I’M OFFICIALLY ON MY SECOND DRAFT!!!!!!

I didn’t get to 70 k words, but I did say that if the story felt it had reached its natural conclusion, I’d let myself start in on draft 2.

So that feeling is absolutely amazing, omg!

This is the first time I have ever finished a first draft of an entire novel. I am in shock that I even managed to do it, and it all feels so unreal. Actually, in a way its starting to feel all to real.  I’m going to be a published author, and 11-year-old Shylynn would be having a complete meltdown over this.

I still have the email from the first time I ever queried a publishing house. I called them, because I was 11 and had no idea what I was doing. I had to have “synopsis” explained to me, but I have never forgotten what that is since that conversation. I look at that email sometimes just as a reminder of where I’ve come from. I can say now that I know why that first snippet of work didn’t make the cut. For one, it wasn’t even a completed manuscript. Secondly, I am almost positive that I ripped off Shakespeare for the opening lines. Lastly, it was utter garbage!

Now, I write completed manuscripts of utter garbage with absolutely no plagiarism! That’s progress baby!

The manuscript felt complete at 63, 871. I will be attempting to up this word count to at least 90k but we will see…I’m not pressuring myself or making any promises. Maybe 75k is a more reasonable attempt.

I’m thinking at some point of starting a separate handful of posts that could go into the different mythology and folklore I’ve pulled from to make this novel. I will likely put out a description of what Project Prophecy is about before doing this and my hopes is that it drums up some interest. Ya girl is trying to do the whole marketing thing (and technically I do have a modicum of education in this but not entirely sure that certificate is going to come in handy here).

For now, here’s what people should know.

This is an epic fantasy

It will likely be a 4-book series

I will be self-publishing this series

It will be my debut novel AND the first book I’ve ever finished (which might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done but…some mistakes need to be made!)

It is a multi-pov with both male and female leads

Romance is a subgenre and therefore I’m not sure it would fall into the romantasy genre

I’m trying really really hard to make it as cool as possible

Okay, stay writing so you can start on draft 2 and fall in love with your characters all over again!

Oh! And you can find me on IG & Threads <3