, I feel like my feet are stuck in mud with writing. On the other hand, my Alpha Readers are coming back and really enthused with what’s been put out. I can’t see it of course. That’s the curse of being a writer sometimes and makes it more important to take time between writing and reading so you can gain some perspective again.
Book 2 is progressing still, but as a two pronged attack. I’m having to go back 20-40 chapters and rebuild a plotline that I had pulled, and now keeps getting better and better IMHO as I go. But it’s hard to shoehorn it into areas that don’t disrupt the flow of the story, work well with serialization and all the rest that I have going on.
The second prong had stalled with the main plot till I started realizing what a point of contention would be between the characters…. and it’s a naaaaasty one that I hope will have people cheering and angry at the same time. Ahhh ambivalence… you are so fun. As it is, the characters keep talking to me and giving me good things to transcribe for them. They seem to be getting bored with my downtime thanks to life, the universe and everything getting in the way. Oh I should include my own inability to hear them at times which leads to my Guild Wars 2 inspired brain static. Something I hope to avoid this weekend and crank hard on some new chapters.
But. We are up to 73 chapters. Can I get a “Whoa mama!” from the audience? Still aiming for that 1500-3000 sweet spot which gives a wonderful potato chip feel to the chapters. Before you know it, you eat the whole bag. Or perhaps that’s just me.
Om nom nom.
The downside is that this is causing me writing fatigue. I’m looking at it going, “Come ONNNNN!!!! Get to the finale already!” But the characters have to tell their story the way they have to. It’s foolhardy to try and make them do something they ain’t gonna. I’ll make it through, and it’s giving me ideas of what’s to come in the future.
I should note that there is now consideration on my part and agreed upon by my editor that Book 2 (Title Pending) may turn into a FOUR volume set! That’s right kids and kidettes. So much is going on, I may be unable to pack these into only three parts. If that happens, it’ll still be worth it. Trust me.
Without further ado, here are the new stats (I see it’s been a while):
Including the “Encyclopedia Akiniwazi”… formerly the Glossary
Pages 467
Words 156774
New Chapters with their new numbers:
Inserted Chapters:
22. Tugging at a Loose Thread
30. A City Robed in Black
33. Denied That Which Is Necessary
Moving on from the last end point:
66. In the Deep Places of the World
67. Ashamed Before the Crown
68. Lingering Doubts
69. Dashed Illusions
70. If Given the Choice
71. The Importance of a Name
72. At The Ragged Edge of Disaster
73. In Dark Halls, a Light Shines
We’ll give an excerpt next time. Gotta keep them special dontcha know?
BTW, in case you didn’t quite realize, The pictures I use are often clues to what kind of things I’ve been writing about in the book. Just a little extra something for when you read the book you can look back and go “ohhhhh! That’s what he was doing!”
Obviously Daffy isn’t one of them.
