Printing tomorrow

The beta draft is very nearly finished. I'm going to spend this evening picking through a few crucial scenes just to allay any remaining niggles. It is just over the 160,000 word mark but editing is likely only to bring that down.

Tomorrow I shall print and bind a couple of copies for people can read. As this is still a beta draft it will be going first to those people I know who are avid readers, particularly of the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre(s). How long these copies last before I feel the need to make all the corrections which will be noted, remains to be seen.

Almost like being at work

My goal was always to finish this draft by Christmas. Well at one point it was a month earlier but we'll brush over that. The editing process has really sped up now I'm working through the later stuff. I've got a few parts which still need significant attention but I've scheduled myself with daily goals to get it all done by Thursday. Giving me Friday to get a couple of copies printed and bound on campus. hmm... I should probably check the printing unit is open on the 21st. So that will be a copy to take home with me and one to hand out. Assuming I keep on track that is...

I don't know, daily goals, schedule, it's almost like being at work.

Out with the old...

The editing process is now well underway. I've finished cutting the old material form the beginning. What was chapters 2-7 is now chapters 2-3. So there's now 25 rather than 29. But the fact is since this can all be cut and it ends with a story which makes more sense is I think good enough reason to remove it. I'm not sure how much that will have reduced the total length by, I'll find out when I get there. That was the only significant change from Kirsty's edits, though now I do need to follow the rest through carefully to make sure it fits the new stuff.