Generally, I have about two dozen ideas for stories floating around in my head. Typically I write them down, maybe make a few notes and then try to focus on them, one at a time. Invariably I fail.
However, in the last months I have consistently worked on one story to the extent that I have almost completed the first draft of a ninety thousand word novel.
Since the first of the planned trilogy is now almost at the end of the first draft, I thought that I might just start on the next novel. And this gave me an idea.
What if I were to catalogue the process of writing the sequel. Keep a journal, so to speak. Now I am not thinking that this will be a wonderful archive for posterity, but rather a step by step look at the ups and downs of actually putting words on paper (metaphorically speaking).
So, over the next three months, I plan to keep a diary of my work. Whether it is planning, plotting, grammar checking or simply just reading the manuscript, I will update my journal and let you know how things are going.
Who knows, maybe when you see how I do it, you will get inspired and try it yourself. Or maybe just take pity on me and give me some tips.
I will use the comments feature here to input my journal entries. Feel free to comment.
First entry on this epic project. Well, here it goes. I have just jotted down the first basic version of the novel's premise. It will draw on some events that took place in the previous book (before the previous book, actually).
ReplyDeleteI will need to flesh out a few scenes to accommodate the new ideas. Now that I have a basic idea of what I want to do, the next stage is to develop the plot.
In the last couple of days I have only made some minor changes to the first novel, in order to allow for certain requirements in the second.
ReplyDeleteLast night I setup the basic novel structure. Chapters, scenes and word lengths required by scene. This is to have a framework. The next stage is to develop the plot and plan out the various pivotal scenes. I will aim for about 100K words, so that chapters will be about 8K on average.
ReplyDeleteToday I started revision on my first novel. It is the one that precedes the novel that this journal relates to.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it is relevant to the development of the second novel since it will lay the ground work for some of the themes and ideas that will go into the second and even third book.
All the stories will be different, but what happens in book 3 will depend on what came before. So now I am planning three books.
Not one. Not two. But three. :)
Now it is time to go back to the revision and edit, edit, edit...
I have been working on finishing the first draft of Blood in the Sand. It is pretty much at complete first draft status. At the same time, I have been seeding little plot points that will form the basis for Book 2, Blood in the Snow. Not much written yet, but things are percolating in my brain.
ReplyDeletetoday I began the first scene of the new novel. I wont say too much about that, having written only about 1000 words. But new characters and a new location and a new idea...
ReplyDeleteMore work on the novel. Developed the main plot a bit further, and have started to flesh out the start. About 5K written so far, which is most of chapter 1.
ReplyDeleteNot much progress recently on the new novel. I have been writing several other stories, more or less just to clear my head. Over the weekend I worked with a beta reader and made some revisions to the first of the Guardian series. I expect to do more of that in the near future, but will come back to writing the sequel full time very soon.
ReplyDeleteThings have been slow with the sequel. I have written several short stories and a novella in the last month, so I have been feeling guilty about not getting to grips with the second installment of the Guardian series.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this weekend I plan to throw myself back into the thick of things. We shall see what progress I make.
The second draft of Guardian is complete and now resides in the hands of my editor. She will be working on it, probably for a month or so. After which further revisions and likely further rounds of editing. Exciting times.
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