Sad to say but I have not improved on my novel completion rate. From start to finish, my first book took four and a half years from first words to self-publishing. My second novel took five years from brainstorming to agent-approval, keeping in mind that some of that time was taken up with first book marketing, sales, and distribution.
I'm truly hoping to improve on my record with my third book. And I'm excited to tell you that I've moved on from brainstorming and actually started writing!! I don't have the story all planned out--not even close--but I find that getting to know the characters helps me to work out what should happen to them. I'm a big editor--and re-writer--but even writing a scene three or four times gets me thinking better than sitting for an hour trying to brainstorm.
Anyway, I'm excited to be working on something different for a change, and really trying to use this project to be patient, because my agent said that the average response time for editors on a new submision is eight weeks. EIGHT WEEKS!! That said, I'm pretty sure the eight weeks hasn't even started yet. I was told I'd get an email when the manuscript went out to the first round of editors. And no email yet.
So...I am trying not to think about Book 2, trying to focus on Book 3 and hammer out a version before too many years go by...
[via]
Posts
