I’ve just updated the fantasy progress meter, including the estimated total word count. I’m so close to finishing the first draft that I’ve scheduled the story for editing! At the beginning of the year, I said I hoped to finish it by December 31st. Then I said August 31st. Then June 30th. Now I expect to finish it within a week or two. Forcing myself to sit and write for a couple of hours every day, even when I really, really, really didn’t feel like it, has paid off.
In Outlining vs. Winging It, I mentioned that I intended to pull about 2,500 words that no longer belonged in the story. Since I had to estimate the total length for my editor, I went ahead and pulled them, to avoid including them in my estimate. The new estimated length is 93,000 words, and the current word count no longer includes those 2,500 words. They’re gone.
My editor will edit the fantasy in August. I’ll do my own edit through June and July, in addition to writing the September Rymellan story. I’ll probably start the latter next week.
I’ll decide whether to publish the fantasy after my editor has taken a crack at it. If she comes back and says, “This one belongs on your barbeque,” that’ll be that. I’ll stick it in a drawer and maybe take another run at it in a few years’ time. If she doesn’t say that, I’ll announce a publication date in late August/early September, along with the title and a few details about the story and characters.
Have a great weekend!
I really hope the fantasy pans out. I enjoy your stories very much. I always look forward to another Rymellan release and I am very excited about your fantasy. Thanks for the updates.
Thanks! I hope it pans out too, but since this is the first time I’m trying my hand at fantasy, I want someone else to read it before I get excited. It’s difficult for me to judge my own work.