Hallelujah! First Draft Done!

[paulchernoch 464]

I just typed the final chapter of Peace, like Solomon Never Knew. 

Next up is writing the Bibliography. Then the dreaded edits.

 

When I say dreaded, I mean it. My target was a 400 page nonfiction. It currently weighs in at 765 pages (or 193,000 words).

I know what I will be doing next year...

 

I hope I can get off the tiger soon.

Edited December 4, 2020 by paulchernoch

[lynnmosher 7,462]

Yay! Congrats! It's been some journey for you, hasn't it? All that research and writing. It's so difficult to cut out chunks when you think some portion is necessary. Praying for you!

[paulchernoch 464]

It is a passion project. I draw on ideas and insights that it has taken me a lifetime to discover.

 

When I was in high school, I was assigned to write a book report on a book of my choosing. I stumbled across a book called The Bible as History. It described archaeological discoveries that authenticated the Bible. This latest book of mine is an attempt to understand the meaning and plan of human history in light of the Bible. You might call my book "Our History as Bible". There is a lot of history to plan out.

[Claire Tucker 2,358]

Well done! 

 

All the best for edits. Let us know if you cookies to help you on the way... 

[E.T. Newman 38]

YAY! Congrats!

[suspensewriter 4,970]

Congrats, Paul!

[paulchernoch 464]

Cookies? This is what I like:

[Shamrock 1,448]

Mega achievement getting the 1st draft done. Don't underestimate it.

 

Give yourself a break and then go through a hard copy with a red pen. Do a scene by scene break down. By my estimation you either have two books or a lot of padding. I suspect the first

[carolinamtne 4,340]

These don't have coconut in them, but I'll send some almonds along with them.

[carolinamtne 4,340]

AH! Here's the rest.

 

 

[Ky_GirlatHeart 681]

Awesome!!! Praise God for that!!

[Donald James 83]

Congrats!! 

[Jeff Potts 484]

Congrats!

[Celebrianne 61]

That is a seriously important accomplishment, @paulchernoch. Congratulations on sticking it out and getting your ideas and research down on paper!

On 12/4/2020 at 3:04 PM, Shamrock said:

By my estimation you either have two books or a lot of padding. I suspect the first

I'm with @Shamrock. While I love the concept you've got, @paulchernoch, such a long book would be a turn off for most of us. If it's one seamless theme throughout you might have the full length tome for scholars and plan a light version with the main ideas for busy pastors and everyday people. Presented well it would be something lots of us would be delighted to read!

Luckily, having done something similar myself, I know the lite version takes a small fraction of the time of the original research, so that's something. 

[paulchernoch 464]

A “lite” version is an attractive idea. I will give it serious thought.

 

The conundrum for me is this: bold claims must be supported by extensive research. My eschatological framework is new. The existing views enjoy the support of millions of people and decades of scholarship. To change anyone’s mind I must address many possible objections. A shorter book could present but not defend.

[paulchernoch 464]

On 12/4/2020 at 3:04 PM, Shamrock said:

By my estimation you either have two books or a lot of padding

I wish it were padding! I usually have no trouble removing 10% of the words without eliminating ideas. When I began, my goal was to investigate Ecclesiastes alone. Then I discovered that Ecclesiastes is like the CPU clock that enables computer instructions to execute in sequence without confusing each other. Ecclesiastes is the heart of God’s prophetic plan for all of time. Thus I found that it connected with Matthew, Genesis, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Revelation, Job, Psalm 119, Leviticus, Numbers, and 1 John.

 

I came across this quote in a recent commentary on Ecclesiastes, from the New Century Bible Commentary:

 

"in general no progression of thought from one section to another is discernible."  – R. N. Whybray (1989)

 

If the finest scholars see no “progression of thought”, I have my work cut out. I found a structure, and it completely changed how I think about Biblical prophecy. 

 

[carolinamtne 4,340]

4 hours ago, paulchernoch said:

I found a structure, and it completely changed how I think about Biblical prophecy. 

Since you have the backing of the Creator, go for it!