Meredith Mansfield, Author

That’s approximately the pace I’m on right now. (Actually, it’s closer to 3 1/2 chapters.) I can see fairly clearly all the way to the end. There will always be some surprises along the way for a discovery writer. That’s what makes it fun.

Now, I don’t have all that broken down into chapters the way a plotter might. However, I’m just about to start chapter 31. And the other two books in the series have run to 63 chapters (The Shaman’s Curse)

and 53 chapters (The Voice of Prophecy)

I think this one will likely be closer to 53 than 63, but let’s split the difference at 58 chapters. At this rate, I’ll finish the first draft in about 8 or 9 weeks.

Now, that’s a rough draft. I already know there are things I’ll need to change or fix. It’ll need to rest for about a month so I can come back to it with fresh eyes. Then  a couple of revision passes before it’s ready for my beta readers. Those tend to go much faster than the first draft. I’m thinking I might get it to my beta readers around June, which usually takes about another month. Then final revisions and a polishing edit.

Beyond the Prophecy might be published as early as September.

Don’t quote me on that yet, though.

In the meantime, I have a Dual Magics short story to prepare for publication.

(That’s on the schedule for that month when the first draft is resting.) I’d hope to get that published sometime in May or June.

I also have another novel which was completed before I started the Dual Magics Series, that I’ll likely go ahead and publish somewhere in that time frame.

And there are at least two more Dual Magics short stories to work in there somewhere.

Busy few months ahead.