The Waiting Game sounds like a good title for a book, don't you think? :)What I'm referring to is the looong wait that is part of the publishing business. We send our stories (in whatever form - short, novella, novel) out to the world and wait and wait and wait for news.
See....
The Waiting Game.
It's amazing how many times you will check your email when you first send something off, but part of the waiting game is that there is no set time period you will hear a response by.
So what do I do when I'm waiting?
Well instead of sitting around attracting cobwebs, I work on other projects of course.
And there is so much to choose from. I know I have notebooks of jotted down ideas, passages, some thoughts or story lines that can be developed. Sometimes I trudge through these to find the one I want to be working on at the moment, other times I just concentrate more on an ongoing project.
I usually have more than one project on the go, so I'm never out of things to work on. I've just finished a short story and some cover designs for a competition (this works the visual part of my brain).
What am I working on now?
- I'm re-reading a first draft of a short story I wrote last year to see if it will suit a particular anthology
- Editing a novella (Gateway to Hell)
- Editing a fantasy romance short story (Quest for Honour)
But I need help deciding what to do for my actual writing - next for writing - novella? novel? short story?
We on the paranormal group are soon going to do a BIAM (Book in a month - you don't actually write a book in a month more that you set a goal and try and obtain it). And so I want to prepare which story to work on.
Short story possibilities -
- Gypsy Curse - traditional fantasy with a female gypsy protagonist. Around 5000 words.
- Goddess Chatter - a look at some goddesses most likely Greek or based on Greek mythology.
- Snoop - paranormal detective on a routine case gets sucked into something quite out of her league.
- Lockdown - a story set on a space cruiser where the travellers find themselves locked in.
Novellas
- Book 2 of The Warder series (Warders protect humanity against supernatural beings with evil intent) from a female Warder POV.
- Book 2 of The Shadow Tales (a woman has to confront the father of the child he has never known about.)
Novels
- Lady & the Dragon (this is half written) - Promised to be married to the winner of a tournament, Princess Tasean encounters a dragon and takes the opportunity to help her misunderstood new friend. Romance comes in the from of a Traveller.
- Finder - a woman finds herself in another dimension and as she tries to figure out why she has been there, she helps others find people, information, items.
- Beyond World - Mel has lost memory of her early childhood and discovers she's from another parallel middle ages type world.
As you can tell I love my speculative fiction!!!
So please comment on which one you think I should work on.....
and thanks to fellow DarkSider Loretta, I have a book bundle to give away - a copy of:
Sydney Croft's ACRO series
Larissa Ione's Ecstasy Unveiled
NOTE: This giveaway is open only to those in AUSTRALIA and a street address must be provided if you win (no PO Boxes).
The winner will be announced Wednesday 16th February.
Oh what a quandry to have Eleni!
ReplyDeleteI liked the sound of the gypsy heroine, that one grabbed me. And also "Finder" and "Beyond World" Heck, they all sound great!
Eleni, you have a half finished novel in "The Lady & the Dragon" why not try and get it done?
ReplyDeleteSnoop also sounds like fun, a bit of mystery and suspense.
What's your preferred work style? Work with a self imposed deadline like BIAW or BIAM? Or do you meander along?
Mel - I need my mind to pick one to concentrate on in writing. That way I'm not flicking back and forth and something will get done.
ReplyDeleteThey gypsy one is a spin off really of gypsies in a manuscript. I thought they could have their own stand alone story.
Beyond World is a story that has been with me for many, many years but it's one that I wanted to have a bit more skill under my belt before writing.
Finder I'm envisioning as more of a fun read. :)) Hopefully.
But thanks.
Kylie, yes, I know the half finished novel is beckoning me....'come back Eleni, come back'.
ReplyDeleteAnd it might actually work well as it's a fantasy while the books I'm editing are paranormal.
I'm actually looking forward to Snoop as it's something different to my usual stories.
I have a combined work style - I like the meandering (and I know I should enjoy this before I'm published) but I do like BIAM/BIAWs. Not to finish a piece but to work on it. I can get quite a lot of words down. It's the editing that is more time consuming for me.
