It’s done!
After a mammoth effort, the edit on Black As Knight is done! And a day ahead of my self-imposed deadline as well.
There’s a weird feeling when you complete a massive piece of work like this – an emptiness accompanied with a massive sense of accomplishment. I almost don’t know what to do with myself.
This is the first of four novels I’m looking to complete this year, and whilst, at first glances, it may look I’m behind schedule, I have one novel completed, one half-way through the final draft, one awaiting to be edited and another still being planned. Not bad when you consider this year has seen me plan and go on a top secret trip of a lifetime and buy a house in another part of the country.
I’m especially proud of Black As Knight. This is a novel that reads like it’s written by a much better writer than I give myself credit for. I might be the only person who loves this novel but I honestly don’t care – I’m so proud of it. If writing is an activity you primarily do for yourself, I’ve written myself my new most-favourite novel.
I’m incredibly hard on myself as a writer. I’m my own worst critic but I’m really proud of the work I’m turning out this year. I’ve still got a long way to go but this novel really pushed me. I’ve worked really hard and it’s almost quite emotional seeing all that hard work come together in a completed novel.
I have a few final bits to tidy up and then it’s off to beta readers. I hope they love it as much as I do. But that doesn’t mean I won’t continue to polish the hell out of it before submitting it to agents and publishers around Worldcon.
No rest for me though. I’m straight into finishing the final draft for The Thieving King. It’s going to take me a few days to get my head around the change in style but I’m hoping to get that novel done by the autumn when I move onto Thunder which has turned from a SF Storm Chasing Thriller to a Supernatural Storm Chasing Thriller. I’ve promised myself that book will come in well under 100,000 words.