Filling in the outline for Starforgers is coming along at a leisurely pace. I’m supposed to be finishing up the final draft of Tyrmia, so that has priority right now. Back to the outline. I do my outlining in a spreadsheet. This is so I can add and subtract things with relative ease. I start with the basic plot outline divided up by major scenes and then breaking those down into chapters. Each chapter is broken down into bullet statements with plot points that need to happen. It becomes a check list for writing the chapter. I also note the Point Of View of each scene or chapter bullet.
Sometimes I go into more detail or I mention certain things like – change this name or rethink this scene. Other notes may be about character arcs or just about anything that might occur to me before actually writing the first draft. When the time comes to fire up the word processor and start typing, I usually have it clear what needs to happen in each chapter. My goal is to get through a chapter per week. Usually I write only on weekends, early in the morning. But this time, I’m going to be pushing myself to get through the first draft sooner.
Tyrmia took way too much time to get through the first draft with a several month long break in the middle. I don’t want to do that this time. I want to start writing and stay writing until the end. Not sure how many months that will take. Going to start writing in October, hopefully. The goal for now will be to get to the end of draft one by January 2011. Then let it sit for a month before jumping into draft two. I may have a few beta readers look at draft one. After draft two, I will open it up to more beta reader and hopefully their inputs will be incorporated into the third and final draft. With any luck, by next summer Starforgers will be going to my editor.