20,000 Words: 1/4th of the Way There

My first novel, Alter Road, was just over 88,000 words. My second and most recent novel, Friendship Games, is about 78,000 words. Last night I reached the 20,000 word mark of my third and follow-up novel, Daddy Broke the World (as it is currently titled). With those two as guides, then I am 1/4th of the way there.

One quarter of a novel doesn't sound like much, but in my experience, the first quarter is the hardest. Now the picture is clearer, and the pace should quicken.

So hooray for me!

Speaking of pace, you'd think that with more experience, the writing would go faster. Alter Road took about 7 years (!) from initial ideas to completion. But I really hadn't committed to the idea of writing a novel until about four years in, so in reality, it took just over two and a half years to write.

After the release of Alter Road, it was a good six to nine months before I would start to write scenes for Friendship Games. The time in between release and starting anew was spent on marketing, seeking book reviews, and otherwise getting the word out. Once I started though, it was two years to completion. So I did manage to shorten the time it took to write the novel by six months.

Still, two years is a long time. Why does it take me so long? Work, man, and life! Plus research and a ton of reading.

And a lot of thinking about everything before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys). I daydream a lot, probably too much. I'm always surprised to learn, or re-learn, that a lot of good scenes and ideas come together as I am actually writing rather than daydreaming.

It's definitely a flaw in my process, but it's my process, I suppose. And it seems I am right on schedule. If the pace begins to quicken like it has in the past as the story progresses, then maybe I'll shave off another month or two. Or not.

20,000 words is definitely a milestone, though. So, I will drink a glass of red wine in celebration.

40,000 words is the next one. Hopefully I can get there just a little faster. This time, there are readers waiting.

Wish me luck!