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So, I've done redraft 1 (part A)

9/21/2012

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All the 20 chapters have now been redrafted, which I'm pretty happy about as the redraft took a little over a month, (which is less time than I'd expected). On the other hand, the word count for the first draft was less than I anticipated too, so there was less to jig about.

However, the redraft isn't finished yet. There are various scenes and continuity things that I need to add or change which are easier to do when I can spend more time on them for the former or, for the latter, do it for all chapters at the same time instead of changing X for one chapter, and then waiting and then remembering to do it for another chapter and so on.

First thing to do now is put together a simplified to-do list so that I know roughly where a scene will be added, who's there, what happens, whether it's for advancement of the story, character development or something else.

It's very important, and hugely useful, to try and have a clear idea of what will happen in a scene from a mechanical perspective, and what sort of emotional impact it's meant to have. Obviously, lots of scenes aren't significantly emotional, but it's still important to know whether it's going to be lighthearted or horrific, witty or sombre. I've found that it makes writing much easier and the end result better when the scene is clear in my mind. The easiest, and quickest, scene in the first draft to write was in chapter 10 (roughly) and I'd been looking forward to it for the entire book up to that point.

After that there's the writing, and I'll redraft the new scenes, after which I'll try and figure out precisely where to insert them. Hard to say how long that'll take as I haven't even decided what, exactly, to write next. There will also be at least one more full redraft after that's done, and probably several more. Editing to try and make the flow write and keep the right mixture of light and dark is difficult and less fun than writing first drafts but makes a massive difference to how good a story is, or is not.

Between now and the next full redraft I also need to sort out the cover and do the map. I'm undecided about whether to do the map entirely on the computer or whether to try it in reality and then transfer that to the computer and edit it. I'll probably try both and see how they compare. And, when the map's done, I'll probably fiddle with the site to add an Art page.

Thaddeus
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Eureka Moments

9/13/2012

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Eureka moments, when a cunning idea suddenly pops into one's brain, are not something I have very often when it comes to writing.

I can only remember two off the top of my head; several years ago I woke up and the name for a character I'd been struggling to decide on came to me, and yesterday in bed when I suddenly realised a way to increase the tension of the main plot whilst at the same time improving the flow of the story.

The latter requires quite a bit of extra writing and I'll need to spend some time planning it, but I'm quite looking forward to it. The extra bit will also present more opportunities for a little light relief. I don't want to alter the darker nature of Journey to Altmortis, but I've never subscribed to the theory that unremitting gloom is the best way to write. Even MacBeth had comedy interludes (the porter proclaimed that wine provoketh the desire and unprovoketh the performance, I think).

I'll probably wait until the first redraft is done before writing entirely new material. That should help continuity and give me a better idea of where new scenes/chapters can slot in.

Incidentally, thanks to all the readers who took the time to buy and read Bane of Souls and then came here. I appreciate your interest, and hope you like the site.

Thaddeus

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Maps and artwork

9/3/2012

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I've not done much work on the Altmortis map for a little while, but once it's ready I think I'll probably add an artwork section here. I don't want to cram in endless categories on the top menu (when I add things about the Ndesi and Sceptred Isle I'll just enlarge the Lore) but I do think that's a sensible addition.

Obviously the most important pieces of artwork are the covers. Well, cover, for now, but Journey to Altmortis will have its own cover sooner or later. It'll also be a handy place to put maps and maybe other bits and pieces. The Geldfels and Kemelheim crests are pretty simple but I might put those up as well.

Covers and other bits of artwork are always a bit troubling. As a writer just about everything from the story to the characters to the work rate is down to me, and yet the biggest single hook is the cover, which someone else does. I'm very happy with the Bane of Souls cover, but I'm having some difficulty settling on an Altmortis cover.

I could hand the map over to someone rather more artistically inclined, but it's something I'd rather do myself. It won't be the most aesthetically pleasing cartographic endeavour in history, but it will be accurate.

Mind you, for the subsequent trilogy there may be several maps. I've got a basic map of Denland done (I need to rename one city, though) and battlefield/local and maybe even city maps may need to be done.

Thaddeus

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    About Me
    I've always loved reading
    and writing, particularly fantasy and classical history. I'm also quite into F1 and politics and have no idea why this section is double-spaced.

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