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Post by Tig on Aug 5, 2018 9:05:48 GMT -5
I don't want to make a thread just about me but I'm so excited I want to run around screaming at the top of my lungs.
I have finished the first draft of my book. The whole thing. Intro, plot, developments, the twist, the climax, all of it. Ever since I have learned to write I have wanted to write a book. I have made three attempts, one at non-fiction and this was my second fiction, only to get about 100 pages and stop. This time, the words and ideas just flowed to me, and I can now say the writing process is my new favorite thing.
It's very rough. I will not be distributing copies until my second draft as an entire group of my antagonists underwent a complete identity change halfway through and there is one scene that I can NOT make interesting no matter how hard I try. I will start shopping for a publisher and reaching out to author friends to see what they can do.
The Clockwork Cathedral is officially a reality to me now. Even if it never gets picked up and just sits in multiple copies on my storage drives, I will consider this an accomplishment. It's never been about making money. In all my years I've had a horrific time reading, fighting dyslexia and ADD, so I was astonished I could write a full novel (203 pages but I may add a few things) and be able to read it after. Maybe it's arrogance, I don't know, but I can honestly say I had too much fun doing this and I will be doing it again.
If you guys have something you dream about doing, do it. I have watched all of you grow and do amazing and fun things. I am privileged to be a part of our group.
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Post by fantasiawht on Aug 5, 2018 9:41:44 GMT -5
That's absolutely fantastic, Tig! Well done! So proud of you bro. Truly inspirational.
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Post by WickedCrustacean on Aug 5, 2018 11:15:55 GMT -5
That's pretty awesome, man. Congratulations!
Based on pretty much every interview I've ever seen with a famous writer, make sure you put just as much effort into subsequent drafts. They all said that to create a good book, they had to do a LOT of re-writing and editing.
There is definitely something incredibly cool about the creative process, and looking at the result of it before you.
Cheers!
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Post by Taibi on Aug 5, 2018 12:05:13 GMT -5
Awesome. Congratulations.
Have you thought about self-publishing?
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Post by Tig on Aug 5, 2018 13:41:51 GMT -5
Thank's guys. I have a friend who self-published his first 2 books and he said for fiction I definitely want to try an established publisher first. I'll start shopping tomorrow.
Extensive editing is certainly a must. I wouldn't dare turn it over in its current state.
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Post by Mako on Aug 5, 2018 20:50:23 GMT -5
Awesome, brother! Congrats! So exciting!
Been wondering how things have been going. Something like this definitely needs its own thread.
Can't wait to read the finished product!
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Post by Taibi on Aug 6, 2018 3:01:07 GMT -5
Cool. It is good you know someone with a bit of know-how on the business.
Will it be under your own name or some cool pseudonym?
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Post by WickedCrustacean on Aug 6, 2018 10:40:50 GMT -5
Haha, we could propose some pseudonyms, based on your favorite games.  |
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id42928110
Barfly
...little girls in sailor suits
Posts: 220
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Post by id42928110 on Aug 7, 2018 2:30:38 GMT -5
Congrats man. I'm happy for you buddy =) Made me happy to read your post and the joy in your words.
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Post by Tig on Aug 7, 2018 2:46:32 GMT -5
Thanks guys. This really means a lot.
No pseudonyms, I think. Not for now anyway.
i read excerpts from William Gibson's steampunk novel The Difference Engine and I have to say I am severely outclassed. Definitely going to do some heavy re-writing on key descriptive points. I think I'm ok with a plot but his opening description of an old woman's hands on the arms of a vintage chair is just jaw dropping. I have a long way to go still. This one may not even get published but it's a milestone nonetheless.
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Post by Taibi on Aug 7, 2018 6:07:32 GMT -5
True. The fact that you have written the book is, in itself, a great achievement.
I will be finishing my summer class this Friday, so if you are ok with it, I would love to read it, now I have time. Though I will be fine waiting for you to re-write whatever you have in mind first.
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Post by Tig on Aug 7, 2018 13:04:08 GMT -5
I appreciate that brother. Let me do the first edit to make it cohesive and clean up some changes I made in the middle and it will be readable.
Meanwhile, does anyone have any steampunk novels they recommend? The lists I've consulted have a lot of stuff I couldn't possibly get through (a friend of mine cites that as the reason I wrote what I did). The Difference Engine has terrible reviews and after slogging through Neuromancer, I'm inclined to think they're right. I'm looking at Homunculus by James Blaylock and even The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. The latter isn't steampunk but it's a real setting with out-of-place events and entities. Might help a bit.
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Post by Taibi on Mar 8, 2019 16:15:03 GMT -5
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Post by Tig on Mar 9, 2019 9:36:46 GMT -5
Yeah I've seen this. Maybe for my next book.
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Post by Tig on Jun 14, 2019 23:07:36 GMT -5
OK so after about 9 months of extensive editing and adding another 50-75 pages (I lost count), I sent my 2nd full draft off to a professional editor at the end of April. She hit some personal issues and just now got it back to me with a general thumbs up, saying it's not her genre she reads for leisure but she found it engaging. Not exactly the hardcore criticism I was hoping to receive but her editing notes are spot on and I definitely got my money's worth. Since then, I had shipped 7 or 8 alpha copies off to various friends (no one in this group) who promised me not only would they read it but they would shred it with brutal honesty.
Of all those people, only 3 actually read it, and maybe 5 total even started it. Of the 3 included, my wife, who's habit of reading can only be described as voracious, loved it. She doesn't like science fiction and she doesn't typically like anything I've written, but she loves it. Two other friends who are avid readers both enjoyed it as well. The problem: Of the few copies I got back there was little criticism, so either I've written a flawless masterpiece or the only people getting back to me aren't that big on sci-fi (I'm leaning heavily toward the latter, but not discounting the former).
So, with my editor's notes at the ready I begin the third and "final" draft. I will be adding a few things, pushing the novel to somewhere around the 300 page mark and extending the book by 1/3 of the original draft when I declared it finished last August. I plan on sending off to a publishing agent or publisher (a friend found one for me) by the end of July.
Who here wants to be my beta testers? I know a couple of you read part 1 over a year ago and I was saving you guys for when the book was closer to done. The problem is: I need people who will actually read it and will finish it in a timely manner. I don't need more people who I send copies to only to get silence in return (really getting tired of that). I'm giving myself until July 15th to get my final copy in order, so if anyone here has an opening in their library card for judging an amateur sci fi novel, I could certainly use your help. I can only pay you with my love and adoration, something you guys have anyway, but I'm not above begging. Think it over and holler at me if you're interested and I'll shoot you a copy in the coming weeks.
And even if you can't or don't wish to, please know that if you are a part of this group you are more than influential on what I've written. One of the larger themes in my book is the camaraderie of a group of people of varying beliefs, something that relates to my time with the Tavern specifically. Love y'all.
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