Saturday 11th April 2020

I’m currently in full production mode in World of Warcraft. In my quest to level up as many characters to 120 as possible I’ve had little time to do anything else. It’s keeping my occupied during lockdown, and I still have more to do.

I can feel a bit of burnout approaching though. Maybe the game will feel different when I go from leveling to gearing and professions, but even if it doesn’t the edit on the second book is milling about at the back of my brain.

I think the first chapter will pretty much stay as is, so there’s a temptation to dive in early. I liken it to the pre-credits of a Bond movie. It’s from chapter 2 onwards that things have to be considered.

There’s 2 big things: firstly, the Bruce Wayne vs Batman argument. Logically Batman makes sense… I’m just not sure how. The change would invalidate a few scenes I want to definitely keep, so I have to find a new way of doing it.

Secondly is lightening the plot a little. I know how to do that, but there’s a very minor plot twist that might no longer work as the foreshadowing to that event becomes tricky and contrary.

There’s also a bit of trim (approx. 20,000 words) but whereas a few years ago that might have given me heart palpitations, today it seems very doable and I can already see a lot of waste.

Weirdly, I don’t think this one needs as much work as Black as Knight has needed. That book’s problem have always been at the start, and whilst the first third of that book has been radically changed over the drafts, the end is largely untouched. With this second book, I think it’s tighter already (maybe a benefit of experience).

As a result, I’m starting to think I really need to start diving in. The over-indulgence in Warcraft means that it’s naturally starting to feel that by mid-next week I’ll probably be actively working on the book.

I wish I was one of these people who could edit a book in a week. I’ve seen other writer friends do that and I’m envious, but perhaps with this book needing a lighter touch (It’s amazing how much can be changed with a little work) maybe I won’t be looking at such a grueling editing timeline.

One thing is certain, I’m pretty sure I know what needs to be done, and the only one that could really prove a massive challenge is the Batman vs Bruce Wayne argument. If I figure that out – and I feel the solution is in the back of my head somewhere – then I can really start working on pulling this next draft together.