Clee Hill: Blog

This chapter has been an interesting combination of fun and hard work.

The hard work part is simply that when I wrote the original first draft of these chapters, this chapter really only served one plot purpose, and so the word count was just under 1,900.

Much too Brief.

So, heading back in for what was almost a version 1.5 of the text, I got to have a load of fun adding in a lot more plot, move a plot point up by a day, and mess around with my favourite characters, sprinkling a little humour along the way.

I'm also, partially due to feedback but also due to awareness of cliches and conventions, have not only added in a lot more of the parents, but am also making sure the Mum is not the all-knowing Mum and Dad is not the clueless-one of yore.

The next pass through the text will be the heavy lifting in terms of smoothing all those new elements out, after which there'll be the usual language, spelling, and grammar pass to make sure everything sounds right.

All things being equal, this chapter should upload on schedule on Sunday.

And that 1,900 words? Now clocking 15,000.

CH

Just into the queue is the latest in the story of Luke and Stef.

But the next chapter? That should be interesting. Somehow, when I was first drafting all of this a couple of months ago, this was a really short chapter. I mean, really short. Which, in a funny way, is good for me, because it means that instead of going over things I've already gone through once, I get to insert a whole new day into the lives of the siblings about half way through their story.

So, I'm still intending to make my fortnightly schedule, but this week's writing will be more writing than reviewing and expanding.

And, knowing Stef and Luke as I do, that's not a bad way for me to spend my week either.

CH

The latest chapter just went into the upload queue.

More of the same, but this time Stef asks Luke "Can I touch?" and all sorts of things progress from there.

As ever, if you spot a self-editing goof, let me know and I'll fix it up.

Onwards!

CH

So, aside from how much enjoyment people are getting from this story, the other common thread from most correspondents is that they wish I would publish new chapters more often.

My plan all along had been to keep to a new chapter every three weeks, this giving me plenty of thinking time as well as editing time. It also fit into my RL commitments which often take me away from writing and meaning I may forget to include details that may not matter, but sure make things fun.

However, not only am I finding that I miss spending time with Luke and Stef running around the inside of my head if I'm only working on a three week schedule, but now that the outlines of Book 2 are forming in my mind, I'm anxious to get into that to see where it takes the siblings.

Consequently, whilst it's not cast in stone or anything like that, I shall do what I can to get Book 1 out of the door in good order, meaning that new chapters should come out every couple of weeks, and if I have a sudden spurt of productivity, then maybe even more frequently than that. No promises, but we'll see.

CH

Chapter 5 has just gone into the queue for uploading.

As ever, eternal gratitude awaits anyone who finds a goof and lets me know so I can fix it.

This time around, there's more fun and games, more about The Thing, and a visit to the finest jeweller's shop in town.

Plus the appearance of a thong, too.

CH