Time to Write More

I’m not writing enough.

Well, that’s not entirely true, I suppose, depending your point of view. After all, I’ve been averaging about a novel a month for almost a year. I’m a little behind for the novel I planned to draft in May, but I’m still on track to finish it before June appears like a terrible toddler that refuses to sleep in.

That said, I need to write more. In fact, I’m obligated to.

Maybe you’ve noticed—right now, I’m running a Kickstarter campaign for a little six-book series entitled Madelyn of the Sky. The first four books are ready to be proofread and formatted. My editor is taking books five and six through their final edits. The series is done.

But wait! There’s more!

One of the backer levels is a short story, a “book zero” if you will. I haven’t written it yet, though the story is outlined. Why didn’t I write it? Well, I didn’t want to bother unless someone wanted to read it.

Someone wants to. A number of someones! Time to get writing. I’m aiming to make it a fairly hefty short story, possibly a novella. But… that’s one more thing to write.

Ah, I’m not done yet! One of the backer levels features a short story that takes place after each book. Once more, I haven’t written those. I waited to see if anyone would want them. And guess what? Some good peoples want them! Once more, I know what the stories are… but I need to actually write them!

My hope is that in a year or two I’ll take those stories and make them a short story collection companion to the Madelyn of the Sky series. I think that would be a lot of fun, personally. I definitely want them to match the quality of the series itself. The last thing I want to do is give junk to the people who have funded Madelyn!

Ah, still not done. So far, two additional short stories have been unlocked. I’m actually hoping all thirteen of them get unlocked, because I want to write them! And if all thirteen possible bonus stories get unlocked… that’s one more short story collection!

How awesome would that be? A six-book series with two short story collections that enrich the entire experience?

And then my brain starts whirring… I’ve got a whole other set of thirteen short story ideas I want to do that fits into the world. Plus a four-book spinoff featuring two of my favorite side characters, Burbin and Gaershir. Oh, and each of the pirates could easily have their own novella. And what about Banse? He’s got a story to tell.

Basically: I have a lot of stories to get writing that I’m obligated to write, and even more I want to write.

Oh, but I’m currently drafting book four of a totally different series. I really want to finish the rough draft of that entire series before I return to Madelyn… but I really need to get working on Madelyn stuff.

[scream of dread]

Whew. Okay. Sorry. Had to get that off my chest.

Now, the plus side is there’s plenty of time for me to finish both this other series and the Madelyn stories before I need to send them out to backers. So at least I have that going for me.

So, this is what I want you to do: Make me write more.

I’m serious.

Go back Madelyn if it’s something you think you’d enjoy. Go share it with a reader that you think would like it. Force me to write by getting those stretch goals up higher!

See if you can drive me insane. I dare you.

Well, more insane.

Anyway… time to get back to Cade and the Silver City, the current novel work in progress!