A new novel
During the last few days of writing the third <> Ben Williamson novella I was mulling over what should be the next project. I like to have the next one ready to go before finishing. The problem was although I had a favourite from all the possible options I didn't have enough of it to start writing and I was finding it hard to get going.
So much so that I even wrote a second section of the comedy horror I intend to write at some point and that's in even worse state than my intended next project. all I have of that is a setting, a bunch of half sketched out characters and the opening murder. I have no idea where it's going to go yet. But as I knew what I wanted the first couple of chapters were going to be it was as good as anything to write a few hundred words of yesterday afternoon whilst I had time.
Today though carrying that on just would not do. So I decided to not even switch on my computer at all until I knew what I was going to do. I as going to sit down and listen to music and see what came into my head. A lengthy conversation with my wife while we were driving earlier also helped. She always knows the kind of questions to get me thinking about things.
By half seven or so I had the plot sketched out. I knew how I could get from the setup idea I'd had to start this all off to the ending I wanted. And I had the first five chapters in detailed notes. That's enough for me to go for it. I can fill in the details of chapters 6-25 (the intended length) as I write the first five. I don't usually like to go into small details of the later chapters until I know the first few work. Having enough key markers along the plot is good enough to get going.
So I came down opened a new Word document and started - at almost exactly eight o clock this evening (8:06pm if you want to be exact - I checked the time of the tweet I sent as I was about to type in the title). And then I started writing.
Four hours and nine minutes later and I am sitting here typing up this blog entry with the first chapter written. It ran to five sections and a total of 3,682 words. That's a productivity level I am happy with. Hoping to equal it tomorrow as I start writing chapter two.
Of course after that my production average will drop as I have to go back to my day job. It cuts down the amount of hours I have free to write a little (or rather a lot). Still it does pay the mortgage and I do have a job I find interesting (and work for a company I like) so I'm not going to complain.
Maybe one day I will have sold novels (panacea) and not have to work at anything else but that's always going to be unlikely. So I will just do the best I can with what time I have and hope that what results is liked by those who read it. And of course hope that those who read my novels will soon expand beyond my test readers and the submission slush pile readers at the agencies and publishers I send my submission off to.
Anyway - I probably should tell you a few teaser snippets about this new book. The title I can actually tell you for this one. It isn't important to keep it a secret prior to publication as it was for the novella. It's called 'A World out of Balance'. And the plot; well I can tell you a little.
It's a borderline science fiction thriller that seems to be headed for Dan Brown territory. It does have a Secret Society at the core of the plot, albeit more of the Philip K. Dick variety than a Dan Brown one. For one thing they have some actual science fiction style powers.
I'm hoping it goes well - and that I do a decent job of paying some kind of homage to both the aforementioned authors. Whatever I think I might enjoy writing it so that's half the battle.
Now for the OCD boring bit of my blog. If you don't want the nerdy writing shit - stop reading just about now.
I'm going to end each of these blog entries with a monthly writing progress indicator. Part of the NaNoWriMo inspired thing I mentioned in a previous blog.
So here goes. (Last chance to back out if you don't care.)
January 2nd
month to day - 6,465 words
daily average - 3232.5 words
So much so that I even wrote a second section of the comedy horror I intend to write at some point and that's in even worse state than my intended next project. all I have of that is a setting, a bunch of half sketched out characters and the opening murder. I have no idea where it's going to go yet. But as I knew what I wanted the first couple of chapters were going to be it was as good as anything to write a few hundred words of yesterday afternoon whilst I had time.
Today though carrying that on just would not do. So I decided to not even switch on my computer at all until I knew what I was going to do. I as going to sit down and listen to music and see what came into my head. A lengthy conversation with my wife while we were driving earlier also helped. She always knows the kind of questions to get me thinking about things.
By half seven or so I had the plot sketched out. I knew how I could get from the setup idea I'd had to start this all off to the ending I wanted. And I had the first five chapters in detailed notes. That's enough for me to go for it. I can fill in the details of chapters 6-25 (the intended length) as I write the first five. I don't usually like to go into small details of the later chapters until I know the first few work. Having enough key markers along the plot is good enough to get going.
So I came down opened a new Word document and started - at almost exactly eight o clock this evening (8:06pm if you want to be exact - I checked the time of the tweet I sent as I was about to type in the title). And then I started writing.
Four hours and nine minutes later and I am sitting here typing up this blog entry with the first chapter written. It ran to five sections and a total of 3,682 words. That's a productivity level I am happy with. Hoping to equal it tomorrow as I start writing chapter two.
Of course after that my production average will drop as I have to go back to my day job. It cuts down the amount of hours I have free to write a little (or rather a lot). Still it does pay the mortgage and I do have a job I find interesting (and work for a company I like) so I'm not going to complain.
Maybe one day I will have sold novels (panacea) and not have to work at anything else but that's always going to be unlikely. So I will just do the best I can with what time I have and hope that what results is liked by those who read it. And of course hope that those who read my novels will soon expand beyond my test readers and the submission slush pile readers at the agencies and publishers I send my submission off to.
Anyway - I probably should tell you a few teaser snippets about this new book. The title I can actually tell you for this one. It isn't important to keep it a secret prior to publication as it was for the novella. It's called 'A World out of Balance'. And the plot; well I can tell you a little.
It's a borderline science fiction thriller that seems to be headed for Dan Brown territory. It does have a Secret Society at the core of the plot, albeit more of the Philip K. Dick variety than a Dan Brown one. For one thing they have some actual science fiction style powers.
I'm hoping it goes well - and that I do a decent job of paying some kind of homage to both the aforementioned authors. Whatever I think I might enjoy writing it so that's half the battle.
Now for the OCD boring bit of my blog. If you don't want the nerdy writing shit - stop reading just about now.
I'm going to end each of these blog entries with a monthly writing progress indicator. Part of the NaNoWriMo inspired thing I mentioned in a previous blog.
So here goes. (Last chance to back out if you don't care.)
January 2nd
month to day - 6,465 words
daily average - 3232.5 words
Comments