I am almost done with the rough draft of Maradaine Constabulary. I just have to write some scenes of denouement.
This one has been harder to get done than I had anticipated. I know part of that was that I had put it to the side no less than three times for rewrites of Thorn of Dentonhill and Holver Alley Crew, as well as other non-writing things in my life taking focus. But I think it was also harder because factors pushed me out of my comfort zone. MC has a female protagonist, which was my first time attempting that. I hope I did a good job with that. Plus, while it is still an fantasy novel (sort of urban, sort of traditional… oh, how subgenre vexes me), it is also a thriller/procedural, which is definitely out of my comfort zone.
Now, for me, “rough draft” ends up being around 70-75k, which is not shopping length. That is around 90k. That was the process I used for both Thorn and HAC, and I find it works well for me. I have a better time with keeping things tight and then asking the question of, “What more does this need? What needs to be flesh out?” Putting on muscle is easier than trimming fat.
That said, I’ll need to decide which of my Planned Future Projects I’ll start to tackle while my crit group tears up the rough draft.
Ah, the dreaded future projects. Honestly, I’ve put so much work into my current project, it’s difficult for me to tackle (mentally) getting started with a new one.
Keep us posted on yours!!! 🙂
K
See, I have almost the opposite problem. Future Project ideas not only pop up, but gnaw and taunt at me. Sometimes to the point it’s hard to focus on the thing I need to be finishing. In fact, right now, with only two or three thousand words left to write, the future projects are all clamoring in my head for the privilege of being next.