Switching Gears

Time to get back to basics around here. I'm sure some of readers of this blog are tired of hearing me promote my novel, Aure, the Topaz or remind them one more time that I'll be at the Chelmsford Library this Saturday for Local Authors Day, to speak about said novel.

Instead I want to talk about Book 4. I finally managed to push through my own lethargy and get back to work on the #$@#$ thing. The book now stands are around 46000 words with a goal of reaching 70000 words before I consider it complete enough to put away.

Notice I didn't say finished. The book won't be finished until published. So I've got a long road ahead of me on this one.

I'd like to say that my return to working on the book was the result of overcoming some sort of writer's block or some other writer trap. But I don't think that's true. The simple fact is I lost interest in the story for a while and needed time away from it. This happens on all written work but usually I'm ready to put it aside before I lose interest. When it happens the other way round, it can throw a monkey wrench into the works.

I almost always have to switch gears and work on something else. That's one reason I picked up Book 2 again. But Book 2 is growing (106000 words at the moment) because I'm refining and adding little things to the story as I prepare to release it.

The exact process that will take isn't clear. I know I will finish revising it. I know it will go to the editor I used on Book 1. After that, I could self-publish it or I could sell it. The path I take will depend on how well Aure is selling. Even if it does well, I'll be sure to rethink if I want to use the same publisher. I may and I may not.

But that decision is months away. Revision will not be complete for months and the editor will add more time to that. So a complete draft isn't likely until 2014. Which is fine; I won't see sales figures for Aure until December or January. So that's the timeframe I'm shooting for and even that might be ambitious. I won't know for sure until I'm closer to the end of the revision process.

Until then it's steady as she goes writing Book 4 and revising Book 2.

Keep writing everyone.