A lot of my time for the past three months has not been writing. Mostly, it’s been editing and reading. Reading my stuff; reading my reader’s work and reading books from others.
My TBR is still stacked sky high.
The writing I did get to, aside from rewriting, which mostly reduced word count, came close to finishing the draft of Journeys Home, virtually finished Red Hot Maman and worked on Lovers and First Indications. Those three make up the next stage in the Dragons saga.
I also planned for Blood Moon, since Low Places awaits its release. It’s time to get going on it, since the title event has happened!
I spent more time working on the map, and on the front and back matter folders, now kept in a separate project called Master Common Elements. That now includes the Author’s Note, which attempts to give a baseline understanding to a few of the characteristics of the setting. Part of the map-making exercise was to create front matter maps that zoom in on the area specifically where the current story is set.
Latest updates on top. Older ones are below.
Updated August 8, data from 31 July.
Here’s April’s update:
As of (7/31), the WIPs, along with my plans for them, are:
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 111 114 words. No major change.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 99 253 words. A third version following the reader’s comments on the earlier version; earlier comments are now included. By the 17th, it’ll be off to my reader again.
• The Journeys Home (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three): 117 251 words; continuing this draft. Still incomplete, two threads to tie up. It will go to my reader by 8/17, after finishing and rereading.
• Blood Moon (A Beckie and Ian story) formerly Princess: 59 686 words. No major changes. Obviously not complete.
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 107 506 words. The new version back and changes made. Ready for publish once Blood Moon is done.
• First Indications (Dragons Run My Life, Book Four): 7 982 words.
• The Lovers (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three addendum): 17 216 words. Following Miri and Rhion, and Sanne and Gareth as they travel from Rendekebing to Traenthe.
• Red Hot Maman (Dragons Run My Life, Book Four addendum) 15 646 words. A trip to seek out Tanial’s maman in Slot Minear. This is essentially complete
From a quarter ago, here’s the May update:
As of (5/1), the WIPs are:
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 112 338 words. No major change.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 99 676 words. A third version following the reader’s comments on the earlier version; it’s back with my reader (April 25) to see what problems I’ve left in.
• The Voyages Home (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three): 113 529 words; continuing this draft. Still incomplete, two threads to tie up. In the hands of my reader (April 28), to see what problems she spots.
• Blood Moon (A Beckie and Ian story) formerly Princess: 50 924 words. No change. Obviously not complete.
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 107 784 words. After my reader’s suggestion the rethink the ending, again, added and subtracted words for net reduction of about three thousand words. The new version is back with her (April 25) to point out places that don’t match or still don’t work.
Added three new WIP. Titles are working titles only. More hours spent with Aeon Timeline, to lay out the plots for these:
• First Indications (Dragons Run My Life, Book Four): 1 394 words.
• The Lovers (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three addendum): 5 453 words. Following Miri and Rhion, and Sanne and Gareth as they travel from Rendekebing to Traenthe.
• Red Hot Maman (Dragons Run My Life, Book Four addendum) 1 424 words. A trip to seek out Tanial’s maman in Slot Minear.
Here’s July’s work. The Y-T-D total is 116 228 words through July 31.
What happened this quarter, then?
Overall, I wrote 43 361 words, just over 14 500 words per month. Better than the last quarter, but far fewer than the 40 000 per month I hoped to get, but didn’t set time aside for.
I packed the CreateSpace pdfs, Amerith, Faux Princess and True Princess to travel with on our Rhine River cruise over the end of June, and did read and mark-up errors and things. Those have been incorporated in the mss.
As you saw above, I finished Voyages now renamed Journeys, since as my reader pointed out, none of them take a boat for an appreciable trip, making journey more accurate. Close, but no cigar, as far as the end of month update is concerned.
I had comments on Faux Princess, True Princess and Journeys to incorporate, after going back through my mail to make sure I got all of them. They’ve been incorporated, too.
After one last read-through of True Princess and Journeys Home, I’ll send both off to my reader for her thoughts on this latest version. That should be before the 17th of August.
The planning for Blood Moon still hasn’t finished. I’ll probably wait til Voyages is complete, a week or two after I get the comments on the current draft.
Red Hot Maman is virtually complete. It may slot into the Book Four opening. However, while it starts just after First Indications, it includes a scene or two that need to be read as part of both. The trick will be inserting a break in Book Four that says, in effect, Now go read Red Hot Maman, then come back and continue here. Probably that’s not viable.
Lovers did the first growth, since a chunk of it came from Journeys, but the change in Journey’s ending will cause ripples through Lovers and First Indications, so that’s to consider, too.
As always, comments and opinions welcome.
The spreadsheet: Created by Svenja. See svenjaliv.com for more info and resources, including a free online word meter. All images are © 2011-2016 SvenjaLiv (http://svenjaliv.com).
Earlier updates
From a quarter ago, here’s January’s update:
As of (2/1), the WIPs, along with my plans for them, are:
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 111 909 words. No major change.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 103 135 words. A few changes. New version now in the hands of my reader, when she gets to it.
• The Voyages Home (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three): 94 601 words; Continuing this draft. Still incomplete, two threads to tie up.
• Blood Moon (A Beckie and Ian story) formerly Princess: 50 924 words. No change. Obviously not complete.
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 110 405 words. Added and subtracted per my reader’s comments. Returned the changed pieces for her review on January 28.
As of (1/1), the WIPs, along with my plans for them, are:
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 111 140 words. No major change.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 102 272 words. Comments on old draft received early in December, triggering another round of revisions, which continued through Dec 15. New version now (Dec 16) in the hands of my reader, when she gets to it.
