I’ve just finished the second draft of Hild. It weighs in at 962 pages: 196,221 words. It started out at 976. I thought I’d lose a hundred pages or so–after all. I’d lost fifty pages by the time I was a third of the way through. But, eh, it turned out I’d rushed the ending, as usual, and so had to write a lot of new scenes. (The last 200 pages were mostly rubbish. I had to junk them. Mostly.)
The next step is that I spell check it (not easy with names and phrases in Old English, Irish, Latin, and Brythonic). Tweak a little while Kelley is finishing her current editing job (one tweak I must get done: adding a brief but oh-so-nifty narrative summary of insular trade route and political webs in one of the early sections). Hand it to Kelley to read. Get banned from the house so I don’t drive Kelley insane with, “Have you finished yet? Have you finished yet?”
When she has finished (and we’ve finished vacuuming up all the tufts of hair I’ve pulled out in frustration), we have a long–very long–conversation. Then I kick the furniture to pieces. Then we fix the furniture. Then I fix the book. Again. Then I break it into handy chapter-sized chunks, with suitable titles (I’m thinking quotes from the text this time), smooth a few metaphors and, oh yeah, find a title. Then it goes to my editor.
But for now, today, I pat the huge brick of paper, beam, and slide to the floor in the Faint of Triumph. Then I recover and eat. A lot. Then sit brainlessly in the sun for a day or two. (Oh where is the sun? I need the sun…) Then I think I might–gasp!–read a light novel. Right now Thomas Perry’s The Island is looking attractive. But I’m open to suggestions.
So, once again: Hild Round 2 is DONE, BABY, DONE!
Yeah Baby! Woo Hoo!!!
Congratulations. :) Can't wait!!
Thank you!
Have you ever seen this? A couple who writes and illustrates children's books describe their creative process…it's hilarious.
http://www.slate.com/features/creative-pairs/index.html
Your book is huge. However, George R.R. Martin has got you beat with just one chapter.
Yes! Tufts of hair and all, it is a wond'rous thing, to be done.
For now.
Congratulations.
Michael, well, y'know, it's boys who think size matters…
Mark, hair grows back :)
Congrats! Have fun taking it easy for a couple days.
Dianne, ha ha ha on 'take it easy'. Ten billion things to do, then rewrite again. Then I'll take it easy…
Hey, how about getting that sequel to Ammonite done now? Just kidding. Try going down to the beach in tevas and shorts and wading around a while with the starfish and rock shrimp. You are surrounded by one of the most magnificent ecosystems on this little kooky planet, and it's a gorgeous day.
Barba, sadly, the closest beach is inaccessible to me.
I'm across the water. Anytime you'd like to get down to Seahurst park or any other good spot for wading, I'd be happy to pick you up at the Fauntleroy Ferry.
I'm grinning for you and can't wait!
So the sitting “brainlessly in the sun for a day or two” was rhetorical. Got it. Well, however you manage to celebrate, you deserve it.
Dianne, just had to tidy up some stuff, nowI'm sitting brainlessly in the sun. For today, anyway. Tomorrow, got more stuff to do. But, yeah, I'm getting down time. Bliss.