I had this plan for my writing.
It formulated while I was writing the first book. I would finish the first book, a single title. Then write a 2nd book, category, while editing the first one. And then do the follow-up single title, (the second of the series,) another category, and then the final single title in the series.
A little chart might be easier to follow:
Book 1 - single title (1st in series)
Book 2 - category
Book 3 - single title (2nd in series)
Book 4 - category - related to book 2
Book 5 - single title (3rd in series)
It's a 5 book plan. I'm pages away from finishing the 2nd book, the category. But as I said here, I screwed up. EDITING! God help us all, editing. It takes time, who knew that? So now I have two books to edit, and books 3, 4, and 5 are knocking at my skull. I mean, they're shouting hard.
To be fair, book 3 isn't saying that much, but book 4 is forming in my brain. The heroine is chattering away. She's already revealed half her secrets, she's working with me, wants to get her HEA. She's been living with her pain for a decade and wants (sexual) healing badly. The hero has been watching her suffer and doesn't know what the hell to do about it but be there, they're a beautiful couple.
Book 5's couple is spicy. She likes challenging men, he likes women. BOY, does he like women. They want nothing more than to hit the pages and play with each other, discover each other's hidden tender spots and show their families and the world that they can make it work. They've been languishing in the background since book 1 and they don't wanna wait either.
Book 3's couple is more patient. He's confused, she's disappointed in life and frankly neither of them think it's going to work out, so they're not bugging me. Thank God, because I need to edit books 1 and 2. It was a bad idea to write book 2 before I edited book 1. *le sigh* Bad, bad idea. And now I have these new characters, chatting me up, flirting with my brain, begging me to record their stories and I have to close the door on them. I hate that. However, if I don't shut them down, I'll be five books and two years into this whole 'writing thing' and won't have edited a damn thing.
But they're whispering to me now, these new couples. They don't even have the decency to stay quiet until my current characters have finished their tale. And I'm worried that if I ignore them to deal with the business of editing and queries and polishing, they won't be there when I go back.
Obviously, the only cure for this is to write books that need no editing at all. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. I enjoyed that. Did you? I don't know what the cure is for my dilemma. I don't know if there is one. In the meantime, I have the work of ignoring six wonderful characters ahead of me so I can concentrate on the four fantastic characters who have already told me their story.
Just finished: Stolen
Just finished: I Do! I Do!
Currently reading: Wolf Tales IV
Currently reading: Breathing Room
Just about to start: A Hunger Like No Other
Just about to start: The Reluctant Cinderella
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4 comments:
Hi Venus! Had to come check you out, after your RTB comments. Actually, writing book 2 before editing book 1 was NOT a bad idea. Many writers work that way. It gives book 1 a chance to rest, and you'll go back to your baby with fresh eyes and perspective.
As for the other books, I hear you. I've got pages and pages of book ideas waiting their turn. My suggestion? When the noise starts to become screaming, take a brief respite from whatever project you're working on, and type out some notes. Stick them in a folder so when you're ready to start that story, you'll have them.
Patricia,
From your mouth to God's ears on the fresh perspective thing. I went back to Book 1 yesterday and found some instances of self-indulgent internal monologuing that I was happy to cut.
"Try not to write the parts that reader's skip," someone said. The parts were already written, but I happily took them out. I kept a turn of phrase here and there and shuttled the rest off to a "Cuts" file.
It sounds like a good strategy, and I envy you having all those stories and characters giving you such clear direction.
It's a good problem to have, no? Like being to busy at work (if you have a day job) because you have way more customers than you expected.
Are you sending out queries and pitches while you're editing? If you get a nibble, that might help you focus, LOL.
Nope I'm not sending out queries yet. Though you're right, it certainly would give me a kick in the ass.
I went on a job interview the other day and the guy wanted a sample of my writing - and look at that! I was an editing fiend for the rest of the day :)
I just wish I was already at the stage where the first draft was good enough to send out for critiques. Maybe by the end of book 5. Heh.
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