Revenge of the Gamer

My last couple of posts have been more philosophical and less about my writing, so I thought it was time to give an update on the current projects I’m working on.  The most important (and time consuming) has definitely been the Yuri novel.

As of today I’ve edited 254 pages.  Some of those chapters need more work, but all of them read well enough.  Even if I’m not entirely happy with them at least they form the chapter framework for the final novel.  I might make more changes, but nothing major.  No more cutting or adding chapters, just minor tweeks to existing ones. 

I have another 50-60 pages of material to add and then the novel is complete.  Instead of adding the additional 150 pages or so I had planned after returning from San Diego I’ve decided to cut the novel at its orginal stopping point.  What I’ve added instead are a number of chapters that take place before the finale.  Instead of Chiaroscuro being a short stop Karissa and Yuri are given more of a chance to get to know each other, which makes the parting at the end that much more bittersweet.

Taking a step back I have to admit things feel a bit surreal.  The novel is over 300 pages in total, which is about the length your average paperback.  Mine is actually longer than publishers like to see.  After 28 years I’m about to realize my dream.  In a few more weeks I’ll be a novelist, even if it is an unpublished one.  I feel a great swell of pride at the accomplishment, and I can’t wait to show the thing off.

For the time being I’ll only show it to close friends, as I am going to submit it to White Wolf.  After they reject it I’m going to slap a decent cover on it, and then distribute it for free to the Exalted community.   Honestly that prospect terrifies me.  Not White Wolf rejecting it, as I’ve already accepted that they aren’t publishing novels.  What scares me is the reaction the community will have when they read it.

I’ve sunk eight months into writing Yuri Silvertonge & The Violet Spire.  I’ve written and re-written it and have read a half dozen books on writing while belting the thing out.  Looking at past work, I believe I’m a better writer.  The creation of this novel has taught me some valuable lessons, and future novels and stories will be better for it.

That still leaves me with the question, how much will people like the Exalted novel?  Will people even read it?  If they don’t I’ll keep my head up and start plodding along with the Faelands novel.  However, I do have to admit to having a large emotional investment in the Yuri novel.  The kid in me wants people to read it and go WOW, but the more I read it the less likely I think that is. 

I started out with the rather arrogant statement that my novel was better than the existing ones.  The further to completion I get the more I  question that.  Is it better?  I don’t know.  I’d like to think so.  Ultimately I’ll only find out when I release it, and the reception could be bad.  Or, even worse, it could be bad enough that no one reads the whole thing at all.

Even if that was the case nothing will make me give up writing.  It would just mean I have further to go before I master my craft.  Make no mistake, I will master my craft.  Someday I will write an epic that will eclipse the Wheel of Time and Song of Fire and Ice.  Someday!  I just wish it was sooner rather than later =p