The Terry Pratchett Prize, Round Two...

[Jan Van Quirm]

PMed you with some useful publishing links Q - fingers crossed for both endeavours

[Batty]

Well done for all your endeavours, Q!

[Quatermass]

Thanks, both of you.

The book is currently at 46K words. I hope to get it beyond 48K by the end of the day.

[Bebito]

Hi guys, first post big fan.

Is the TP First Novel Award 2012 definitely still on? It's just that the web has been quiet about it since it was announced in December 2011. Maybe that's because there's nothing more to say until the stories are all in and judged? Does anyone know for sure it's still on?

Reason for asking: I have 32,000 words of a story down, 16 weeks until deadline. That's 3,000 words a week minumum. I'd hate to do that then find out there's no prize this year.

[Dotsie]

Welcome to the site Bebito But no idea I'm afraid. Good luck!

[Tonyblack]

According to the Transworld website you have until December 31st.

I would say that means it is still on - so get writing!

Welcome to the site, and good luck!

[michelanCello]

Welcome from me too, and good luck with it!

[ShadowNinjaCat]

As above.

[Bebito]

Thanks all for your warm welcome

[Margi]

Well, I only just joined the forum and so I only just discovered the competition. I think it might kick me into getting that old novel out and the polish rag that's so worn out. There are stains all over the first chapters and no matter how much I rub, they stay. How hard can it be to throw away the first words written? I know they say you have to 'kill your babies' (and before anyone panics, for those non-writers, it means that you sometimes have to get rid of your favourite lines), but I can't get those babies out of my head. It's like trying to sing a song that you've sung all your life to a different tune. No, harder than that.

I have an incentive now. I've got about 120,000 words to play with and a lot of those to get rid of and throw into L space. Now there's an idea...

Bed time. I've got to be up at five and now it's one in the morning! I'm not Sam Vimes, I can't do all nighters!

[Tonyblack]

Good luck, Margi!

[Quatermass]

Yet another attempt, my best draft so far, has stalled, partly because I've had a hiccup in character development.

This one had major potential, and I believe I can restart from a certain point. I'm just at a loss as to how.

[michelanCello]

If there's anything we cand do to help...?

[Quatermass]

No, there isn't. All that I need is a bit of space to think and some space here to rant.

In any case, I think I have found a solution that also helps with the character development. I may need to start again from an earlier chapter, but it's not THAT big a setback...

But it helps explain a scene where I was worried that it was a little too out-of-character too soon.

[michelanCello]

Go, Q!