First off, I didn’t get around to posting the new Writer Reaction I had planned. Since the book in question is part of a series, I’m just going to wait until I’ve read the second volume and react to both, while pretending this was my plan all along…
On the subject of my primary writing projects, however, the news is more successful: I have finally finished the first draft of the Shadow of the Ruin rewrite! Yayy!
What I accomplished in August:
- 21 writing days (11 on finishing the alpha draft, 10 on editing it to first draft status)
- 30-3/4 productive hours (8,030 words written, plus 15 hours of reviewing and editing)
- 4 completed chapters
- 1 completed first draft!
The new first draft manuscript is now with my loyal beta readers (also known as my immediate family) and will hopefully enter the next stage of its life as a second draft some time in October.
For September, I will be working on some updates to the second and third installments of the series, mandated by the butterfly effect of changes made during the rewrite. I may also devote some attention to slimming down one or two overly long chapters in The Gathering Darkness, but my priority is going to be on continuity fixes.
One other cool thing: I will be traveling near the end of September to compete in the 2022 American E-Kart Championship in Florida, so I aim to finish up with editing by the 18th so I can get some good rest and relaxation ahead of that championship. I will also be traveling in mid-October for my photography, which may potentially delay second drafts (but hopefully not).
If all goes according to plan, by the end of October I ought to have the entire series in final form. I began this project in December 2012, so it’s been a big priority of mine to have it completed before the 10-year mark. At one point it didn’t look very likely (I spent six of those ten years on the first book alone), so I’m quite happy to have proven myself wrong and now be on course to meet that overall goal.
And then, of course, comes the querying…