2025 is the year I finally finish my book, feel free to join for support

[CoffeeAndWrite]

Afternoon everyone,

I have been writing two historical fiction novels since 2016. Every year, I say I will finish it, edit it, polish it, and send it out to publishers, and every year, I barely move forward with my novels (I've had two kids and a master to finish while part-time working but still!). My children are now 4.5 and nearly 2, and although the youngest isn't sleeping through the night yet, I'm determined to finally get my first novel finished. I might potentially be going back to work in September so I feel even more determined to do it now whilst I have more time on my hands. I need to be far more dedicated to writing even when I don't feel like it (like evenings when I'm exhausted and just want to watch TV). So I thought I'd make this thread to keep myself accountable and to accompany me through the year in reaching my goal. By the end of 2025, I want to have sent my manuscript out to agents/publishers.

I'm currently doing the re-write as it is a mess. It needs development and heavy editing. Then I will edit the re-write. I then plan to polish it as best I can before sending it out some beta readers. I may send some of it to a professional editor but the steps after the beta readers are not planned yet.

If you would like to join, feel free! I'd love to hear about your project, your goals and it would be great to have some company to keep each other motivated and offer support when needed

Hello! Popping my head above the parapet to join in if that's ok? I've just finished a 'first draft' at about 65k words but I already know it needs a lot of editing and building out. I have a clear picture of some of the bigger things I need to do (characterisation, tightening up a few plot points, just generally better writing) which I hope will come easier with a framework to hang it off.

I've been working on this one for over a year and I still feel like there's a mountain to climb and I suspect it might all be rubbish anyway - I'm wondering if i'm going to spend 4 years of my life on this and come out the other side with nothing to show for it now!

Welcome! I'm four years in! Most of that has been editing. You edit. Learn. Have to re edit. I have the same worries about having nothing at the end! I was convinced I wanted traditional publishing but am toying with the freedom of self publishing.

Wow @EveInEden four years of editing! That's commitment. How will you decide on traditional vs self publishing? Have you had other people read your book and got feedback? I feel like my head is full of this story at the moment but I can also see a lot of weaknesses, just need to work out if i'm good enough and patient enough to tackle them, or if i'm enjoying the process and escape enough to do it whatever the outcome!

How do they know if you use AI? I have used it to try and order my book - it’s based on my academic field (so I know too much) and had become rather unwieldy. I put a chapter through AI and asked it to tidy it up for clarity and some of its suggestions were really good. So I haven’t used it to write the text but I have used it to tighten messy bits up. Have I blown my chances of publication?

Hi everyone, hoping it’s not too late to pop on here and say hi - only just found this thread! 👋 I finished editing my book last month and have just started to send out to agents - only 2 so far but my son is now on his school holidays so I’ve not got as much free time to focus on individual cover letters/synopsis etc. But planning to submit to a couple more this week. I started my book in the early days of covid lockdown - I did a course with The Novelry and this really helped me with structure and plotting a more cohesive story. I’m now trying to streamline my thoughts into the next book I want to write - I have too many ideas and they’re all swirling around in my head, so I need to knuckle down and work it out. It’s so hard after spending 5 years with a story and characters you really care about to then move on to the next one!

@laddersandsnakes12 I understand how you feel about leaving the characters behind! So much so that my standalone novel which has been WIP for 9 years became the first in a series the week I sent it to my editor!! I never wanted or dreamt of that happening but I think the headspace of having it at an almost completion stage freed up some creative space in my brain. So now I'm busying myself with planning book 2. I'm enjoying the process but am doing it with a bit more foresight this time around in the hope it won't take me another nine years!

I'm trying out the snowflake method - seems to be working for me so far, although I'm only on the character summaries. Maybe give it a go if you like a structure to help.