This is a stack of all three of my novels. Notice how the bottom manuscript is yellowed with age, printed on a dot-matrix printer. It is also taller than the other two novels put together. Here's a side-by-side comparison:
Yes, that first novel is 230,000 words of first-novel excellence. I'm just glad I managed to finish it . . . after about 12 years! It has every fantasy trope imaginable. Dragons? Yup! Elves? Yup! Dwarves? Yup! An evil sorceress? Yup! I did try to put a unique spin on all of these, but there's no question that it is an unpublishable mess.
The second two novels run 115,00 words and 75,000 words (so far).
Awesome! I love seeing a manuscript in print. It just feels so...cool. :)
ReplyDeleteNot to mention that paper somehow makes any errors so much the clearer!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea; I need to get a pic of my manuscript stack.
ReplyDeleteI'll look for it. I forgot to put a ruler by my stack. If you put up a pic, don't forget the ruler!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a lot of paper. I have to admit I hate printing stuff, and I'm really really hoping (although not really expecting) that I won't have to print my WIP ever. I want the publisher to print it. Everybody else should either make do with a soft copy or print it out themselves. I can hope, right?
ReplyDeleteI print mine because it always amazes me how much crap I missed when I see it on the printed page. I cannot feel that it is my best work until I see it on paper. That's why, when Kristin wanted me to beta-read her manuscript, I asked for a print-out. (To make up for it, I handled the postage going back to her.)
ReplyDeleteTry editing a short piece on the computer until you think it is perfect, then print it and read it on paper. If you still think it is perfect, then you don't have my problem!