Chapter 20
I am slowly beginning to realize this book is larger than what I had originally outlined.
Once again, a chapter I was working on expanded farther than what I had hoped or intended. George RR Martin, anyone?? There is just too much going on and to shorten the chapter would cheapen the story and piss off the reader. So I can't do that. Gotta stay true to the story.
That means Chapter 20 is split. I had to add yet again another chapter to the original outline. Now there are 32 chapters along with a prologue, two interludes and an epilogue. That's 36 chapters in all. With the completion of Chapter 20, I am finished with 23/36 chapters. On to Chapter 21!
Chapter 20 was a Bran chapter and it expanded his world view as well as introduced the reader to a lot more of Annwyn. The chapter also introduced a new character I had not anticipated, Master Guardsman Henrick, who helps protect the mountain city of Caer Glain. Richard was an integral part to this chapter and he did something I didn't expect, which only shows that even though a person can outline a book, it doesn't mean surprising events do not take place or that the writer needs to follow their outline to a definite end. Rather than trust the outline I am trusting my instincts—mostly because I think my instincts are more attuned to what readers will like as those instincts grew from being a reader as well.
As the word count stands:
That is 91,459 words, the average size of a novel. I thought originally my novel would be around 105,000-110,000 words. As you can see, that isn't going to happen. The Dark Thorn is going to be a bit longer than that. If the average stays true of 3976 words per chapter until the book's end, the book will be around 140,000 words. Which is a good sized book! I'm kind of happy about that.
In the meantime, as I try to finish The Dark Thorn, The Long Winter keeps screaming for my attention. Damnable vampires and druids!
So what's next? Another Bran chapter, the latter half of what was originally in Chapter 20. Most of it is written and has a scene I've been dying to write ever since the first outline appeared. It's going to be so much fun! Can anyone say "Gwydybyll match?"
I may even post a paragraph or two from Chapter 21... because I like it...
Cheers to all of you! Got any questions for me? I love to answer questions!
Once again, a chapter I was working on expanded farther than what I had hoped or intended. George RR Martin, anyone?? There is just too much going on and to shorten the chapter would cheapen the story and piss off the reader. So I can't do that. Gotta stay true to the story.
That means Chapter 20 is split. I had to add yet again another chapter to the original outline. Now there are 32 chapters along with a prologue, two interludes and an epilogue. That's 36 chapters in all. With the completion of Chapter 20, I am finished with 23/36 chapters. On to Chapter 21!
Chapter 20 was a Bran chapter and it expanded his world view as well as introduced the reader to a lot more of Annwyn. The chapter also introduced a new character I had not anticipated, Master Guardsman Henrick, who helps protect the mountain city of Caer Glain. Richard was an integral part to this chapter and he did something I didn't expect, which only shows that even though a person can outline a book, it doesn't mean surprising events do not take place or that the writer needs to follow their outline to a definite end. Rather than trust the outline I am trusting my instincts—mostly because I think my instincts are more attuned to what readers will like as those instincts grew from being a reader as well.
As the word count stands:
| 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 Chapter 12: 3639 Chapter 13: 4878 Chapter 14: 4562 Chapter 15: 3840 Chapter 16: 3984 | Chapter 17: 5441 Chapter 18: 4725 Chapter 19: 5651 Interlude: 3687 Chapter 20: 4537 Chapter 21: Chapter 22: Chapter 23: Chapter 24: Chapter 25: Chapter 26: Chapter 27: Chapter 28: Chapter 29: Chapter 30: Chapter 31: Chapter 32: Epilogue: |
That is 91,459 words, the average size of a novel. I thought originally my novel would be around 105,000-110,000 words. As you can see, that isn't going to happen. The Dark Thorn is going to be a bit longer than that. If the average stays true of 3976 words per chapter until the book's end, the book will be around 140,000 words. Which is a good sized book! I'm kind of happy about that.
In the meantime, as I try to finish The Dark Thorn, The Long Winter keeps screaming for my attention. Damnable vampires and druids!
So what's next? Another Bran chapter, the latter half of what was originally in Chapter 20. Most of it is written and has a scene I've been dying to write ever since the first outline appeared. It's going to be so much fun! Can anyone say "Gwydybyll match?"
I may even post a paragraph or two from Chapter 21... because I like it...
Cheers to all of you! Got any questions for me? I love to answer questions!
Labels: The Dark Thorn, The Long Winter
posted by Shawn C. Speakman | 2:04 PM
5 Comments:
Well, I would definitely love to read whatever excerpts you are willing to post.
Glad to hear that the book has gotten a little bit longer. Fantasy books require a lot more world-building and backstory than most other genres. Shorter stories tend to feel too rushed for my taste.
Also, I was wondering whether you have set a new goal date to finish your first draft?
Chris: I don't know what 140,000 words will equate to in actual hardcover pages. But the book will definitely be a bit longer. It had to be.
In a way, it is two interwoven stories: an origin story and then the affront of an evil character. Both of those require pages to tell the story right. Since the origin has been finished for a few chapters now -- well, mostly done -- the real point of the novel has grown. I don't see it being more than 150,000 words, which is still an "okay" size given Fell Hammer was 200,000 words and definitely far too long.
As for when I'll be done, I think I will forgo setting a date this time. I keep saying a certain month and that month comes and goes. I'm definitely working on it as quickly as I can but it has to unfold correctly and since this book is much more dialog-driven, and dialog takes me a lot longer to write, it is taking me longer.
Let's just say I have a new found appreciation for what GRRM is going through.
Terry told me to have it finished by January 1st. That would mean I'd only have to write about 750 words per day. That's easy to do so it should be done by the New Year at the latest.
Thanks for the question! Looking for more. :)
Hey Shawn,
Thanks for the response!
How successful do you feel you've been at weaving the Celtic mythology into the story?
Also, you said you were trying to keep the mythology true to its origin. Have you been had to take any liberties with the mythology to make it work with your story?
chris
Chris: I've stayed as true as I could to the actual mythology. I'm sure there are ways I could have improved that use, namely having read my source material several more times to gain a better appreciation of it as to not make mistakes.
As an example:
In my novel, the Morrigan is Queen of the Seelie Court. This was never written as explicitly as all of that in any of the texts I read, but the way the battle has played out over the last 2000 years warrants her to be Queen -- a Queen of war and fertility. It fits, despite it never fitting in an original source.
Lugh is a boy-warrior. Was he a boy at one point? Sure. Does he have his spear? Sure. But in this book he is a jealous, petulent ass that was never shown to be true in the source material.
Latobius, the god of the sky, has been made over into a dragon and is leader of a dying race. That's a liberty I did take, but it still fits within the confines of what we know to be true of Labtobius.
So I've taken liberties but tried to keep the framework solid in their original forms. I don't want a professor of Celtic and Arthurian mythology to write me an email or letter and say, "You created characters and simply placed old names onto them. You suck." I'm sure some will, but I'm trying to keep that at a minimum.
How successful have I been at weaving these mythologies together? Here is what I think.
I think I've done a great job of weaving the history of that ancient period into the overarching storyline. I've played with history, found its loopholes, and inserted history of the Vatican, Arthurian legend, and the history of the British Isles and I think it works smoothly.
My challenge will be having enough Celtic stuff in the novel that will appeal to people -- and by that I mean real stuff. How they painted their faces and when, how they cooked/cleaned/prayed. These things I don't know. Upon finishing, I plan on reading a number of newer sources before I go back into the book and do my edits. I hope that reading will bleed into my edits. We'll see.
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