Chapter 11
I finally finished Chapter 11 this morning of the newly titled book, The Dark Thorn. At the beginning of the chapter I had a fairly strong epiphany about the third book in the series, and I realized the perfect place to plant a seed for that third book was in Chapter 11.
It took me a while to straighten out all the details for that third book so this chapter took a bit longer to write than I had originally thought. But the results make me happy and that's all that matters.
Word count is as thus:
Prologue: 3045
Chapter 1: 4075
Chapter 2: 2973
Chapter 3: 3241
Chapter 4: 4144
Chapter 5: 4547
Chapter 6: 2793
Chapter 7: 3598
Chapter 8: 4939
Chapter 9: 4257
Interlude: 2372
Chapter 10: 3346
Chapter 11: 3185
Now on to Chapter 12, which is another Bran chapter. After that comes a Cardinal Cormac chapter, which is going to be great fun to write. All I know is I keep having more and more fun as each chapter is started and I don't think a writer can ask for more than that other than a contract, great cover art, a publisher behind ya 100%, lots of readers, and meeting fans. Oh wait... guess I have a ways to go!
It took me a while to straighten out all the details for that third book so this chapter took a bit longer to write than I had originally thought. But the results make me happy and that's all that matters.
Word count is as thus:
Prologue: 3045
Chapter 1: 4075
Chapter 2: 2973
Chapter 3: 3241
Chapter 4: 4144
Chapter 5: 4547
Chapter 6: 2793
Chapter 7: 3598
Chapter 8: 4939
Chapter 9: 4257
Interlude: 2372
Chapter 10: 3346
Chapter 11: 3185
Now on to Chapter 12, which is another Bran chapter. After that comes a Cardinal Cormac chapter, which is going to be great fun to write. All I know is I keep having more and more fun as each chapter is started and I don't think a writer can ask for more than that other than a contract, great cover art, a publisher behind ya 100%, lots of readers, and meeting fans. Oh wait... guess I have a ways to go!
Labels: The Dagda King, The Dark Thorn
posted by Shawn C. Speakman | 3:51 PM
6 Comments:
Hey Shawn,
Yep. You definitely come off as arrogant and presumptious at times (i think i've told you this before BTW) but so does anybody who thinks there opinion is important enough to post up on the internet for others to view. I can't tell you how many times i've posted on your site or Aidans and read back over my post and thought it sounds "Arrogant and presumptious." Thats just the way it goes more times than not. Just wanted to tell you that I appreciate your honesty and forwardness, regardless of how it comes off, thats about all we can ask for from strangers over the internet. An ameliatory (i think i may have coined a new word) smoke blower wouldn't do anyone any good, sure you'd make some people (who are looking for new book titles) feel better about themselves, but in the end you'd only be setting up further rejection, and breeding confusion over that rejection. For the record, I don't like Through bended clover, i get your point and its valid, but that title doesn't sound good to me.
But quite frankly, if I was ever in position to get my book published, at this point, I would be wililng to cede the name of the book to see it get done. Tho i would still want to make sure it had a cool title.
In recent months, I have been growing a little unattached to my tentative title: Key to Zinoa, but your argument has brought me to the conclusion that, although it may not be as poetic as I would wish for, it is the best fitting title. It has a nice play on words to one of the central themes of the book, creates a legitimate question/conflict, and the term "key" has enough fantasy attached as to create a bond there. [tho i'd fight to the bloody end to keep a key and keyhole off the cover of the book---but then i'd fight to the bloody end to design the cover art, I know exactly what it should be, but (even tho i'm a rather talented artist) i would want some one much more skilled than I to do the artwork.]
Question: Did the Bran charactar from the r.r. martin books at all influence your decision to have a bran in your book? or is it purely happenstance (the happenstance portion being that I just finally read those books.) And also, you are right, the name of your last book is unpronouncable, and without a fantastic set up you'll never get it by a publisher, lol.
One final thought, I was mildly amazed to find out at this point in his career Terry Brooks is still having to bend to the will of those who'd change his title, it puts it into perspective for all us little people.
sean
Sean: I hate breeding confusion over rejection. The problem is people don't know my resume or where I am coming from. I have seen every aspect of the book publishing field, from top to the bottom. I have more experience garnered then editors and agents in the field -- not a lot of experience in specific roles in New York but I've seen them all and how they work together. I have a breadth of experience, one could say. That lends me a unique perspective on all of this -- and also breeds contempt when I use that information that doesn't make a person happy.
But recently I've been having a lot of those people I give advice to write me back and tell me I was exactly right at the time, because various editors or agents have told them the same thing I have. That gives me some hope, at least, that I am doing something right.
