The work involved in writing a novel

It usually takes me a year to write a novel, this includes editing.
The actual writing bit is about seven months, writing most days of the week and the editing and proofreading makes up the rest of the twelve or so months that it takes to prepare a novel for print.

This is the pile of notebooks and manuscripts that made up the second book in The Torc Trilogy, The Gordian Knot.
The little book on top of the pile is what I carried with me to record ideas and notes and the pile of typed paper under that is research notes.

I hand write everything first.  I like to use a pen as I feel that my ideas flow easier that way.  I produce two versions this way, a rough draft that is then re written and slightly polished.  I regard this as the beginning of the editing processes.

I will then type the story from the second hand written version.  Here further changes are made, so another editing process takes place.  Once that is done I print a first draft for serious editing.  

This version gets red penned to death then its back to the computer to make the corrections before a further printing.  I then edit that, hoping that there will be less red pen usage.

Once I have a manuscript that I'm happy with its off to the proof readers who make amendments and recommendations.  
I will trawl through these comments making changes or sometimes disagreeing with their comments.
When I am happy that I cannot make further improvements, it is then presented to my publisher.

This was the result, the published version of my novel.

The Gordian Knot is available from Amazon as a paperback and also on kindle.  
More information can be found about all my books on my website.
www.kevinmarshnovels.co.uk

Happy reading.