The Calm Before the Storm (Release Date, Finishing a Novel) - Development Blog #6 · 9:09pm May 5th, 2020
Enjoy it while you can, girls.
They won't be able to relax like this much longer. I'm so pumped that I can finally reveal the upcoming release date for Empathy for the Devil! Get that below! Plus, I want to talk about what it's like to be on the verge of finishing my first ever novel/novel-length story. That's a wild ride in and of itself, so buckle up.
Writing Update: Internal Screaming and Savouring It
Current Total Word Count: 97,714
Estimated Final Word Count: 110,000 – 115,000
Chapters Completed: 13
Total # of Chapters: 15
Holy shit, I've never written anything nearly this long. I never thought I could. I mean, I've always had dreams of being a novelist and that's what I've been working for since I was 11 years old writing my first "series" of stapled together """books""" for my brother (and for context: I'm 22, going on 23, so that's been my dream half my life). Damn. 90,000 words is quite literally 3 times the size of the longest completed story I've ever written.
And now 100,000 words is in sight and I'm only two chapters away from finishing...
Dude, I'm stuck between screaming like an absolute idiot and peacefully savoring every last step along the way.
I mean, I've failed so much over the years. I wrote projects that never got finished, or dreamed about writing them but only ever outlined them. I've had to accept the death of stories I once loved and let go. It's like watching a sinking ship you designed.
But failure is how I learned how to finish a novel. Or novel-length fanfic, as the case may be, but where's the fun in not being dramatic? 😉.
Looking back through all those failures, I also learned how to keep to word count goals in NaNoWriMo, read books on writing and story structure, took writing classes, and dammit, started to finish the projects I love!
And boy do I fucking love this one with all my heart. This story has been such a goddamn joy to work on. I've put my heart into this project and enjoyed every dumb joke, every character beat and overall arc, and more than anything, every moment I've got to share and work creatively with my best friend, Bevin. Seriously, that alone is a genuine thrill that I'll always treasure. And now, so is knowing I'm about to finish my first novel.
So, now that it's so close to being done, that leaves only leaves us with one question: When will it be released?
Release Date
One more blog left. Then, in less than a month, we ride. Enjoy the calm before the storm.
-Marvel
I'm looking forward to seeing the results of your efforts. June is going to be a good month.
Is this gonna be a new fanfic or is this a book that I have to order?
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Free fanfic available to read here on FIMfic 👍 We're writing, illustrating, and editing it ahead of time so that you can enjoy a steady release of chapters every other day starting June 2nd.
... That said (and this hasn't been announced yet officially but since you asked): a print version is in production for anyone who wants to own a physical copy! But even then, like other fanfics that have been printed (at Ponyfeather Publishing or Ministry of Image), Empathy for the Devil will still be free to read online even when print copies are available for purchase. No worries there.
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We're going to do our best to make the print copies available to anyone in any country 👍