Validity: Draft #2 Under Heavy Revision

More editing was done today. I took chunks from the middle, beginning, end all at random and started reconstructing an entirely new draft. I'm about almost 20k words into it and up to Chapter Seven. This will easily be 90,000 words if not longer. It is a trilogy though, so I dont want to drag out the story to the point where someone is like "Whats the point of Book #2?" 

It is flowing much better. I don't find myself staring at this thing going "what am I going to do here?" Instead I have a clear picture. It's like a train on the tracks, only this train is a 400mph bullet train that is whizzing through each station.

I plan on having this done by the end of the month and then it will be edited, fluffed where needed and May 1st I plan to send it out to agencies and a few publishers. 

The only hint I can give so far is it is a Dystopian. Before you go all "Oooh Hunger Games" on me, listen here: 

Dystopians have been around far much longer than Hunger Games. I'm talking since the days of Orson W. They are essentially sci-fi's, though some people don't realize this much. Fahrenheit 451...yeah that was a Dystopian.

From my vast knowledge of reading Sci-Fi and Dystopian-based novels, I'm pleased that this one is turning out to be quite unique. Funny thing is I cannot decide on the ending I would prefer to use. Sure I can go cliche, which I'm afraid a publisher would want or I can totally throw it for a loop. That has yet to be decided.  I think I will let the story flow the way it flows and the ending I will come to decide when I reach Part III of the book. Until then...it's as just as much of a mystery to me as it is to you.

"Validity": First Draft Done...Now Where?

My first draft is complete. 

Actually, it has been complete for the past two days. I stare at this pile of papers and think "Nice", but then I shiver with fear thinking about how I have to go through it all and spruce it up for Draft #2. Part of me is in fear, the other in awe, the other just downright brain dead. Churning out a novel in five days really takes something out of your brain -- or perhaps my brain fell out. Not really sure there.

I have read through and know there are some inconsistencies that will need fluffing and repair. As I read it I decided there was one part of the plot I wanted to change out entirely, which means about 20,000 words will be replaced. 

Some would say that is because I didn't outline. Nah...It's because I am a writer. Our minds, our creativities, everything that drives behind that novel production changes with the wind, the time and the temperature outside. 

This is my first novel. I want to wow, inspire and scare those who read it all at once. Is it fine as it is? Honestly yes. I just don't feel this is how I want to debut into the novel writing world. I'm a perfectionist for sure, but a realist too. I want my first novel to come out of the gates grabbing, biting and smacking those in the similar industry down to the dust. I want to run for the finish line and say "Yes! I did it!" and now I won with the best foot I put forward -- not just the OK version.

So that being said, I sit here with a stack of papers staring at them and highlighting portions that will transfer over into the revamped version and crossing out anything useless for the new plot idea. It will be interesting for sure, but the idea I have brewing within my mind is one that I think will take my idea that much further.

What is the idea? Hmmm...can't say. Unfortunately with the rise in Dystopian novels it seems as though I might get lost in the flood; therefore, I'm making something a little more outrageous. I'm also taking a risk by breaking some novel-writing do's and dont's, but hey...if you want to go big, you can't exactly follow someone's pristine template. 

For now, my book, who I have taken and cultivated under my wing like a child has been named "Validity". Will that change? Probably so. 

More updates to come on my first novel soon.