Writing In 2015: The Challenge Of The Series

I decided at the beginning of the month that I was going to participate in Camp NaNoWriMo. I'm still in it, but not sure if I'll hit my target count. One of the things I did from the outset was decide that I was going to work on my first sequel. The book is the second book in a series that I started in 2012 with a book called A Kingdom Of Shadows. I wrote it as the first book in a series on purpose, leaving some threads untied in the plots and allowing some characters to grow with the events of the story. 

But the story wasn't over yet. 

The Dawnbringer War as the series was called was just getting started. I needed to consider the sequel. I needed to serious think about the challenge of writing a series. But I let it go for a while. Nearly three years have passed. The story is still needs to be told. I do want to finish it. So I'm working on the sequel this month and will probably continue onwards into the following month. It's possible I could have the book completed around the time the first one was back in 2012. A Kingdom of Shadows had a September 11 release date.

This book I'm writing, The Isle of the Morning, will be followed up pretty directly by a third book. That's something I knew I wanted to do if I was going to start this book. I would work on the third one once the second was completed. Honestly, I have a sketch for the rest of the year that includes trying to finish up this series...unless The Dawnbringer War isn't a trilogy.

I've found that I've had to revisit the first book, reading over it, looking at the few notes I had, and basically try to reacquaint myself with the story I was created and the characters that experienced the opening movements of the epic I was was writing. This is a growing period and I'll probably get a little stressed as I try to work on all of this.

Other work, in other areas, must be balanced with what else I'm doing. The work I do as a publisher is challenging in its own way, but I'm excited by the work being done.

The Changing Moods of A Writer

Didn't you know? Us creative types are a wee bit unhinged sometimes. A give day can see a roller coaster like experience of moods before it comes to a crashing halt and they toddle off to bed. Up, down, so-so, truly maniacal, even zen-like sometimes. 

My current mood is reflected in the change of the site's appearance.  A splash of classic green, a bold use of fonts, and whamo--a totally different feel to it. Not sure how long I'll keep it this way, but for now it works. Well, it might need something else. Can't say for sure what it could be. I'll take suggestions from my readers. 

I also decided I needed a break from the consecutive "Writing In 2015" posts. I mean, there's more than this to this blog, I think. 

What I'm Reading

I've been reading more paper books lately. I went through this phase where I read a lot of ebooks and kind of got fatigued by the screen experience. There still is nothing like the weight, the feel, the smell, of paper books. As much as I like ebooks (and as much as my publishing company relies on ebooks) I still prefer paper. I'm not alone in that preference. Not much else to say about that, I guess. 

What am I ready, you dare ask?

Right now, three different paperbacks (two nonfiction books and a urban fantasy novel) sit next to me as I type this: 

1. The UFO Phenomenon by John Michael Greer

2. Discoverability by Kristine Katherine Rusch

3. Happy Hour In Hell by Tad Williams

I have others that I've started and set aside. Several really. I won't mention them here unless I add them to the aforementioned pile that I'm currently focusing on. Beyond paper, I've got several ebooks I'm in the process of reading. Probably a dozen or so. I just piece on them a little at a time, over a long time. Talk about a low attention span right? 

And The Writing?

Well. (Come closer, let me whisper it so everyone doesn't hear) I'm not writing fiction. Yeah, yeah, I know, I told you I was doing that Camp NaNoWriMo thingy. Well, I still am, technically. I haven't thrown in the grubby proverbial towel yet. It'll be a tighter deadline but I might just hit my 50K word target for July. 

I've been trying to come to grips with the story I chose to tell. It's a continuation of a series, so I've been reacquainting myself with the whole world and its cast. It's been percolating in my gray matter for a bit. I'll let you know whether I crash and burn or hit the bullseye on this one. 

Deep thought of the moment: What kind of writer am I really?