So I sat down to write a story for my Storybook Corner prompt and when I hit the 600(ish) word mark I realized I was nowhere near the end of the story I wanted to tell. It’s a story I ended up really liking (far more than I expected to) and I’m not going to disgrace it by finishing it and then hacking it down to fit the 500 word limit. Yes, editing is removing the crap from the good, but I don’t even think that it’d be possible to cram it into 500 words judging by what I’ve written so far. I’m talking minimum novella length if not full novel. It’s a pretty complex story with a lot going on. It didn’t seem like it at first, but the more I write the deeper I fall into the rabbit hole. I’m not sure where the idea even came from. I just sat down and started writing without knowing where I was going-just trying to get an idea where the prompt would take me. It took me to a place I didn’t even know existed in this warped mind of mine. I love when that happens, though it’s rare. Usually a story requires a great deal more thought before I start writing it.
The ones that fly off the cuff, though, are often the stories that I almost always end up liking the most. Sins of a Father is one of those off the cuff stories, born on a whim for a 100 word story prompt— my first foray into Friday Fictioneers to be exact. I love that story. I’m looking forward to releasing it at some point. I’m hoping you guys love it as much as I do.
Anyway, I will have to put this one on the backburner for a bit though as I have a few other things I want/need to finish before I dive into a new story.
Lately, I’ve been spending most of my “writing time” reading instead of writing so it felt good to actually write for a change. It got me back in the mindset of wanting to buckle down and get some stuff done. I’ve got enough to work on that it’s almost overwhelming, so it’s good to have that sense of drive and direction back. It was nice to focus on being a reader for awhile, but it’s time to get my eye back on the ball.
I really should quell the number of projects I work on at once. I’d probably get a lot more done in the long run if I limited myself to one or two projects at a time. I’ve got at least seven projects in various stages of completion at the moment, but some of those might never see the finish line. I’m probably missing 2 or 3 that I haven’t looked at for awhile in that count. So yeah. Too many. I need to pick one and stick with it until it’s done or I decide it isn’t worth pursuing any longer, then move on to the next.
That starts today. That starts now-as soon as I hit publish on this post.
My novel, currently titled Nightmares, is next on the chopping block. I have 76,000 words of rewriting ahead of me. I’ve tried several times before, but I just felt too overwhelmed by all the work this beast requires. I’ve never went in with the confidence I have now though, so this time I’m sure I’ll push through it. And after that, I’ll push through it again. Then again if necessary. I’m about to make this manuscript my bitch. I’d say wish me luck, but I don’t need it. Not this time.
Side note: there are only a few days left in that four to six month wait to hear from Nouvella on Sins of a Father. I don’t know if that’s good or bad. My mind leans toward it being so bad that they can’t find the words to tell me it sucks or they haven’t even looked at it yet. Either may be the case, or neither may be the case, but it’s always best to prepare for rejection and be surprised if events take it a different direction. Regardless, it’s looking like I may have to contact them soon to get a status update.
