On 1st November 2006 I registered terraexitus.com. Almost 8 (count them, 8) years later, I have finally finished the first draft of the book. In the end, it didn’t take that long. It’s not a long book, more of a novella (albeit its about the same length as the novel that partially inspired it), it’s about 36K words now, it’ll end up under 40K when finished. There is still more to do, some rewrites, lots of editing but, jings, 8 years since I first had the idea and grabbed the domain.
The good news is, I’m pretty pleased with it. Maybe I couldn’t have done it 8 years ago. It will never be popular, it might not even be good but it is what I wanted to be. I may have only written it for me, but I’m ok with that, I’m glad I did.
Obviously, I’ve had the cover designed for almost as long. And you’ll find lots herein of slightly sad and pathetic mentions of my early attempts at getting it done.
If you, my reader, will allow me, I’m pleased with myself. Not because of the book but because I stuck with it. I’m still hoping to make it good but it has been with me for so long I’m mainly pleased to get it done and out the way.
Almost time to start the next book. Funnily enough, I don’t have that domain but this very week I was offered it for $15000. That won’t be happening.
Getting it done was largely due to the confluence of two things. Travelling lots and using the distraction free hours of flying to write. Almost all of it has been written on an iPad on a plane (using the brilliant IAWriter and assembling in the amazing Scrivener). And in a pleasing echo, the next book is named after a plane.
Thanks to Stu for failing to talk me out of it and for helping along the way.