New Post Your Progress Thread

I think my progress update is the same as last time, but I'll add more details:
  1. Book 1 is with a hired editor for review of plot holes and story arc
  2. Book 2 draft is done and has a list of notes I need to apply
  3. Book 3 is nearly done, goal is to have it finished before the new year
  4. My writing habit is well re-established and I am committed to self-publishing :)
I think that's it. I hope everyone is doing well. All the best and Happy Holidays!
 
Reached the 50k milestone on the first draft of my next addition to the Hobohemia series. Goal is 60k+ and looks like I'll make it. 'Waiting Weapon' got a new cover and my book order for next year is paid for. Throttling back a bit for the holidays as well, and wish everyone a Merry.
 
Not much to report here. I finished book 3 (yay!). Got feedback on book 1. It wasn't good. My plotting and world-building were terrible. I read two books on plotting and another on self-editing. I am debating whether to dedicate 2024 to re-writing a whole new story (same characters, but better plot and world-building) or just move onto something completely different.
 
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I bought two Sol Stein books on writing at Christmas (from a gift token) to see if any good. I have others already.
The most important thing though is reading enjoyable well written books (maybe best in a different genre) and writing. Also "good" writers might not be good at explaining what they do or why they are "good" (whatever that means), either because they are not great teachers, or don't in reality know how they do it, or because they are a bit dishonest.

N. E. White said:
It wasn't good. My plotting and world-building were terrible.
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But was the book enjoyable? Some millionare writers are rubbish at plotting, dialogue and world-building.
Do different age groups etc think the book is terrible?

A good book on editing may be more use than one on plotting and especially world-building (less is more in the book, you can have as much notes as you like). Plotting also varies a bit with genre and I've read enjoyable books with almost no plot. A bad plot is worse than none?

My opinions based on reading loads of fiction (Historical, Romance, Westerns, Schools, Myth, Fairy Tale, SF (from softest Space Opera to nearly hard and inc "psychic" as in McCaffery and Cordwainer Smith & Dune), Fantasy (from Nearly Normal world to High and "paranormal"), and non-fiction inc books on writing & editing.

Never mastered the "short" story or essay. My 1st drafts vary from about 25K to 110K and maybe 30+ "complete"/ polished.

I think simply re-reading on an ereader many times is good and if you still enjoy it at the 10th reading or 40th revision (reading completely each time)?

At the end of the day you are telling the story and you are a storyteller/author if some people enjoy it.
 
Ray McCarthy said:
At the end of the day you are telling the story and you are a storyteller/author if some people enjoy it.
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Thanks! I agree with the assessment. I knew there were issues with the text, I was just unaware of what those issues were. Now I know. So I can fix it. But how I think it should be fixed requires a re-write. And that's okay. I'm just unsure whether I want to re-write it now or move onto something else, then come back to this some other time.

I'm thinking the story is fresh so I should delve back into it, but I am also anxious to write another story that has been on my mind. I'll make a decision this weekend. :)
 
I did re-writes of an early story over a two year period, gave up and then rewrote it better nearly eight years later when I'd written about 30 more. Though whether it's worthwhile now is an separate issue.
 
Writing an unfinished story is like working on a meal. You have to keep at it while the ingredients are fresh.
Editing is like eating a hard cheese. It can't be eaten when freshly made. The story needs to be laid down and then proof edited after a suitable period of time. When you are fresh and ideally if you've forgotten what was used in the making.
 
I know no one has replied to this in years but I am kind of desperate. I wrote two books last year and now am at the point where I need to start promoting. Its turning out to be the most difficult part of this journey. I made a website but too discouraged to post it, made profiles on every social media site, but too nervous to write on them. Anyone who has gone from internet introvert to online novel selling tycoon out there with any advice?
 
Iwrightsyfy said:
I know no one has replied to this in years but I am kind of desperate. I wrote two books last year and now am at the point where I need to start promoting. Its turning out to be the most difficult part of this journey. I made a website but too discouraged to post it, made profiles on every social media site, but too nervous to write on them. Anyone who has gone from internet introvert to online novel selling tycoon out there with any advice?
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My only suggestions are to refer you to a few people.

@kmtolan, as he's been publishing with a small press for several years and may have some suggestions for you.

@N. E. White as she's recently published and I've had this same sort of conversation with her within the last month. Maybe you two could cross promote and help each other out.
 
