What are you working on right now?

[PartialMitch]

You know Mitch, those comments of yours could have popped right out of my head. Therefore I couldn't agree more.

You know what they say about great minds. Now I just need to find my excuse.

 

[Heir]

Embrace it, love it, kick back, put on some music and have fun with it. Editing is definitely arduous, but it's the real meat of the writing experience. Sink your teeth into it and relish the opportunity. Many people lack the imagination and/or willpower to even finish one story, so you have already passed the most difficult challenge. Feel good about editing and look to it as a chance to improve both the story and your skills. It's a challenge; make it a game and celebrate the victory of developing those improvements.



I'm writing the second novel in my series, and it's a lot of fun. Writing the second one seems easier and more enjoyable than the first, and (after months of editing, trying to sell, opting for self-publishing) it feels fantastic to be doing the really creative part again.

The first part had a completely different structure and more limited settings (on purpose), whereas the second has a global setting and covers a longer span of time. My writing experience is therefore much different this time, and it is very exciting. There are also a few new characters, and finally working with them is very rewarding. The characters are more important than anything (IMHO), and their interactions are really the heart of the book.

I was thinking of my response to you before I read Droflet's one, which basically says exactly what I was going to say. There's certainly some curious forces at work here. But thanks for the encouraging words.

Funnily enough, when I began outlining my second book, I could tell already from its planned ending that it would be a superior book, probably because I'm going to enjoy it a lot more. This time around, I know how to handle writing a full manuscript a lot better than when I wrote my first one. I know my style, voice, strengths and weaknesses (though I'm still learning some of them as I edit). So yes, I believe that a second book probably is easier and more enjoyable, provided that it's not something completely different to the previous book you wrote.

And I'm completely with you on the characters thing. Characters are the eyes through which you see the world of your story (in most cases). I think character is the most essential thing.

You can have a good book that only gets character right (occasionally it's something else, like prose). I think a great book is when you have character and either setting or plot also done right. But exceptional books get all three of those things right.

That's what I feel anyway...

 

[PartialMitch]

Well said! Keep at it, and the best of luck to you.

 

[Droflet]

Yeah, what Mitch said. He's channeling me again.

 

[LittleStar]

Just finished my detailed plan for books 1-4 of my series. It was good fun writing it, and as a test for thorough planning of a project it's gone really well. During this stage is where all my discovery writing has happened, extra scenes added,extra characters, new and more developed plots and arcs and there was still room for surprises as well (such as the sneaky drug addiction my MC picked up at the end of book 3 )

I think it's got all the planning or a planner and a lot of the improv of discovery writing. This is a good balance for me!

Totalled in at around 120k for the last 6 weeks work or so? Pretty decent, but have to nearly double that to hit my targets in the new year... But then I'll be working on it full time, with my pesky day job only twice a week

 

[Nick B]

Extensive world building tonight. Lots of history and stuff. Exciting stuff, its great when you suddenly have everything making historical sense, even if the majority will never be included in any stories.

 

[Maieius]

Extensive world building tonight. Lots of history and stuff. Exciting stuff, its great when you suddenly have everything making historical sense, even if the majority will never be included in any stories.

Agreed, I filled a good 6 pages of my notebook explaining the history last night.

Been writing a character and relationship scene that popped into my head last night. I've discovered I'm much better at writing scenes spontaneously and putting them together than writing from beginning to end and I've managed a good 2000 words in three hours. Not bad for me.

 

[Nick B]

I've discovered I'm much better at writing scenes spontaneously and putting them together than writing from beginning to end and I've managed a good 2000 words in three hours. Not bad for me.

It works for us, that is how Liberator was written. Some scenes ended up on the cuting room floor of course, and some extra one written when it was assembled, but it worked.

 

[thaddeus6th]

Still beavering away on Traitor's Prize. Onto Ch20 (fortunately, the chapters are often shorter than those in previous stories, otherwise it'd be an enormo-book).

 

[Juliana]

Messing around with new thing to distract myself from old new thing.

Mostly playing around with characters at the moment and writing small, random, to-be-inserted-later-or-not scenes which help with the character building. Having fun.

 

[James118]

Well, for the last... 5-6 years now, it's been a single fantasy saga. I've done the first prequel, although I need to edit it in the coming year. At the moment, I have The Broken Earth teed up for Kindle launch in the near future. What I'm waiting on right now is some friends' help: one guy is making the website I'm going to use to promote TBE, and another guy is doing some artwork. Mr. Website gave me the deadline of 10th December for the art assets for the website, so Mr. Artist is getting up on it to have the drawing done in time. Then I need a map too, and the latest KDP will let me submit it is 29th December (via which you may be able to infer the release date). Tighter than I expected, but there we go.

