Sailors on the Sea

Friday, June 19, 2009

Returning to the Roots of Inspiration

I'm thinking it is time to return to Swords of Fire: Book II - The Prophecies of Madatar. The query for Traitor is sent. There really isn't anything else I can do with it now. So it is time to return to Khirsha, Kelso, the war with Barbarians and Trolls, and the quest Khirsha has agreed to undertake.

The story is finished. I completed it more than a year ago. As it sits now it is twenty-one chapters, three interludes, a prologue, and 180,000+-words. Based on what I was able to do with Traitor (it started at 198,000-words) I am assuming I can reduce the word count by forty to sixty thousand. We'll see.

The Prophecies of Madatar is a much more fun book than Traitor. There is more action, too. And mythical creatures. Traitor shows how Khirhsa became entangled in the Madatar-versus-Shatahar war. The Prophecies of Madatar shows how he gets in deeper than he ever imagined.

There is a host of new characters in The Prophecies of Madatar. Two are especially important, but there are others who will continue to play significant roles as the saga unfolds. For those concerned with Khirhsa's "whimpiness" in Traitor, the good news is that Khirsha is forced to do some growing up in The Prophecies of Madatar.

I'll use the same Excel format for tracking my changes as I did with Traitor.

So. I'm on my way. Again.

Whoopee.

2 comments:

fairyhedgehog said...

Go Bevie!

I'm sure that the best thing to do is to do some more writing or editing, because I get the feeling that it takes a long time for agents to look at submissions.

Bevie said...

I do, too. Although this agent promises quick response.

I've already done the first two sections - and made them longer! No matter. There is a lot to redo.

Contributors

A Tentative Schedule

Monday - Progress Report
Where am I with regard to the Current Book

Tuesday - Thoughts About Writing
I was going to be profound, but let's be real

Wednesday - What Am I Learning
What can I take from what I am doing

Thursday - Work Sent Out For Review
Respondes to my submissions

Friday - Other Works of Fantasy
Some of my other fantasy writing

Saturday - The Impact of Music
How music has influenced what I write

Sunday - Venting
My 'morbid' time. A safe compromise, I think