Author Topic: Any news on Peace Talks  (Read 173542 times)

Offline Kindler

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #210 on: March 06, 2019, 05:33:38 PM »
Chapter 47 3/4/2019

Honestly, it's so gratifying to know that Jim is writing. It's not impatience, I'm just happy for him that he's back to doing what he does, at least fairly regularly, after so much time and life upheaval.

Offline wardenferry419

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #211 on: March 07, 2019, 10:00:40 AM »
Just as an FYI, for everyone here, plus Jim.
Here is an essay that Charles Stross wrote on his own problems with writing very long book series

https://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2019/03/lessons-learned-writing-really.html

That was a pretty good read.
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Offline KurtinStGeorge

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #212 on: March 08, 2019, 06:30:00 AM »
I agree, that was an interesting article.  After reading that I think I have a better understanding why Jim is writing other, shorter series in between the Dresden Files.

By the way Jim is up to Chapter 48 as of March 7.  That is pretty fast work for the past week or so.
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Offline segaily

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #213 on: March 08, 2019, 05:04:15 PM »
Yes it was a good read.  I had heard I think from one of his con interviews that he writes the other non Dresden books basically for that reason.  When he is done a Dresden book he is sick of Harry and writes something else for a break. Then when he is done with the non Dresden book he is looking forward to writing another Dresden.  Part of that being Dresden books are easier to write then his non-Dresden because Dresden is written in first person and his other series are not.

Offline Kindler

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #214 on: March 11, 2019, 05:25:26 PM »
Part of that being Dresden books are easier to write then his non-Dresden because Dresden is written in first person and his other series are not.
I agree and disagree with that sentiment. I don't find first-person inherently easier to write than third. I find third simpler in a lot of ways—I don't have to worry about restricting narration ("I'd like to say this, but the perspective character doesn't have access to this information"), I don't have horse blinders on in terms of plot (I can bounce around between characters, each of whom have different things going on, different information, different personalities, etc., so I can keep things going without everything happening at once, in an unbroken chain of events), it's easier to manage pacing, and—this is a big one for me—I don't need to keep all of the characters together to prevent things from happening off-page.

Basically, first person is "easier" in that the actual prose you write can be much more casual (or not, depending on your perspective character), and it can help you stay focused on a tight narrative. But third gives you so many more narrative options that it can be a whole lot simpler to tackle tougher plot points (and it's helped me avoid a bad block, more than once). I can jump to a different perspective character when the plot starts to drag a bit, to keep things moving along nicely.

On the flip side, it can be harder to keep track of each character or group of characters in longer, complex stories. You'll notice in the Codex Alera series, Jim stuck to a small cast of perspective characters, pretty much sticking to three or four in each one—Tavi, Amara, Isana, and Fidelious (sometimes), plus an occasional villain. That kept things simple enough that he could use the perspective's greatest strengths, and limit the biggest weakness. Aeronaut's Windlass was more troublesome, with... hang on, it's been a while—um... six? Seven? Folly, Grimm, Gwen, Bridget, Rowl, and that Auroran Marine, what's his name. Maybe one more. Anyway, that might've complicated things a bit.

I wrote one door-stopper book with about twenty perspective characters that was a total blast to write, in large part because it bounced around so much. But it was a story that I knew extremely well before I sat down to write any of it, so I didn't have much trouble tracking the different character journeys.

Basically, what I'm saying is this: it's entirely possible that the third-person perspective is part of the break for Jim. First can be really restrictive in a lot of ways, and sometimes it's fun to just cut loose and do what you want.

Offline tromedlov87

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #215 on: March 12, 2019, 05:32:06 AM »
Isn't the longest book in the series only around 53 chapters (Cold Days)? And I think the books are usually pretty consistent with number of chapters and length. So, if Jim's done with chapter 48, isn't he (most likely) nearly done?

Granted, I'm sure there will be lots of revision and work still to do even when it is done, but this makes me feel really good about the progress and that we might finally get a release date before too terribly long.

Offline morriswalters

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #216 on: March 12, 2019, 11:47:54 AM »
In Skin Game chapter 49 is the is the race to the last battle at Michael's house. 50 is the fight and 51 is the recap and end.  I'm hoping the next update is the End.  Then we can start harassing the publisher.  However still no cover art so not particularly hopeful. :(

Offline Dina

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #217 on: March 12, 2019, 12:58:47 PM »
I believe we are still away of "the end". We are having updates on the drafts, but they will need to be revised.
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Offline KurtinStGeorge

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #218 on: March 13, 2019, 02:24:52 AM »
Isn't the longest book in the series only around 53 chapters (Cold Days)?

