So . . . now what do I do?

[jpskewedthrone]

OK, so the third book in the trilogy is in to the editor. I have my agent briskly (I hope) trying to sell one stand-alone horror novel already finished, and 2 trilogies, one of which has the first book written and the other is only a rough sketch. I have no contracts waiting to be fulfilled.

So what do I do? Take a break and not write on my free Fridays? Dive into the first book of the rough sketch trilogy? Start a short story (which I generally don't write because they somehow become novels in the end)? Start something totally different while I wait to hear what project is sold next and start it?

This is the first time in about 3 years where I haven't had a specific writing direction to go in. It feels extremely weird.

Comments

[authorm.livejournal.com]

I was in this same situation at the end of last summer. My suggestion is start the book you most want to write. If you sell it before something else, fab, you've got a head start. If you don't, but sell something else, this might be the only time you have to write the book you really want, and you can try to sell it later.

:)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Hmm . . . good point. I think my main hesitation is that the "day job" has begun again and my writing time will be extremely limited.

But I do have Fridays off and one full day of writing is nothing to sneeze at.

[(Anonymous)]

eat chocolate

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes, constructive advice, I see. Off to make brownies!

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

Has Sheila said anything about being interested in one project or another?

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

She has all three projects. The last time we talked, she was interested in in the trilogy with the first book finished. But she's got all of the projects in her hot little hands right now (even though she turned down the horror novel earlier she wants to take another look). I think she might want to do the "from scratch" trilogy first though, since it's connected loosely to the other trilogy.

This waiting on the editor thing sucks. *grin* So you've written Goblin War without a contract for that one, right? What kind of response from you agent or Sheila sparked that response? Or did you just decide to do it because that was the project you were interested in writing at the time?

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

Writing the connected trilogy makes sense in terms of sales and such ... something standalone wouldn't have quite as strong of a built-in audience.

And yup, Goblin War is not contracted. Partly because nothing was contracted. We sold the two pre-written goblin books, and by that point I was writing The Stepsister Scheme.

In some ways, I like writing without the deadline or contract pressure, because if this book really does suck, there's slightly less panic if I trash it. (I don't think it sucks, but the point about less pressure still holds.)

That said, if DAW goes for Stepsister, I'm really hoping to pick up a contract for another book or two in that series... This waiting and uncertainty stuff sucks.

[morewineplease.livejournal.com]

Start on the scratch trilogy. While making cookies from scratch.

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Well . . . I made brownies! Does that count?

[tyger-raven.livejournal.com]

Personally, I say write the one that you most want to write because who knows if you'll ever get the chance to write what you want once you've become the super-successful best seller with a list of contracted material that has to be written on the deadline.

Okay, did I make any sense here? If not, I blame the sinus infection. :-P

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

That made perfect sense. Thanks for the advice!

[eiriene.livejournal.com]

Try writing a short story. It's good discipline. Tell yourself that you're not going to go over 7500 words and see what you come up with. =) And if you're over that amount, cut, cut, cut!

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

Hmm . . . since you ARE my agent, I should probably listen to your advice when it comes to my writing career. I do have a short story "the genesis of Varis" story, her formative years, so to speak. But 7500 words? That's kind of limiting isn't it? *grin*

[rugor.livejournal.com]

Go for the novel you most want to write. Pour your soul into it.

Then drown yourself in double chocolate porter. :)

[jpsorrow.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure I want to pour my soul into it. I might that later. But I'll definitely drown myself in chocolate, in any form.

Ooo! I could pour chocolate into the novel! Then at least it would be tasty.