A new novel
I've been mentioning over the past few days the fact that once my head improved I needed to start a new novel. I've also mentioned what I thought would be the most likely candidate - a YA Fantasy set in a version of 15th Century Venice. Well as you no doubt know if you've read many of my blog entries these things often change.
You see, I had a conversation with the one person I trust more than anyone else on the planet (my wife).she read through the emails I'd received from publishers and agents (the wonderfully kind ones who had sent more than just a form email) and her advice was the YA supernatural novel I've know called The Stairs Lead Down was more likely to appeal to people than the Venice story.
The reason is if it's aimed at YAs they're more likely to get a ghost story set now than a magickal take set more than 500 years ago. That's a good enough reason for me. So yesterday, in the tiny amount of time I had available I made a start.
I'm pleased to report that the flu I've been suffering from had departed enough that my brain appeared up to the task and the first scene of chapter one was written. The novel is currently 717 words long.
I'm going to admit one thing. I have not got this as plotted as I'd like before starting so I don't know.how many chapters or words it's going to be once finished yet. I have the first few chapters down in my notebook. I have a rough outline and I know the ending. I even have a couple of key moments the book needs to pass through on the way but right now there are a couple.of fuzzy bits. I'll have them sorted before I get there though, so all is good.
Hopefully if I can maintain a good writing pace I'll have the first draft either finished or near finished by th start of April. That might sound optimistic but what's the point in setting unambitious targets?
It does of course mean the fourth Ben Williamson novella is on hold, but I can always pick that up when this first draft of The Stairs is done. And in the meantime I still have the third BW novella to revise and start subbing around.
I'm feeling a little enthused about writing again. Hopefully I can keep it going.
You see, I had a conversation with the one person I trust more than anyone else on the planet (my wife).she read through the emails I'd received from publishers and agents (the wonderfully kind ones who had sent more than just a form email) and her advice was the YA supernatural novel I've know called The Stairs Lead Down was more likely to appeal to people than the Venice story.
The reason is if it's aimed at YAs they're more likely to get a ghost story set now than a magickal take set more than 500 years ago. That's a good enough reason for me. So yesterday, in the tiny amount of time I had available I made a start.
I'm pleased to report that the flu I've been suffering from had departed enough that my brain appeared up to the task and the first scene of chapter one was written. The novel is currently 717 words long.
I'm going to admit one thing. I have not got this as plotted as I'd like before starting so I don't know.how many chapters or words it's going to be once finished yet. I have the first few chapters down in my notebook. I have a rough outline and I know the ending. I even have a couple of key moments the book needs to pass through on the way but right now there are a couple.of fuzzy bits. I'll have them sorted before I get there though, so all is good.
Hopefully if I can maintain a good writing pace I'll have the first draft either finished or near finished by th start of April. That might sound optimistic but what's the point in setting unambitious targets?
It does of course mean the fourth Ben Williamson novella is on hold, but I can always pick that up when this first draft of The Stairs is done. And in the meantime I still have the third BW novella to revise and start subbing around.
I'm feeling a little enthused about writing again. Hopefully I can keep it going.
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