Yes, and Skin Game and Ghost Story each had 51 chapters, though Ghost Story had over 10,000 more words than Skin Game.  So now that Jim has reached chapter 49 he must be getting near the final boss battle chapter, if he isn't there already.

However, I wouldn't be surprised if Peace Talks has as many chapters and words as Cold Days because there are a large number of potential subplots for Harry to deal with, no matter how well Jim can combine them into a single story.
 
I believe we are still away of "the end". We are having updates on the drafts, but they will need to be revised.

I've commented on this topic before.  One day, several years ago, while waiting for Cold Days to be released I started going back through Jim's twitter feed to see when he had announced, "The end.  I just finished (fill in the blank), now it goes to the publisher for ..."  Then I compared that date with the release date of that particular book.  I went back as far as Jim's Twitter feed went.  What I found was most of his books were released within 9 months after Jim's Twitter announcement.  There were some noticeable exceptions.  I think one book took a year or a little longer to be released.  Another was published just 3 1/2 months later; however, I believe Jim said that novel (I think it was Changes.) had already been very heavily pre-edited before he sent it to the publishers so both the publishers and Jim had much less work to do to get that one ready and out the door.  I think there was one other book that was released about 5 months after Jim's "The end" announcement.  There were also one or two books that were released within 6 to 8 months after Jim announced he had finished.

That's why I think it's likely we will get Peace Talks in time for Christmas.  Here in the U.S., publishers like to get best selling books out by the end of November to maximize sales during the Christmas season.  So unless Peace Talks needs a ton of editing and rewrites, the publisher will do their best to get it out before the end of 2019.     
« Last Edit: March 13, 2019, 04:57:34 AM by KurtinStGeorge »
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Offline morriswalters

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #219 on: March 13, 2019, 08:22:24 AM »
chapter 49

Online Mira

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #220 on: March 13, 2019, 02:00:07 PM »

Offline Dina

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #221 on: March 13, 2019, 03:21:19 PM »
I am looking forward for a Dresden birthday gift, but I don't want to raise my hopes.
Missing you, Md 

There are many horrible sights in the multiverse. Somehow, though, to a soul attuned to the subtle rhythms of a library, there are few worse sights than a hole where a book ought to be. Someone has stolen a book (Terry Pratchett)

Online Mira

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #222 on: March 13, 2019, 08:24:05 PM »
I am looking forward for a Dresden birthday gift, but I don't want to raise my hopes.

 Well, it is mine today, and it is what it is.... ;D

Offline Dina

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #223 on: March 14, 2019, 03:49:46 AM »
Sorry I forgot  :'(  (yours and Wat's birthday was today. I simply forgot to watch the list). I hope it has been great!
Missing you, Md 

There are many horrible sights in the multiverse. Somehow, though, to a soul attuned to the subtle rhythms of a library, there are few worse sights than a hole where a book ought to be. Someone has stolen a book (Terry Pratchett)

Offline AndiSue

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Re: Any news on Peace Talks
« Reply #224 on: March 14, 2019, 09:35:32 PM »

I've commented on this topic before.  One day, several years ago, while waiting for Cold Days to be released I started going back through Jim's twitter feed to see when he had announced, "The end.  I just finished (fill in the blank), now it goes to the publisher for ..."  Then I compared that date with the release date of that particular book.  I went back as far as Jim's Twitter feed went.  What I found was most of his books were released within 9 months after Jim's Twitter announcement.  There were some noticeable exceptions.  I think one book took a year or a little longer to be released.  Another was published just 3 1/2 months later; however, I believe Jim said that novel (I think it was Changes.) had already been very heavily pre-edited before he sent it to the publishers so both the publishers and Jim had much less work to do to get that one ready and out the door.  I think there was one other book that was released about 5 months after Jim's "The end" announcement.  There were also one or two books that were released within 6 to 8 months after Jim announced he had finished.

That's why I think it's likely we will get Peace Talks in time for Christmas.  Here in the U.S., publishers like to get best selling books out by the end of November to maximize sales during the Christmas season.  So unless Peace Talks needs a ton of editing and rewrites, the publisher will do their best to get it out before the end of 2019.   

Skin Game was six months from "The End" tweet to published (The End - November 17, 2013, Release date 5/27/2014)