Planning the novel

I know this novel will be a work of fiction. I’ll have made it all up. No characters will be like anyone I know living or dead and the story will be completely fictitious so don’t consider bringing a claim, even if you’re distant family and you think there’s a part of you in there.

It crosses my mind that the more I write in this blog, the less I’m writing my new novel. For every 500 words on this blog I could be 500 words closer to my 75,000 target. However, if everyone that reads this blog tells a hundred others, then I might have one or two people waiting to buy the book as soon as it’s finished. Am I getting ahead of myself in the marketing plan before I even know what the book is about?

There’s two types of planning at this stage; the practicalities and the story.

The practicalities tell me that the book should be around 300 pages long. That means that each page will require some 250 words, totalling a book word count of 75,000. I might end up adding a few more or even writing a few less; it all depends upon where the story takes me.

The next calculator result is that with chapters averaging around ten pages, then I have to make thirty chapters fit the process. I personally like ten page chapters. It means I can pick up a book and read just ten pages and be able to put it down fairly soon if I have other deadlines to meet, like going to the school to pick up my daughter or waiting for a football match to begin on television. If I’m tired, ten pages can be an easy read. If a book is compelling I might sneak into another chapter and miss the kick off, but that’s rare.

On other occasions, I can sit down, relax and take in a number of chapters in one go; it’s up to me and my family! If I’m faced with a 50 page chapter then I might decide to keep the book closed and watch the pre-match discussion.

So now I know I need 2,500 words for a chapter. That’s not set in stone. Some will be shorter and several will be a good deal longer. It’s just a guide.

Now we get to really punch the calculator buttons. If I write 3 pages a day, note down six days a week (okay, make that five because six might be pushing it too far) then I need to get to 3750 words a week. (Reminder to self to set up an Excel spreadsheet.) With some articles that can be a day’s work, but when you’re so careful in selecting every word, a week sounds favourable. Hey, I can even write more and not have to worry. I might even take a day off if I’m not behind.

Twenty weeks. That’s how long a first draft should take me should I keep on target.

Some people will say that 750 words a day isn’t many, but I do have a number of other projects on stream at the moment, Christmas is coming and I only need to have one of the other projects requiring an urgent finish and I’ll be behind.

The way I work involves spending the first hour or so going over the previous day’s work and making changes where necessary. I edit as I go along as well, so 750 words suddenly becomes a tall order.

Twenty weeks starting on March 1st takes me to the start of July 2010. If I add in story planning and research, then please give me to the end of July and we’ll have a first draft available.

I like deadlines. Nothing like a deadline to set the mind working. So what will the story be about?

I’m busy this weekend so I’m starting Monday.

My new novel begins life

I have too many projects on the go at the moment, so I’ve decided it’s time to start my new novel. Well, I wouldn’t start an old novel, so I guess a new one means I’m using one word too many already, thinking of those 300 pages to fill.

First to the practicalities. The subject; more commonly known as ‘what’s the story about?’ When I have that paragraph nailed down to as close to ideal as I can get it, I’ll have the blurb for the back of the book already written, because there are several ways one chooses which book to read.

One: you look at the front cover. It has to be so good that you’re prepared to turn to the back cover. It’s always easier if the front cover says ‘from the writer of’ and hope you’ve heard of it.

Two: you gaze at the back cover and read the blurb. The short paragraph that’s supposed to make you want to go and buy the book immediately. Perhaps you don’t buy it there and then because you know it might be cheaper online.

Three; you do what half the world does these days; you go to somewhere online, like Amazon and you go look ‘inside the book’ to read the first few pages before deciding to order. If you like what you see then you either have it sent to your Kindle in milliseconds or you order the actual book (yes, people still do read books and like to hold the actual pages.) Most online companies can get the book to you next day, but if you don’t mind waiting, it’ll be with you in 3-4 days more, quite possibly with free delivery unless you live in the Caribbean, where postage will cost you more than the book itself. It saves you going back to the superstore to pick up the novel for a few cents more, but then it’ll cost you a few dollars extra as you pick up some more groceries you don’t really need. I digress.

It’s time to plan.