Otherwise, I'm taking a brief break from actual writing. Then I should get on with polishing the prequel to perfection in the New Year.

Other, more standalone stories include an arrogant boy in secondary school juggling schoolwork with friendships he struggles to maintain because of said arrogance, and a political/war thriller in which the main character knows he is in a story focused on the war, but wants to end it.

 

[Droflet]

So, James.you have run this past some wise betas? Who are not family members? Just a thought.

 

[James118]

I have. No-one in my family has read it, but a few friends have, in earlier and more recent forms. They liked it, and gave me constructive feedback that I've used to hopefully make it as good as it can be. I just hope publishers are passing because it's risky, and not just crap. Of course, I've no way of knowing. Yet.

 

[Tim Murray]

I have. No-one in my family has read it, but a few friends have, in earlier and more recent forms. They liked it, and gave me constructive feedback that I've used to hopefully make it as good as it can be. I just hope publishers are passing because it's risky, and not just crap. Of course, I've no way of knowing. Yet.

Keep that train a rolling. Try, if you haven't already, to give it to an English major, or teacher, etc...They can really help.

 

[Gonk the Insane]

Just finished my first ever short story. I've never been that into writing them (rarely read them either, except for old classics like Bradbury and Philip K. Dick) and hadn't tried before but managed to convince myself to write a prequel to prequel to a series. It, um, wasn't quite as short as I planned - came out at 16,500 words. Oh well, it was good fun

 

[james lanfear]

Quite entertaining, reading up on the recent submissions, here.

I have just got my teeth into writing a book, my first, that has been nagging at me for at least ten years.

I failed my English O-Level, by the way, the first time round & got a 'D' in Literature, to boot.
Retaking the English, I fluked a 'B', much to my twin sister's chagrin, as she felt she was good at it & that's what she got.

However, I read a lot & a subsequent girlfriend, on taking an English degree, preferred me as her proof-checker, for her submissions.
She seemed to get the best results that way (I hope there's no mistakes here, now!). She did very well & got herself a First.

So, loving Sci-Fi as I do, my story is starting to evolve.
I know the complete story-line but new details seem to develop, of their own volition. Also, I find the characters getting richer & I want to write more of their exploits into the book. Intriguing.
One of the main characters, whom I had planned to kill off (merciless, I know), I now find myself falling in love with & I am suspecting that I won't be ruthless enough to do it, in the end.

I am enjoying the process very much.

Equally, editing is sort of an 'art-form', isn't it?
The cadence of a sentence, in relation to it's neighbours, is important. Don't you find?
Also, the placement of a sentence; depending on it's role, it's content & it's 'strength' within the narrative?
The story is the same one but how it is written on the page has great bearing.
I have found myself editing this simple post. Ha, ha.
All good fun.

I am about a third of the way in & hope to have the basic format complete before Christmas. Over which, I will complete my edit & add where I think it needs something.
Then, it will be passed on to my son & nephew, both in their twenties & keen Sci-Fi readers, to see if they enjoy it?

Cheers everyone & thank you for giving me some insights,
Jim.

 

[james lanfear]

Just finished my first ever short story. I've never been that into writing them (rarely read them either, except for old classics like Bradbury and Philip K. Dick) and hadn't tried before but managed to convince myself to write a prequel to prequel to a series. It, um, wasn't quite as short as I planned - came out at 16,500 words. Oh well, it was good fun

I know what you mean about short-stories. Never been into them, myself. I like a really thick book, given the option. However, I have read a few by authors such as Philip K. Dick, whom I much admire.
If you enjoyed the writing, that's brilliant! Hope you're readers enjoy it, too!

 

[millymollymo]

Now everyone else is asleep in this house, I'm map making, society building and character churning for New Book whilest putting the final touches to Oh That's A Good Idea 3.4.1 (damn those re-writes).

 

[Tim Murray]

Now everyone else is asleep in this house, I'm map making, society building and character churning for New Book whilest putting the final touches to Oh That's A Good Idea 3.4.1 (damn those re-writes).

Re-writes, the land of endless circuity. There is no escape!

 

[reiver33]

I'm working on finishing a stalled short story 'Lazy Money Blues' and - as contrast - the next chapter in my love-triangle romance.