Well it was shorter at the time! I've rearranged my desk since and now A5 papers can sit on my desk while I type but at that point I couldn't have the notepad by me. Whenever I was pet sitting I'd use my sister's laptop at the kitchen table. I tried not to edit, knowing I'd have to edit later but it still took months and I didn't ever get fully comfortable with the smaller keyboard. When I'd finished there were sections that looked like I'd randomly hammered at keys! It came in at 19,600 words - I still have that draft because I hate deleting my work! It was about 2/3 done by my reckoning as the Fairy Tale AU.
After many months I started editing it into something coherent and changed it from the AU fanfic it had begun as to a an original novella, which gave me more freedom with some of the plotlines. So there are some scenes almost unchanged but it became massively different in most respects. It was now 35,800 words.
Then I did a major editing job which pushed it into the novel length, 65,800 words. Then constant tinkering.
And now it's still not done, because I lack confidence and keep encountering reasons for self doubt, not helped by bs like the article I mentioned the other day that insists your career will be ruined if you don't fork out thousands of pounds to have your first book professionally edited.
In a lot of ways it's a good example of how not to go about writing a book. I don't like making an outline when I start writing but I wish I hadn't left it until so late in the editing process to do so because it made keeping timelines straight much more difficult.
All the kerfuffle is why I think it should be "sold" for free, as an example of my work rather than the best I can ever offer.
I'm proud of what I've learnt and accomplished so far but it's been an uphill labour of love and has both good and bad memories attached to it for various reasons. That ties in with the "watch out for beta readers" because my first beta had some really screwed up and hypocritical notions about sex/sexiness/relationships/consent and I got tired of explaining why I felt there was definite consent for a *kiss* (not sex, just a kiss) and that consent didn't have to fully verbal...
no subject
19,600 words - I still have that draft because I hate deleting my work! It was about 2/3 done by my reckoning as the Fairy Tale AU.
After many months I started editing it into something coherent and changed it from the AU fanfic it had begun as to a an original novella, which gave me more freedom with some of the plotlines. So there are some scenes almost unchanged but it became massively different in most respects. It was now 35,800 words.
Then I did a major editing job which pushed it into the novel length, 65,800 words. Then constant tinkering.
And now it's still not done, because I lack confidence and keep encountering reasons for self doubt, not helped by bs like the article I mentioned the other day that insists your career will be ruined if you don't fork out thousands of pounds to have your first book professionally edited.
In a lot of ways it's a good example of how not to go about writing a book. I don't like making an outline when I start writing but I wish I hadn't left it until so late in the editing process to do so because it made keeping timelines straight much more difficult.
All the kerfuffle is why I think it should be "sold" for free, as an example of my work rather than the best I can ever offer.
I'm proud of what I've learnt and accomplished so far but it's been an uphill labour of love and has both good and bad memories attached to it for various reasons. That ties in with the "watch out for beta readers" because my first beta had some really screwed up and hypocritical notions about sex/sexiness/relationships/consent and I got tired of explaining why I felt there was definite consent for a *kiss* (not sex, just a kiss) and that consent didn't have to fully verbal...