Writing Journal: Y2 Day 151

I haven’t been keeping up with the writing journal lately.  This is due mostly to not knowing what to say.  Or maybe not having anything to talk about.

Sam Kane books 1 & 2 are being shopped by The Agent, which takes time, so there’s not really any news there.  Book 3 is outlined, but I’ve been trying not to work on it, thinking it would be good to branch out and do other things.  (*points in the air* LOOK OVER THERE! *totally doesn’t go write two chapters while you’re looking away*)

So.  With that in mind, I wrote a short story called ‘Consumption’.  As with every short story I write, the first three quarters flowed and the last quarter/end stalled for weeks.  It’s different from my usual stuff – in a good way (I hope).  After I finished it, I obsessed over it for a while.  It’s just what I do.  Then I let TyBarBary read it and got the ‘thumbs up’.

“Definitely a break from your usual style, but I gotta say, you rocked this’n. I like the voice, the overall feel of the story’s imagery and pacing (it reminds me of the times about which it was written, like an austere wooden desk and a library and a cigar with a less-civilized world outside), and the overall plot and events. Especially the clincher at the end there. 😀

So, yes, a fine job – I dig it. <3!”

Now I need to figure out what to do with it!

Sigh.  That’s the hard part.  Finding markets you think your story fits in, sending it out.  Worse than job hunting, apartment hunting, grocery shopping and dating combined.

What else…?

I am writing less unemployed than when I was employed.  This is due to many things:

• When working, I had a set time (lunch) when I would go off site and write. This usually resulted in 1k words.
• When I open the computer now, I feel compelled to spend my time looking for a job.  Understandable, right?  So that ‘free’ time is spent on job boards, Craigslist, etc., clicking ‘apply’.
• Wii Bowling.
• I don’t have a single, focused project.

With the books, I am very focused.  I’m in my characters head and I’m pushing forward.  Taking a break from those books (Sam Kane), I go back to drifting.  Consumption was easy to start, hella-hard to finish.  I think the long-tail structure of a novel gives me time to get into the character’s head – I don’t know how else to explain it.

With the space opera I’ve been toying with (for years), I have multiple characters, multiple POV’s.  Not loads.  Started out as three, now it’s five.  Five people who are weaving their way through the story – that’s hard.  Actually, I should do a Scrivener post on how I have set that up so I can write it – might be interesting to people.  Or not.  I’ll think about it.

Anyway, it’s a totally different style than the Sam Kane books.  Specifically in that SK is 1st person from Sam’s POV.  Jumping out of that mode, if you will, takes time.

Am I rambling?  I feel like I’m rambling.

Lots of ideas, as usual.  Best go write something…

~P