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- Sun, 09:25: RT @Alex_Austin: I’m writing my 1st draft & reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so later I can build castles. ~Shann…
Oct. 26th, 2014
Writerly dilemmas
Oct. 26th, 2014 11:39 pmSo, my January NaNoWriMo project is coming up soon, and I'm naturally contemplating what I'm going to do for it. The short story/novelette seems to be the length that has chosen me, and I'm perfectly happy with that, honestly. There's way less angst about sending a 5000-word story I've spent a month writing winging out into the ether as opposed to something that took me a full year of blood, sweat, tears, and swearing. I could pound out another five to seven stories in January and be just as pleased as punch to do so. This would give me more things to sub to short fiction markets. I don't see a bad there.
However.
I've got two novel ideas knocking--nay, banging loudly--on the back of my head.
Of course, both of these novel ideas involve heavily Biblical angels and demons and are probably (frankly) unsaleable to any major (or minor) markets. One of them takes place in Hell; the other follows up Angry Bitter Angel with the ramifications of the events in the novella. Yeah, you're not the only ones picking your jaws up off the floor because they're not werewolf stories. I'm stunned myownself.
So the question is, do I scribble more shorts I could actually (possibly) sell (ha), or do I invest in a labor of love for something I'll (probably) end up self-publishing?
My advice to other writers is always "write your bliss," but my bliss is pulling me in two directions right now and I'm not sure how I solve that. I have the notion that I could commit to writing a short story per month next year and work on the novel(s) between doing that. I've always said I like to have one in the writing stages and one in the editing stages. If I scribble the first draft of a short at the beginning of the month, then I can be scribbling a novel draft while that's in editing.
I think it may be time to step out of my comfort zone.
However.
I've got two novel ideas knocking--nay, banging loudly--on the back of my head.
Of course, both of these novel ideas involve heavily Biblical angels and demons and are probably (frankly) unsaleable to any major (or minor) markets. One of them takes place in Hell; the other follows up Angry Bitter Angel with the ramifications of the events in the novella. Yeah, you're not the only ones picking your jaws up off the floor because they're not werewolf stories. I'm stunned myownself.
So the question is, do I scribble more shorts I could actually (possibly) sell (ha), or do I invest in a labor of love for something I'll (probably) end up self-publishing?
My advice to other writers is always "write your bliss," but my bliss is pulling me in two directions right now and I'm not sure how I solve that. I have the notion that I could commit to writing a short story per month next year and work on the novel(s) between doing that. I've always said I like to have one in the writing stages and one in the editing stages. If I scribble the first draft of a short at the beginning of the month, then I can be scribbling a novel draft while that's in editing.
I think it may be time to step out of my comfort zone.
