The Actual Writing

I haven't posted much of late on the actual writing I'm doing. Basically this is because I've been working away on "the next novel" (codename : Engn) and there isn't a whole lot to say that will be of great interest. It's progressing nicely. I have about 20,00 words of it down so far but it hasn't told me yet how long it will eventually need to be. The 20,00 words is at about 3rd draft stage. I find that some days I like to just write new stuff, break new ground, and write and write without any restraint or self-censorship. Other days I spend my time rewriting and editing what I've previously written. Quite often I do a bit of both. I don't think I could ever write a whole novel in rough first-draft. I have to polish as I go along.

But I am trying to be a lot less controlling and proscriptive with this novel. I mean, I know where I'm going. I know how it starts and how it ends. But I don't know everything about what happens in the middle. I want it to come to me as I write and let the characters do some of the work! Actually, I don't even know how it ends. There are two possible endings and it will be one of the hooks to the text that the reader won't know which way things will go at the end. To keep it interesting (for me and the reader), I'm deliberately not making that decision until I write that bit.

Hedge Witch is still being considered by an agent. So it's great that they're still considering it and agonizing that I haven't heard anything back yet. The publishing industry can, of course, often move at tectonic speeds. It's tempting to send the manuscript off to other agents too while I'm waiting, i.e. to simsub. I understand why people do but I'm resisting the temptation and playing by the rules ...

Meanwhile, Writer's Database tells me I have four short stories currently submitted to various magazines : A, C, G & T, Seek Alternative Route, The One Thousand, One Hundred and Eleven Gates to Faerie and The Thirteenth Labour. So that's 2 SF, 1 fantasy and one "realist" piece. Sounds about the right proportions to me ...