The Retreat...

I've decided to bite the bullet and set myself up in a situation when I can get 'The Wizard Slayer' out of my system quickly. Being able to write for me requires total concentration for an extended period, I dare say that is true of almost anybody who writes, so I'm taking myself off on a 'writing retreat' for a week at the end of the month.

I have booked myself into a lovely B&B I know in the Peak District, with a ruined castle on the opposite hill and a series of spectacular caves to wander round, with the goal of writing 8,000 words a day for six days...completing the novel in one quick burst. (Well, at least the first draft, in any case!)

This means a slight change to some of my earlier plans. What is of paramount importance between now and then is that I plan out the book in pretty extensive detail, producing not only a decent outline of the plot and characters, but also a detailed outline of the shape the novel will take. If I have it all planned out before I go, and then follow that plan while I write, everything will go a lot easier that if I try and do it free-form...this could well be the difference between finishing and not.

So this week, my posts will focus on crafting the structure of the book.

Terrific Response...

Whenever you announce a project like this, there is always at the back of your mind the fear that no-one but you will have any interest, and that you are just firing a shot off into the darkness. I must admit, I had this fear again with Unknown Sagas.

And it has already turned out to be totally unjustified. The submissions are already coming in thick and fast, both in terms of articles and artwork. Forty-eight hours and I already have a backlog to work through! This is absolutely brilliant. But please keep it up! More submissions, please!

Everything seems to be going pretty well right now. I have a 'gamer retreat' scheduled for late April that promises to be lots of fun, and progress on the novel is going on right now – I can't wait to actually start typing next week! (New title – The Wizard Slayer.)