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Izz

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You sure can! Welcome to the Novel Challenge, calieber :welcome:
 

Green

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Maybe if I write my goal down, I'll actually accomplish it for a change :).

I have a 115k MS completed and it has been sitting in my computer for a few years. It's gone through several re-writes as my writing improves, but I've always wanted to get it into query shape. Recently, in a burst of writerly energy, I've done a lot of editing that has allowed me to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The major problem: too many words! I basically have to make a lot of hard decisions coming up on which subplots to cut, or how to turn this into a series. I think I might just have too much going on for one book. BUT if all goes well, I hope to have it in query shape by December 1.
 

lebbieb

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I'm jumping in with both feet! My plan is to have my novel (my first) finished by May 31st, 2013.
 

michael_b

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Okay, I may be crazy...

But my goal for 2013 is to write and sell six novellas and/or novels.

Don't laugh, I've done it before, just not recently.

I'm going to try to remember to check into this thread from time to time and report how I'm doing.

Now off to plan my NaNoWriMo book and finish up a rewrite/expansion of another story that recently came out of contract. (Oh, I did finish an 81,300 word novel today--rough draft stage, not a final.)
 

Green

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No laughter from me! That's quite an admirable goal. I think if the inspiration is there, and you have the time to pound out those words, it's very possible to achieve. Just think of it as 6 extended NaNos :)
 

michael_b

So many ideas, never enough time.
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No laughter from me! That's quite an admirable goal. I think if the inspiration is there, and you have the time to pound out those words, it's very possible to achieve. Just think of it as 6 extended NaNos :)

I write full time, minus the usual errands, house duties and cat related chores. The last time I did this I had a full-time+ job where I usually had one day a week off.

I'm very inspired, which is really great since for the last two years inspiration has been sadly lacking.

Current projects are listed in my sig.
 

michael_b

So many ideas, never enough time.
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The major problem: too many words! I basically have to make a lot of hard decisions coming up on which subplots to cut, or how to turn this into a series. I think I might just have too much going on for one book. BUT if all goes well, I hope to have it in query shape by December 1.

Is there a particular publisher you're aiming this at and what genre is it? It isn't uncommon for fantasy novels to be this long, and many are even longer.
 

Green

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Is there a particular publisher you're aiming this at and what genre is it? It isn't uncommon for fantasy novels to be this long, and many are even longer.

It is more specifically a YA fairy tale retelling, with an epic fantasy feel to it. I wouldn't be too worried if I was marketing it towards adults, but for YA usually 100k is tops for even fantasy works unless you're an established author :(. Off to the cutting board!
 

ehbeebe

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My tentative six month challenge for Shelter Me

Hi, I'm Erika.

My story is a YA Urban Fantasy titled Shelter Me. I’ve been sitting on the idea for a year. I have the characters mapped and the plot started. The first two chapters are set in the past. The third moves us the present so it’s an interesting transition to say the least.

But here’s a quick and messy high concept summary.

Sixteen-year-old Jenna can mix a mean bowl of herbs to save injured stray animals, calm feral dogs with marks she can draw in the air, and soothe just about anyone with a glance of her eyes; but she can’t talk to people—they don’t want her around.

I'll post my outline soon.
 

ehbeebe

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Current Word Count for Novel

I am currently at 3,394 words.
My own deadline is May 18. I think I'll aim for 63,000 words putting my at 2,625 words a week. I guess I better start cranking it out.
Thanks for the motivation.
 

michael_b

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So I actually sent off one novella and two stories back in October. Have acceptances on two waiting to hear on the third since they don't make decisions on anthology submissions until after the anthology closes.

Need to get this gay scifi novel through the second draft then off to the publisher I've promised it to. Hopefully they'll like it.
 

Merry

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Well, I need a bit more 'oomph' to get the revisions on my completed MS done. I've been vacillating for too long and I need to get them completed and out of the door so I can feel comfortable working on something new.

I'm going to be generous with the time and say 6 months from now the novel should be submission-ready. This will give me time to complete the revision notes and do two full passes of the MS. I anticipate getting it done before then but by saying 6 months I've given myself a deadline that I'm not going to panic about.

Jill
 

alessahinlo

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Going to try this again. I'm about to start a new WIP and these are the deadlines I want to hit:

First draft: February 29, 2013
Submission ready: June 1, 2013

That's about six months. Hopefully it'll go better this time than the last one!
 

ReeseRyan

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I love the concept of Write 1 Submit 1. Wish I'd discovered this years ago. I'm hopping onboard for 2013, but wanted to jump into the Novel Challenge now.

I'm currently working on book 2, due to my publisher by April 1, 2013. My goal is to write a minimum of 30,000 words this month to complete the novel. An ambitious goal, I know. But I'm just coming off my NaNo high and I'm confident I can do this. Off to a good start today.
 

michael_b

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Sent off the first three chapters and the final chapter of the book I wrote over six months earlier this year. It took me far too long to write, but it's off to the publisher I intended to send it to. Now the wait begins while I work on a slew of shorter fiction.
 

Almondjoy

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I'm going to jump in on this challenge, since it's time for New Year's Resolutions anyways. ;)

I want to finish my current novel by June 1st, 2013. I've never actually completed a whole novel- with revisions, editing, beta-readers and the whole shebang- so I think 6 months is ample time.

Good luck to everyone else!
 

jennarielly

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I definitely want to take part in this challenge!

I hoping to finish the first draft of the novel that I started this month by June 1st.
Then I want to have it query ready by December (maybe October if I can swing it).
So far I am just over 14,000 words.