• The Voyages Home (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three): 59 038 words; draft underway. Not done by mid-December, but one major point has been hit.
• Blood Moon (A Beckie and Ian story) formerly Princess: 50 924 words. Reduction in word count is due to leaving out double counted sections and annotations. A few words, but not much. Obviously not complete.
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 108 027 words. Got my reader’s comments back on Dec. 15th, and began addressing them.
As of (12/1), the WIPs, along with my plans for them, are:
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 111 491 words. No major change.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 104 131 words; minor changes in draft. Revisions finished October 23. My reader has her own life to worry about, so I haven’t sent it.
• The Voyages Home (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three): 52 045 words; draft underway. Parts of this story went very well; others were slower. Still have a couple major points to hit. I still hope for mid-December to have the draft complete.
• Blood Moon (A Beckie and Ian story) formerly Princess: 54 313 words. I’ve committed to a direction but haven’t put much flesh on those bones. I will probably finish the draft of Voyages before coming back to Blood Moon, which will put it into January.
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 107 954 words; haven’t heard back since my reader has a life.
As of (9/1), the WIPs along with my plans for them, are
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 111 490 words. No change.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 106 324 words; draft is complete. On 9/1, received comments back from reader; problems. I’ve started a new version as a result. Plan for revisions to be done in September.
• The Voyages Home (Dragons Run My Life, Book Three): 22 255 words; draft underway, although on hold for now, til True Princess is revised, as the changes will affect it as well. I hope for mid-October to have the draft complete.
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 51 508 words, the first breakthrough occurred; now to put some meat on the bones. Plan to finish draft in October.
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 109 912 words; sent the first half (57 000+ words) back on 8/15 to see if the issues have been addressed. On hold til those comments are back.
• Amerith (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 19 900 word; no change.
• Rhion Prequel (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 6 042 words; no change.
Amerith and Rhion have had no attention paid them; I’ll drop them from the updates.
As of (8/1), the WIPs along with my plans for them, are
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 111 490 words. Took care of the few questions and said, that’s done.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 106 324 words; draft is complete. Reread and revised, and sent to beta reader on August 5.
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 49 336 words, the understanding of where the story is isn’t complete.
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 104 578 words; Received comments back, fixing is started.
• Amerith (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 19 900 words; last questions answered and it’s done.
• Rhion Prequel (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 6 042 words; done.
As of (7/1), the four WIPs along with my plans for them, are
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 111 343 words. To my reader on June 6; comments back and revisions complete. A few more q for the reader, and this one will be finished.
• The True Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 94 750 words; draft is not complete. Two more scenes; I can see the end. The title has changed because I liked where the characters ran off to. Update July 6: Draft complete.
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 49 370 words, began understanding where the story is; draft complete by July 30,
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 100 178 words; almost no work. First read to beta by July 6.
• Amerith (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 19 848 words; sent to beta June 6. Comments received and incorporated; Q’s back to reader by July .6
• Rhion Prequel (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 6 018 words; sent to beta June 6. Comments received and incorporated.
As of 6/1, the four WIPs along with my plans for them, are
• The Faux Princess (Dragons Run My Life, Book One): 115 518 words. Did the revisions, but need to reread, then to my reader by June 5
• The Voyages Home (Dragons Run My Life, Book Two): 62 162 words; draft is not complete. Now plan by June 30.
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 51 000 words, no change; draft complete by July 30,
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 99 247 words; corrected most significant problems; revising. First read to beta by June 15,
• Amerith (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 19 848 words; proof and send to beta by June 5, and
• Rhion Prequel (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 6 018 words; proof and send to beta by June 5.
As of 5/1, the four WIPs along with my plans for them, are
• The Faux Princess: 110 651 words. Found even more holes with the aid of my reader; plug them with the revision to beta by May 15
• The Voyages Home: 37 735 words; draft may be complete by May 15, but more likely, the 30th;
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 51 000 words, no change; draft complete by June 30,
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 99 053 words; found significant problems; revising. First read to beta by May 30,
• Amerith (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 19 854 words; proof and send to beta by May 15, and
• Rhion Prequel (A Dragons Run My Life Addenda): 6 013 words; proof and send to beta by May 15.
As of 4/1, the four WIPs along with my plans for them, are
• The Faux Princess: 108 807 words. Went over notes from my reader. Revisions complete by April 20; return to beta by April 30.
• The Voyages Home: 13834 words; draft complete by May 15;
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 51 000 words, no change; draft complete by April 30, and
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 96 958 words; proof and send to beta by April 15.
As of 3/1, the four WIPs, along with my plans for them, are:
• The Faux Princess: 90 954 words was sent to beta reader Jan 30; notes came back by 2/12 and have lain waiting for Low Places to be complete. Goal is to have it ready to publish by 3/31.
• The Voyages Home: 8382 words; draft complete by April 30;
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 51 000 words, no change; draft complete by April 30, and
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 81 365 words; failed to complete draft by Feb 15. The goal is now to have the draft by 3/15, and on to my long suffering beta reader by 3/31.
As of 2/1, the four WIPs along with my plans for them, are:
• The Faux Princess: 90 956 words, sent to beta reader Jan 30;
• The Voyages Home: 2500 words, no change; draft complete by April 30;
• Princess (A Beckie and Ian story): 51 000 words, no change; draft complete by April 30, and
• Low Places (A Beckie and Ian story): 65 932 words, still on track to complete draft by Feb 15.
