Update: How it's Going So Far

It has been quite a while since I've posted. Obviously, I've been writing. Of course. I've also had two bouts of illness and we've had a little holiday with the kids.

Now it is back to writing. To make up for being ill, I wrote 2500 words yesterday, which is probably a personal best if I'm not sat alone in the kitchen fiercely writing.

Where am I now?

I am currently writing up my second draft of my second rewrite of the book.

I like the direction it's gone in much more this time and the development of the characters. It is far from perfect but I think we are getting somewhere. I have, for example, decided to cut out a scene and it's build up and repercussions completely. It doesn't add to the plot enough to warrant its existence in the book.

Chop chop.

That leaves me continuing to type up the hand written copy of my novel and begin to edit as I go. I am changing great swathes as I type it up. I've changed the pub to a tourist information point, for example.

My Hopes and Aspirations 

I go through periods of thinking this book is utter tosh and why on Earth would anyone want to read it, to thinking it might actually be good and I might do well with it.

I am hoping first that my Beta readers enjoy it. If no one else, at least they have enjoyed reading it.

If that goes well and the feedback I get doesn't tell me to give up writing and focus on my cross stitching, then I will make any changes and start to query.

That's months away, I still have a lot of first stage editing to do. I need to check the characters' character arcs and that the plot flows. I think I have a plot hole and that needs to be closes. I want to check the foreshadowing and the conflict in each scene. I want to ensure that each of my characters has a unique voice that is special to them. All my characters seem to have my voice at the moment and it's getting samey. I'm going to read through just looking at dialogue in one of my edits.

Should I hire an editor?

I wish I could! I don't think that is an option for me but I would love to have a professional glance their eye over my work. If I end up self publishing, then I think this is a route I will need to invest in but until then, I will just wish.

What will be next?

My current work in progress is a first book of a series. These books chronicle the lives of two ordinary human children who go on an extra ordinary adventure. They are the children of firsts: the first humans to meet an alien, the first humans to be in an alien spaceship and the first children to walk on the Moon. And, in book 2, they will experience more firsts.

Book 2 keeps popping into my mind as I'm gazing out the window on the bus. I think I may have a rough plan of where I want that to go and the character arc I want to show there. I have the final part of the series in my head where good and evil face off but it's nothing like we expect, because really no one is completely evil and no one is completely good.

My Apologies 

I am sorry that my blog posts seem to be few and far between. This is because I am working so hard on this book and trying to get it finished to the highest quality that I can. I will try to post more and maybe give you a sneaky peek at what I'm editing or writing that day!

So remember to check back for updates and thank you for reading.