Today I read 203 pages or 58,000 words of the book formerly known as Velocity, start to finish. Not too bad at all. It’s definitely shop-able, in less technical terms, in good enough condition to show to an agent. Just have to write the rest now.

And that’s the big question: the length the finished manuscript might clock out at. My answer is between 375-400 pages. Somewhere slightly north or south of 100,000 words. Why 100,000? I did quite a bit of research about manuscript length. Young adult fiction is 40-60,000 words. Mike Brody is not for children, and though maybe teenagers will like him, he’s not YA. Adult fiction is anywhere from 75,000-140,000 words. However, first time novelists trying to pitch the Bible length tomes are at a disadvantage, because the more words, the more paper required, the more the book costs to produce. Publishers don’t like spending money for some odd reason. The only authors pumping out 140,000 or more words per book are established, and therefore safe risks. Notice that the first few Harry Potter books were far shorter than the later episodes. So 75,000 words is the bare minimum of flair. What does an acquiring editor think of an author who does the minimum? Who knows.

My preferences also figure into the target. Once a book exceeds 350 pages, I skim chunks where I sense the author is dragging things for sake of page count. Besides Harry Potter, die hard Clancy fans, and some Stephen King devotees, I doubt I’m alone. Beyond 500 pages, the skimming increases, unless the author makes the prose work and doesn’t explore senseless diversions that are texture at best, ego stroking at worst. For instance, I read every word of the Interview with the Vampire. Of the sequel, the Vampire Lestat, there was a whole lot of skimming ( and cursing ) going on in my house. Her writing style was only partly to blame.

Nonfiction is a different beast. A 1300 page nonfiction books cover to cover is no problem if the subject is interesting enough, especially a well-written biography or a study of an important historical event.

I’m of the leave them wanting more school of entertainment, instead of the Anne Rice branch, which verges on no one else is allowed an opinion, so read it and like it, or go away. Should I sell 100 million, maybe I’ll cop a little attitude.

Stephen King once said something like: ‘if you are not a great reader, you will find writing difficult.’ This makes a lot of sense; I concur with the master of all matters creepy.

When working against a deadline that remains months out, budgeting time every few days to read pages of a published work in a different genre can be very constructive. Just seeing the words in print of another is a validation of sorts for a project, because it proves in a material way what very few ever say to a writer, tons of books are published all the time, and that writing a book that sees daylight is possible. Hey! Look they did it too.

Reading is also a reminder that novels vary in quality and sensibility. There’s the great, the good, the mediocre and the one where the author quit. Most books are at least good with a touch of filler and a moment of brilliance. A genuine masterpiece is rare and is the goal of very few writers. For every The Dive from Clausen’s Pier, there is Blood Canticle.

Ultimately, I won’t serve as the judge and jury of my books. That will be a critic’s job. So effort spent comparing my stories to another writer is a waste of effort. They have their act, I have mine. The fact that I’ll get compared at all means I hit the primary goal to sell my words.

Side point – that new Coldplay hit about birds flying at the speed of sound is great, even if I can only make out parts of the chorus.

At last something of interest, a replacement title for Velocity. Thank you Mr. Dean Koontz for confirming Velocity was a great title by selecting it as well. As a precaution on the blog it remains Velocity ( or book two ) until I have a check/representation. It’s an indulgence, and perhaps one borne of superstition, but one that I consider reasonable. I’d rather not blow two more days on a title a third time on the same book. One more coincidence like that and it’s Star Wars – Reloaded. Bring on the lawsuits, Herr Lucas.

Writing output is way up as of late, so much so that October 2005 is the projected finish date. Thereafter my writing priorities are three-fold: query actively for Velocity, revise a screenplay ( more about this later ), and draft an outline and synopsis for the sequel.

I pray that the next synopsis is my last because revealing the ending of a story I invest months, years, god knows how long on, is painful. Unpleasant as it may be, there’s little alternative option for a writer trolling for representation; agents don’t invest time reading unless they sense the writer can deliver the goods. While I sympathize with the plight of a thousand manuscripts and twenty-four hours in a day, a big whatever to that practice!

Seriously, three pages is sufficient ink to reveal a diamond. If the story is still agreeable, keep reading. Continue until completion or the warm fuzzies fade. Don’t like the pages? Toss it aside and grab a manuscript that delivers the goods, like say, Velocity. 😉

Guess what feature that automatically saves documents periodically that I didn’t have enabled when the power dipped at the end of a productive writing day? Auto-Save is now enabled and it took about two hours to recreate what was lost.

Yeah, that’s what I learned today.