Hello again! Today I wanted to offer up the progress on my current work in progress, FanFact!
Clara’s life is fairly unremarkable. She goes to school, is preparing for college, and spends her free time writing fanfiction about Liam and Blane, her ship in the popular Hierarchy Of Magic book series.
But everything changes when she discovers the world from the Hierarchy of Magic, including Liam and Blane, is all real. Not only is it real, but she’s stumbled into the world in the middle of the soon to be released, final book in the series. Her knowledge of the series is a big advantage for not only Liam, but the reigning Hierarchy Party, who seeks to dispose of any magician who does not fall into line. And Liam is the biggest target of all.
But how much of Clara’s knowledge is helpful versus a hindrance? Who can be trusted? And are Liam and Blane really falling for each other? As Clara gets swept up into the politics and danger of this magical world, she can’t help but wonder...is she meant to be a part of the story, or is her presence the force that will make Liam, and everyone except a select few, lose everything?
Deadline: None
Self-Imposed Deadline: August 2018
Current Word Count: 59,765
Anticipated Word Count: ~70,000
Where Am I In The Story?
Right now I’m in the area right before the climax. Basically, everything has gone wrong, the characters are in big trouble, and there’s only one final “battle” to go. My beta readers are all caught up and my wife is bugging me to keep writing to see what happens next, so this is a good sign!
Is The Rough Draft Finished?
Not yet. I think the rough draft should be done by June, though, as long as I sit down and stay focused.
How Much Editing Does It Need?
A lot. I’ve been letting people read the first draft as I write it, which has allowed me to close up some plot holes early so I don’t need to do any major rewrites down the line. But there are definitely characters I want to flesh out more, plot points I want to explore in depth, and areas that simply need better writing because they were rushed through the first time.
What Is The End Goal?
Publication from a major publishing house is the major end goal. I hope to start querying agents by this fall, which means at some point they will start pitching my novel to publishing houses.
Will You Self Publish?
I’d consider self publishing, but only after many attempts at traditional publishing have failed. Mostly it’s because I do marketing 40 hours a week for my day job, and I simply don’t have the energy to do it for another 40 hours a week for my novel. Plus I want to be seen in bookshops!
Mini Excerpt (Spoiler Free):
“It was apparent even in book one that he felt something for you.”
“The books,” I breathed. “You read them?”
“Oh yes, all three,” she said, and sure enough there it was, in her hands, a thick, crisp copy of the final book in the trilogy. “But I have to say, I’m not a fan of the ending. But so far the book here doesn’t seem to match up, so I have to say things are in my favor at the moment.”