Finally on the visible horizon: Lantern, Part 2

[starfishstar]

The part that hasn't been visible, as I've been posting all these shorter fics in the half year since I finished up posting Part 1 ("Be the Light in My Lantern") of my massive Remus/Tonks fic, is that I've also been working and working, all this time, at Part 2.

Finished the rough draft of Part 2 in September, and ever since have been slowly but determinedly working my way (with HUGE help from beta reader extraordinaire stereolightning!) through a massive list of things that needed to be added, changed or fixed in the second draft. Seriously, my list had 64 items on it, ranging from quick fixes to entire new scenes to thorny overarching logistical problems still to be worked out.

Just reached "The End" on the second draft tonight.

There's still a third draft to come; the whole thing needs a re-read and overall revision, since so far I've been focused on fixing specific trouble spots and ignoring the rest of it. And I probably need to take a break for a while before doing that, so I can come at it with fresh(er) eyes. But for the first time, it actually feels like completion of this project is in sight, rather than being some phantasm of my unrealistic imagination.

Part 2 is now a separate story from "Be the Light in My Lantern" (they'll form a two-part series). Part 2 is tentatively titled "Raise Your Lantern High" and covers the HBP year, and currently clocks in at 240 pages in Word (about 112,000 words). Between Part 1 and Part 2, this is a project I've been working on for nearly five years.

!

And now I'm going to sleep. (But there's also a fun co-written project coming soon...cf. post by stereolightning!)

Comments

[gilpin25.livejournal.com]

I still have some way to go with part I, my reading having been somewhat rudely interrupted by Life(!), but I'm enjoying it enormously and it gladdens my heart to know that the story won't end there. What an achievement on your part.

Also looking forward to this co-written project!

[starfishstar]

I'm just pleased to know you're reading (and sorry that Life interrupted! Hope things are going better for you these days.) Yes, it's been a looong and involved process getting this story to happen. I definitely didn't know what I was getting into when I started!

And the co-written story is coming soon – we finished a draft and are editing now!

[shimotsuki.livejournal.com]

112,000 words is quite an achievement! Not to mention getting all the way through the second draft. I will be very much looking forward to reading this. I think I remember you saying that you've developed werewolf culture and society in interesting ways for this part of the story?

...And I've just had the horrible realization that I got derailed enough from LJ and fic over the holidays that I still have a couple of chapters of Part 1 left to enjoy. But it's good in that now I have some good reading to look forward to right away! :D

[starfishstar]

I KNOW, the first draft was such a huge project, and then so was the second draft, and so will be the third draft...I don't know how people can post serially, because I need to get the whole thing down, and then figure out what's missing and what needs to be fixed, before it's anywhere near being post-able. That's what you do, though, post a bit at a time - does that mean you have the whole overarching thing in your head??

Yes! Whole entire werewolf culture...I'm rather proud of it. :-)

And I'm very pleased to hear you'll be reading the last bit of Part 1 – hope you enjoy!