| Book 1? On the shelves. Book 2? With my editor while I await my editorial letter. Last short story? Turned in by deadline. Anton? Not writing. All my current deadlines, in the business contractual sense, are met right now. I'm mostly done touring the book. And now I'm not writing because at first I was all "Hey, cool! I can has nap nao!" But I know there's a book three in the series since book two ends on a cliff hanger (sorry, readers of next year!) I should be getting to it... but I haven't been able to. Here's the thing: if the sales of Dead To Me that I can discern are any indicator, I'll have at least five digits worth of people waiting to see how several things turn out. All those eager peepers on you, that's a little daunting when you feel like the littlest writer evah! So what to do? First, as best I can, I have to ignore their existence and focus on the story, having faith in what I set out to do in the first place- to write a story I would love to read. Dead To Me certainly had that for me. Book 2, Deader Still, even more so. So in the face of potentially disappointing thousands of people, I have to do the hardest thing which is having faith in myself. Sometimes I don't know how the more popular writers do it, but I take heart that I still know what I like to read, and therefore will go forward and create something I would love to read if I wasn't the author of it. I wonder how the rest of the League feels... League? Assemble! |
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For me...NOT having a day job, seriously sets a fire under your ass. When I finished book 2 (though 3 are under contract, so i'm not completely out from someone's thumb), I jumped into a spec book and started plotting out Amanda 4 & 5 for the inevitable proposal.
Groove? What is this groove of which you speak?
Right now, I should be working on HELL 4, which is due 10/1. But instead, I'm (sort of) working on a completely different WIP, one that's not contracted. Sigh.
But I also find that a deadline is a wonderful motivator. I'm giving myself through mid-June to putz around with my WIP, then I must switch over to HELL 4.
Jezzie doesn't mind. She's happy to wait. (At least, that's what I'm telling myself...)
Okay, back to the day job...
I have moments of sheer panic. What ifs are a writer's lifeblood, and unfortunately they don't end at crafting fiction. But I try to remind myself that I my first book sold because I trusted my instincts and wrote a book I'd want to read. With so little out of our control, it's best to focus on what we can--telling a damned good story.
"write a book you'd like to read"...you know, that sounds so utterly simple when it's said aloud, but it's really brilliant.
Anton, I read you entire post and there was nary a mention of any hot black men OR the Bahamas. I was sorely disappointed. :(
You can do eet!
Sadie, next post, I promise!
Sheesh, I'm not one to ask. I'm hating every word I write these days.
You all want to feel good about your writing? Post snippets and let us, your adoring psychophants (NO, I can't spell) fawn all over you and drool til you are floating down a river of 'love'.
Geesh- even I feel dirty now.
We like it dirty! Always welcome in here...
Must be why I like ya'll so much... my kind of people. ;P