Well, blogger was down for a while yesterday and by the time it came up, I was deep into other things. So, it's Tuesday. I think I'll talk about writing today.
As you know (if you read me on a regular basis, which you should if you don't ;) I've just finished my first set of revisions on Cheesy, and am now working on my untitled dystopian. The problem, I have tons of book ideas, and I feel not enough time to write them all. Do you have this problem?
I've got at least three more YA started, a couple women's lit pieces, with one constantly on the brain, and of course, I have five shelved completed books I'd like to edit.
I'm excited about all of them. It's been hard to choose which to work on when. Of course, I needed a follow up to Mending Fences, and Lockdown apparently didn't cut it, so I tireless wrote Cheesy, and everyone so far is liking the dystopian, including my agent, so I've decided that should be the next project, but then which do I work on?
How do you decide which project to focus on? What you're hot on? What the market is calling for?
Do you choose the next project for yourself, or your audience? Discuss. :)
wow woman! You're awesome..
ReplyDeleteI am the same way..maybe it's my add..I have so many ideas, many genres...I just write down my ideas, and maybe they will come to several things someday.
I'm focusing on my erotic novel atm.. since it is going to be the hardest one for me to write. no pun intended (or maybe intended) *smile*
Have a great day!
LOL. Glad to know I'm not alone. I wish there were more time to write everything I want to write. I have one book I've wanted to start for over a year now, kind of a romantic comedy piece.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the erotica. Hope it's not too hard. ;)
This is a tough one. I had the same question after finishing my last book. I think trying to write for the market is ultimately a losing game. Once you write something, edit it, sell it, and get it into stores the market has changed.
ReplyDeleteI think all you can do is follow your instinct. What idea do you keep coming back to? What do you have the hottest ideas for? Which main character won't shut up in your head?
I suppose you could try starting a few things and just look at which one you feel most compelled to keep going on. If it still isn't clear then maybe it would make sense to talk to the agent and get their input on what might be most productive.
Count yourself lucky for having so many great ideas!
I agree with Jeff -- so lucky to have lots of ideas! I've also been stockpiling quite a few, but they seem to order themselves by circumstances. ie: a sense of this story should be ready to go because it would be a nice genre follow-up if this other one goes. And then so on and so on. The quantity of research necessary has determined the order too -- if I can't do justice to the research yet, I hold off on that story.
ReplyDeleteIt's great you're getting feedback too. I think that helps as another jumping point...
Barbara
Sometimes, you might find that two of the ideas could be combined....
ReplyDeleteSometimes, you might find that two of the ideas could be combined....
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments everyone. I guess I have never really "written for the market" but with a book deal for an option going through, it's something I've been thinking about. I like to write what I feel hot on. A story that makes me want to write until the story ends. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy to see you continuing to chop away through the trees with your work. I, too, probably have too many irons in the fire at any one time but when the fire gets out of control, I usually focus on just one book anyway.
ReplyDeleteI've been working on a few dystopian pieces for a few years, one a screenplay. Hopefully, I'll get them done sooner rather than dystopia. ;)
I usually have one or two "assigned" writing projects going at any given time. I fit my "personal" projects in as best I can time-wise. Typically I work on only one novel at a time, but I might have 2-3 picture books going at once or maybe a middle-grade chapter book in the mix.
ReplyDeleteWell, I too normally just work on one at a time, but if I have a hot idea, may jot down the first few pages. Or sometimes I'll write a little on a new one while revising another.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the dystopians Steffan, it certainly is a hot theme right now.
And Scotti, sometimes I get dizzy reading your fb page you keep so busy. :)
Don't give up on Lockdown. No one else has anything like Lockdown out there. Maybe it needs tweeking, but keep it on the tip of your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI thought Lockdown had great potential.
Thanks Walter. I like Lockdown too, it just has to be put on the back burner for awhile I guess. :)
ReplyDeleteI've got my idea folder... it is chock full of stuff... typically I have a couple ideas that are bugging me more than others though... my most recent decision had to do with the kind of writing time I knew was coming. I am doing a WriMo right now. One of the ideas that has been bugging me is complex and deep... BIG stuff, and I knew a WriMo would get bogged down. My other story is a far more straight forward idea, so it got picked.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am having a REALLY hard time doing, is choosing to EDIT... I have three books that need editing before I can start shopping them. So for THAT decision I asked my blog readers. Blog readers are really smart.
Yes, blog readers ARE really smart. I have a few novels to be edited too, but just haven't found the time. :(
ReplyDelete