Iwrightsyfy said:
I know no one has replied to this in years but I am kind of desperate. I wrote two books last year and now am at the point where I need to start promoting. Its turning out to be the most difficult part of this journey. I made a website but too discouraged to post it, made profiles on every social media site, but too nervous to write on them. Anyone who has gone from internet introvert to online novel selling tycoon out there with any advice?
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perhaps join Scribophile? i've gotten a lot of good advice from folks with far more experience. the community is quite active.

or as RedMage said, contact me (private message) and i'll help as best as i can. but i'm a newbie, too. making all sorts of mistakes. we can stumble along together?
 
and i forgot this thread existed!

progress on my current wip: ~14,000 words or so, aiming for 100k. hoping to have it finished by the end of march. or mid-april? late-april at the latest.

it's a dragon story
 
Work in Progress
Unfinished (or nearly ready to publish = *) in Celtic Otherworld:
Hamlet is a Place: Started 2025-01-19, last edit 2025-02-04_17:08 – About 4900 words. Complete skeleton. Might be a short novella.
* The Enscorcelled Maid: Started 2019-02-23, last edit 2025-02-17 – About 44,700 words.
Macha and Hy Brasil: Started 2021-05-28, last edit 2025-02-12 – About 17,900 words.
* The Ending of Marion: Started 2018-07-17, last edit 2024-05-21 – About 76,050 words excluding extras.
Tom Óg and the Firebirds: Started 2021-03-01, last edit 2024-05-14 – About 65,800 words
* Geena and the Prince: Started as part of a different book 2018-10-25, last edit 2023-12-02 – About 59,000 words.
* Four Kids one Foxe: Started 2018-10-25, last edit 2023-07-29 – About 61,500 words
* Jewels and Rooks: Started 2018-06-23, last polish 2025-01-16 – About 78,300 words.
* Wooing Marion: Started 2018-07-17, last edit 2025-01-16 – About 80,200 words.
Watchers of Magh Meall: Might not do this one, set in 2029. Started 2021-05-08, last edit 2024-03-07 – About 5500 words.

Unfinished in Talents Universe: All books in series except this 8th & last are published.
Tellus's Last Talent: Had various titles. Started 2016-02-15, Set in 2025 mostly, so waiting a bit to see how Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine goes, though it's an alternate reality. Last edit 2025-01-16 – About 46,500 words.

Unfinished in Trader's Isle: The first book is out. Originally planned as a trilogy in 1992!
The White Firestones: Started 1996, big gap, Rev 4 2019-10-07. Last edit 2021-12-09 – About 45,300 words. Maybe this ends story unless the last 3 chapters chopped off and expanded to a 3rd book

There are three other writing projects.
 
N. E. White said:
Oof, Ray. Your list daunts me. Best of luck with it.

Making steady progress on my dragon WIP. Can't wait for the end -- it will be epic! (i hope)
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1) some of the ideas and bits of writing go back to 1989, 1992, 1996 or 2012.
2) Look at Started and last edit dates. Not so much activity in last couple of years
3) I was made redundant and eventually was writing fiction full time. Now mortgage is paid off & I'm on pension.
4) Using Word processing since before the PC existed.
5) Years of semi-fiction writing: Project proposals
6) Electronic Design, Programming, writing manuals, writing training material, giving courses etc over 30 years.
7) First SF story was at school about accidental discovery of AI on a spaceship, a very long time ago. Big non-fiction MSS on Amstrad PCW using Wordstar on origin and convergence of Communication and Computers in 1986. I, erm, misplaced that, so I'm careful about backups. The tech work experience helps me remember that and gives me the tools. One off site back-up is a server in concrete solar powered shed, with also its own UPS at the end of a 1Gbps Cat5 cable. Some of our cables are Cat5 put in in 1998 and then mostly 10 Mbps!

Vital stuff in the house & freezers etc can run about 20 hrs with no daylight charging or grid.

But I never did get round to learning to type properly.

I do think most famous people are so partly from work, partly from talent and a lot of luck. I know great musicians that have never made the charts and will never make the cover of Rolling Stone. She who shall not be named got a lucky contract terms and media exposure. There are plenty of better writers, series, etc that don't make enough to live on. Fortunately I don't need to make money at it. Most published writers would starve in a month if the books was their only support. Even trad published.
 
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