HEADING BACK TO SCHOOL, WHAT DID I GET ACCOMPLISHED
Posted on October 17, 2017
With tomorrow being my last day to actively work on Randall Flood in a big way, I thought I'd reflect on what I was able to get down with the eleven work days I had to work on this novel during my track out. I wrote 28,000 words as of today and have slotted 2,000 words for tomorrow, which should be a breeze to accomplish. I stuck to my chapter outline pretty closely, taking eleven chapters to write what I had outlined for nine.
At the 30,000, mark things in Randall's life are getting upended, and he's questioning who he's aligned with. This chapter and the next will set him on a new path and reveal the villain of the piece. The story reads like two books in a way. The first half has him going along with what he thought was his mission. Once he learns the truth, the second half sets him on a new path, one where he is stripped of his powers and must rely on others to help him regain his magic and truly earn his title as world mage.
It's a perfect place for me to stop as I can take the next nine weeks to read it over and make note of what to emphasize in the second half of the book. It will also necessitate reworking the chapter outline for the second half of the book. I find that the plot evolves when you start in on the chapters, which requires you to then make some changes to your original plan.
The good news is it feels like a true halfway point. That makes it nice to step away from for a while. When I come back to it in December and January, my next track out, I'll be armed with a firmer sense of direction and the second half will really be a hoot to write. In a way, I'm getting to showcase Randall in two completely different ways, something I've never tried before.
Who knew letting your character walk down one path only to find they've been led astray would be so much fun?