I plan to make a status update on my writing progress every week. I believe, given how much plot I have completed and how much is left to go that the final manuscript will weigh-in at approximately 75,000 - 100,000 words, which should translate to 250-300 pages in paperback.
This was the first week I've had without Christmas or family obligations to interfere so I am hoping I can set this as my benchmark. As I started work on Tuesday I was at the 9,840 word mark, my daughter was home sick on Tuesday so I had a bit of a rough start but nonetheless managed well over my 2,000 words a day pledge. I've picked up an extra thousand words or so to end the week at 18,455. Seven or eight more weeks like this one and I will be done the first draft.
Events of note thus far.Approximately a million people have died, although most of them in the prologue.
Konrad has been outcast from two societies, and at age 18 is currently learning how to read and write. He has been in three fights, burned twice, shot once with an arrow, lost his mother to a quirk of the first society that cast him out and his father to the violence of the second society to cast him out.
The real meat of the story has been revealed, the quest which our hero must complete. Although I must admit, at this point he's more reluctant than I'd expected. He's flat out refusing to contemplate taking on the mantle of hero at this point, but hopefully with some education he'll come around.
That's it for this week. I probably won't provide many details about the book as it goes on, there will be more twists and turns and I'd hate to give anything away. Thanks for reading.
Oh, and by the way, the hideously ugly picture I used as a header for this post is from the book Konrad is using to learn his ABCs. If you're curious what an alphabet looked like in 1861 have a peek at the
wikipedia page.
