Maelstrom – a powerful whirlpool in a sea or river; a situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil.
As hoped – the first draft of Maelstrom is done. In the hopes that it would stop me from tinkering and obsessing, the draft has flown the coop – gone to my editor for a read through and comments. Whew! It weighed in at 195,000 words. My drafts are written in Word, double-spaced in Times New Roman at 12pt. with standard margins. That amounted to 599 pages. Thank goodness I didn’t cross the line to 600.
The work of the last two weeks was the most intense writing experience I’ve ever gone through and it truly resembled the above definition of the word, maelstrom. Twelve to fourteen hour days living, breathing the world of the characters – all their ups and downs in my head twenty-four seven. Not easy as this book is much more of a suspense novel than the Crater Lake series. I knew what was coming and I was biting my nails.
I reached the two chapters that would form the climax and got stuck. Technical issues had to be worked out. Meanwhile, I skipped ahead and wrote the final two chapters and got that little chill when I typed the words – THE END. Bit of cheating but we do what we have to. Then I came back to the climax. Not sure that I’ve totally nailed those technical issues but we are talking first draft.
So – what comes next? I have been a poor blog friend the last month and hope to rectify that in the coming days. I’m looking forward to finding out what everyone else has been up to while I’ve been in self-imposed exile within the town of Haddon in the pages of Maelstrom. I’ve also got at least five books lined up on my Kindle that I am anxious to read and review. I’m looking forward to that I’m-all-caught-up feeling that I can see glimmering down the road a ways.
I’ll leave all of you writers with this great little quote 
disappearinginplainsight 
Wow…and wow!!! Good for you! Bet you have typer’s cramp. Has your brain slowed up for a bit? That is an amazing write of (almost) 600 pages. You were a writing machine! Good luck now with the rewrite part. Enjoy your well earned break, but glad you’re back in the blogosphere!
I’ve been walking around in a bit of a fog the last couple of days – letting go of this work in progress for a time is challenging but thankfully I have enough things to catch up on – like cleaning and going for walks – that it isn’t unbearable. Thanks for your well wishes.
You’re amazing! 600 pages, twelve and fourteen hour days … Wow!
A love your title. And the Johnny Depp quote, complete with his picture.
It is sort of wow – even I have to admit that! I’m so glad the manuscript came with a great title. I love the whole maelstrom idea. Can’t argue with Johnny Depp – right?
The next Samuel Richardson! I can’t believe it is (almost) 600 pages long. What a huge accomplishment. I hope that you enjoy your much-earned break. You deserve it!
Thanks, Chris. Trying to catch up on some reading and book reviewing. Ya – 600 pages – even using Stephen King’s rule of thumb – first draft – 10% = second draft – I think I’ll have to shave a bit more of that off. But thank goodness my editor isn’t shy about saying what is superfluous.
Wow..I mean, wow. Twelve hour days. Wow. Good going you. If I was a person who threw hashtags around, I’d write #inspired… You’ll have to settle for well done and be proud! X
Thanks, Jackie. I am glad to be well done and proud – LOL. For a while there I felt roasted on a slow spit. But it’s amazing how a few days away from a work in progress rejuvenates.
Go Johnny go, go!
You too, Francis!
Thanks, Claire. It’s a wild ride sometimes but a good one 🙂
Well Fran I kinda enjoy writing but I doubt I could settle in for a project like that. Looking forward to hearing how the first edit goes.
Thanks, Roy. Busy at it the last few days – working from my first printed copy. Crazy what you see on the printed page that never registers on the computer screen.