Daedalus

@alanr that seems a doable timeline. I usually take about 6 months from starting to plan to end of first draft, although this one might be quicker thanks to NaNo. The six zillion edits are kind of scattered about in between other projects, beta readers etc, so I don’t really know how much actual time I spend on that. Plus it’s bloody endless anyway init?

That’s the one, John. 🙂 I exclude writing from that because, well, I’m not sure really. Because it doesn’t involve anyone’s needs but my own, and doesn’t involve money!?

RL = Real Life

What’s RL @Raine? Relaxation? (Genuine question)

My first – Ang Gal – took 8 years, including false starts, numerous rewrites, and a mid-boggling number of edits. I want this new novel to take no more than 8 months. half that, if I can get a good run at it.

Oh my gosh, well done guys! Hats off to you. Power to your elbows!!

I’m way behind – my family invasion came early and is continuing. On a more positive note, it has made me get going on a completely new novel that I’m reasonably happy with so far. I’m trying something I’ve seen recommended elsewhere and not bothering with chapters (yet). Seems OK for now.

I’m doing a weekend away in mid-January (Dunford…[Read more]

Yay for plots resolving themselves @alanr! Always a good feeling. 🙂

HOw’re other NaNoers doing? I’m on 36k, struggling a bit with days being taken up with RL, but am hoping to make it early next week – before a family invasion!

My novella-for-novel crisis is sorted now. I was putting a scene that’s integral to the resolution far too early. There needs to be several tension-building stages that lead up to that scene.
It’s a result of being over-hasty. And it’s a result of not being a ‘planner’.
Trust in your characters to show the way …
Now over 21k and possibilities…[Read more]

Fever Dream by Samanta Scweblin is a novella too – although I don’t know the wordcount – and it got shortlisted for the Booker!! I wasn’t her debut in Spain, but I think it was her first translated book.

I think there is more scope for novellas with the smaller presses, but yeah, I think a new writer would find it nigh on impossible to get…[Read more]

@AlanR — it’s not often but it can happen Meg Hunter’s debut, The End We Start From” was only 17,000 or 18,000 words if I remember correctly.

I’d guess probably not, Alan! Maybe publishing novellas is something to look forward to once one’s career is established 🙂 Though as they seem mostly to be written by big names such as Hill and Ian McEwan, you probably have to be very established.

I do have an outline, but it isn’t detailed, and maybe I should have developed it more before starting. I’ll have to stop now, anyway, and fix a couple of plot holes. If I was a true Nano’er, I suppose I would plough on regardless and fix the mess at the end of the month. But I can’t work like that. I see no point in writing that I know will be…[Read more]

Time to make yourself an outline?
Nice work though on the 16k!!!

Thanks for the positive feedback on the title. Still motoring: Just passed 16k. The problem: I’m too far into the plot. Maybe it’s too simple? In danger of being a novella.

Hello all!
I thought about doing NaNoWriMo but I don’t have time to write a sentence these days, let alone 50k!
That being said, I need some motivation so I’d love to do a Denizen’s SloMoWriMo – sounds like perfect motivation, and what great people to do it with!

Well done on the creative burst @alanr – that must feel good. And I really like that title.

Yes. Great title. Hope the creative/productive jag lasts.

@alanr — intriguing title! I like it.

@raine that’s even better – assuming 50k is your target. You’re on track.
Like some others, I can’t write and leave mistakes in. It slows me down, but I’m not concerned. I prefer 25k good words rather than 50k error-riddled ones.

And now I have a title for this supernatural story: The Never Never Item