Write What You Know, part 8

#154: "They really do believe it, and that belief will color everything they do."

Thoughtless News

So, I'm writing a space opera novel. Currently, I'm just over 80,000 words into the first draft. There is a lot in there that could be expanded (and, I'm sure, a lot that could be cut.)

At around this point in it, I've pretty much finished a major arc for my main character. There's a lot more for her to do and learn and become, but this is definitely the end of the first part, which is what I intended.

All four major characters have had trials and tribulations at this point, which they have overcome. It's true, Del and Amelia (who was originally just a minor character there to facilitate trouble for Del) have had the most of it, but Bilan and Jie have changed and grown at this point as well.

I also just had a huge dramatic scene in which they believe they have defeated the main villain, and several other things happened that have unalterably changed life for all of them.

In short, it would be a good place to end a novel.

I also realized that the part I'm writing now is going to be longer than I'd originally planned. The characters have a new common goal and it's going to take them a while to accomplish it. And at the end, life will have changed once again for all of them. The antagonist still has plots going on, and an old friend is going to show up again in a different way.

In short, it would make a good sequel, instead of a second half of a novel.

Also, at 80,000 words, I don't have to add much to make it novel-sized (which "should" be anywhere from 90,000 - 110,000 words, which I'm pretty sure is the reason a lot of agents have been immediately rejecting Yellow Tape and Coffee, at 212,000 words.)

So, I've made the decision. Part One is now Book One. Part Two is now Book Two. If these sell well, I have ideas for several more in a series. "Delokita in the Belt", "Delokita Near the Sun", "Delokita On Earth", "Delokita in the Void Between the Stars", "Delokita on Mars", and so forth. In book Three, Jie finally gets to see an elephant.

So, the short version is: Thoughtless (or Delokita in the Belt, or whatever it's gonna be called) Draft One is complete. I'll start typing it into Scrivener tomorrow (or possibly later tonight.) So, I'm going to have three novels in various forms at once:
Querying: Yellow Tape and Coffee
Editing: Book One of the Thoughtless Saga
WIP First draft: Book Two of the Thoughtless Saga

Since my first drafts are in notebooks, this will work, as I can still write during my commute, or various other times, and edit when I'm at home in front of the computer.

Just in case anyone was super curious about what I'm doing with this.
Also, it feels kind of weird to be almost a week past the end of the first draft before noticing. But, still a happy milestone. Woohoo! I finished my first draft!

Over an hour of research went into this one line, which may not even make the next draft.

#155: "Let me show you how we did it in Berbera," Amelia said picking up a needle.