When it comes to titles, we have no power. None. Zero. As you see with even Terry Brooks, a writer who has garnered enough respect over the years to warrant such an ability. But marketing still controls these aspects of the industry and that is never going away. You won't be able to pick your title; I won't be able to pick my title. All we can do is pick titles that make us happy and that don't conflict with what marketing wishes to do. I've done that with my title change. We'll see what happens down the road.
The same happens with cover art. We have no control over cover art. Sure, they'll ask us what should be on the cover; we shouldn't be surprised when they go a completely different way. They will ask us what artists we like, knowing full well as first time writers that they aren't willing to spend the money on the big artist names we have given them.
With the title, I know I won't get far probably. When it comes to cover art, I have a plan in place already to combat that problem. We'll see if it works, but I won't let any publisher's art department damage my book's possible sales. It costs them nothing to screw up one title; it costs me everything. I've seen over the years too many instances of a book's cover murdering a writer's future -- whether it be artist choice, scene choice, or marketing words -- and I would rather hold my rights and self-publish a book that looked right than have a crap cover put on. That is something I will fight.
Funny you should ask about Bran. You are the second person in a week to ask that question. I came by the name like I come by most of my names -- via baby name books and the name's meaning. I've only read A Game of Thrones and that was a long time ago, and hadn't even remembered Bran is the name of one of Martin's children. In the baby names guide I use online, Bran means "raven" and Ardall means "powerful" and "brave." Both of those have significance for the book and that's why Bran has the name he does.
Shawn,
It's interesting you say that about the name Bran! Having read further in Martin's series than yourself, I have an inkling that the two of you chose that name for very similar reasons.
Baby name books/web sites are the way to go in my mind as well. The meaning behind names (especially those of characters inhabiting our world) are very important. You wouldn't want a hero/heroine with a name that translates to something like "coward" or "mates with elephants" or something equally as midleading!
Just finished up Chapter 11, Shawn. Now I've caught up with you!
Hope writing's going well,
~Aidan
Mightier than the Sword
Aidan: Yeah, the writing is going really well right now, mostly because I haven't been distracted by signings. But now since I am dating someone new, that might slow it down a bit. *grins* We'll see.
Nice to see you up to Chapter 12. Feel good about that? Feel good about where the book is? Anything changed while writing it that you didn't envision when you started? I just had something like that happen and it was for the better, although it didn't change my overall outline at all.
Oh, and earlier today I wrote Ralph to let him know that 1) I've changed the book's title, and 2) that Eldon asked me to pass along a hello. Ralph wrote me back and let me know that he read my Prologue today and will be reading the rest over the next few days. He said it was a "great opening," and that was all he said. So that's good. But I've known ever since I wrote that chapter that it was strong -- Richard is a fun character to write! We'll see what Ralph thinks of the first three Bran chapters. Those I am more worried about as they are pivotal to start the book. Hmm.
All right, back to outlining Chapter 12. I think I have enough after today that I can start writing it in the morning. Got get a lot done tomorrow and the next day as later this week it's going to be 80 and I'll want to be outside for most of the day! haha
Shawn,
Those women are like cancer for writing. They suck away all our precious time! Heh, kidding, of course, they're more likely to act as our muse than anything!
It feels great to already be on Chapter Twelve, which is probably about 1/3 of the way through the novel. The last two novels flew by, I finished them each in about 3 sessions over the course of the week! If I could write this quickly all the time I'd have my novel finished in no time.
Like you I haven't had a whole lot of major changes to the storyline/plot, but in my latest blog post I mentioned how one of the characters, who was originally supposed to have what amounted to a walkon role, has seen his import in the story expand quite a bit. I can already see some of the new ways he'll direct certain events further in the story and the overall effect he'll have on Rowan as a character.
That's the fun of writing, eh? Finding the twists along the way. People who don't write probably wouldn't realise it, but the writer is probably just as surprised by the stories they pen as the readers themselves.
It's always a good sign that Ralph has read some and wants to read more! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you, big guy.
Good luck with everything,
~Aidan
Mightier than the Sword
Aidan: Just keep writing! Keep up with me, if you can! Bwahahaha!
If Ralph likes what he reads, I should be okay. As with most novels, the first few chapters are usually set up chapters for the rest of the book and they must be handled with the utmost of care. If I can get a passing grade from Ralph for those first four chapters, I might have an agent for the book; the rest of the book, in my mind at least, gets stronger with each and every chapter.
I have to admit, I'd love for Ralph to be my agent, his credentials aside. So far he has been utterly professional with what he says and the time he says he will do things in. That means a lot to me, more than anything almost. He's not even my agent and he's treated me with honesty and integrity -- like I am a client. I can see now why so many writers like this man and why a new writer must have a recommendation from one of his clients to get through the door -- he probably retains every client and therefore must pick and choose how to spend his time.
At any rate, if it doesn't work out, I'll be okay with it. I've always been someone to shoot for the stars first before having one shoot me down. The trick is catching said star and learning from it -- and trying again.
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