J.A. Pitts

I use the word “Outline” very loosely

The outline for the fourth book in the Sarah Beauhall series is done.  My high school English teachers would not be amused by my use of that word.  <queue Princess Bride>

Be that as it may:  the outline stands at 205 pages and just over 36K words.

Yes, this is 1/3 of the novel. Some scenes will only need a light touch. Many scenes are high level ideas in need of real dialogue, description, setting, etc.

This is my fourth time through the outline in total.

• Draft one was a skeleton with missing pieces and little meat.

• Draft two filled in the missing pieces and started adding details where I thought they were too important to lose during drafting.

• Draft three added in some sub-plots and bits of foreshadowing, motivation and emotion

• Draft four was a continuity pass. Did things flow organically from one scene to the next?  Does the plot hang together?

I know how I write, I’m confident in my style. This book will come in between 100 and 110k words.

Crazy, huh?

Now it will sit for a couple weeks while I tackle the page proofs for book 3 (Forged in Fire) in preparation of its July 2012 publication.  Proofs are due back to New York by January 17th.  Once that’s wrapped, I’ll be drafting Hearth & Home with earnest.

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