Thanks...
I like the sound of Finder, and wouldn't mind reading that one.Well you know what they say, 'Finish the damn book.' lol
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing on that list that does not appeal to me! So I'm not going to choose :P
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'd say if you can throw yourself back into dragons - if you like getting words down via BIAM may be a way to help get closer the end on it.
I too like working on different stages at different times. Personally, I'm experimenting dirty drafting two stories at the same time (while editing another). I'm thinking this may happen due to them being very different worlds (speculative yes to both but different).
Is there a way you can work out the varying places projects are on and see if they complement each other that way? e.g. editing something with space monkeys may mean writing about more space monkeys would clash; but writing about a fantasy world where bugs & beetles rule the world and editing space monkeys would be okay - cause....not much crossover (unless you know the space monkeys fly into the beetle's world & take over *lol*)
Kalimera Eleni!
ReplyDeleteI am biased as one of my godmothers was Romany, but I think you should work on the gypsy story. Or Lady and the Dragon, which I have been waiting a while to read...
But seriously, if you can't decide, write all the names on pieces of paper and pull one out of a hat. Let the universe decide.
I just drew an animal spirit card for you - it was Hawk - Hawk flies into your reading today to bring you an important message. It may come in the mail, e-mail, a casual remark at the grocery store, a randomly selected page in a book, or even a phrase heard on the radio. Be alert, as hawk messages can sometimes be delivered in a subtle fashion.
So take note of today's messages and you will get your answer.
Huggles
LOL Suzanne - yes indeed - I love that line. Finder is a story that I can really have fun with. Abit tongue in cheek but whether I can sustain that for a while book I don't know. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteNicky, you are as bad as I am!! :) Can you tell that I suck making decisions? LOL.
ReplyDeleteYes the BIAM is coming up so it might be time to finish the dragon story.
LOL re space monkey cross over. Yes, I'm editing paranormal ATM so maybe the fantasy based ones are the way to go....no real cross over.
Thanks Nicky and for the belly laugh too :)
Yia sou Alison, great to see you here. Alison is my long suffering sounding board, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI thought the gypsy one would appeal to you. Actually I haven't mentioned that one before had I?
Ah the good old randomness of the universe - that certainly appeals. And I'll keep an eye out for that Hawk too!! Though ATM subtlety isn't my strongpoint. So it better have neon flashing lights -:D
Thanks!!
I'm loving the sound of the Gypsy book (some of my Great Great Greats are Irish Gypsies)
ReplyDeleteAlas I live over the ditch so cant take part in the comp=[
Good luck with which ever book you decide to write=]
Always a sucker for the child they didn't know they had scenario...
ReplyDeleteBut I think getting the book finished is a good idea. The more finished, the more opportunities available.
I have to vote for Gypsy Curse, but I'm biased. I was always told as a child that I looked and acted like a gypsy. I didn't know what it meant and didn't understand the sometimes negative tones adults spoke in when telling me this. But it caused a healthy obsession with gypsies. :)
ReplyDeleteEleni,
ReplyDeleteI'd really like to hear more about all of these, but you know how fond I am of a good medieval...so I vote for Beyond World. But then...The Gypsy Curse sounds like a truly original and such a cool idea! My two cents: "Go for the Gypsy short story first...because it's short (and I'd like to read it soon--LOL!), then write Beyond World because it's longer and takes more time." Dana (who knows anything you write will be awesome! Looking forward to it!)
Hi Eleni,
ReplyDeleteWow, you've got a lot of stuff going on, girl! Go you!
I liked the sound of the gypsy story, and thought perhaps you should also go with your half-done novel. But then, I thought I'd throw a spanner in and vote for LOCKDOWN, as I've just watched Serenity, and I've now got a thing for spaceships (and a Nathan Fillion-esque character, if you can squeeze him in!). :)
Good luck with your BIAM, and thanks to Loretta, too.
Em x
Hi Eleni,
ReplyDeleteWhat a plethora of great stories to choose from.
I would say go with the dragon novel as personally I hate leaving things half finished and the BIAM might give you the push you need to finish it off. Plus you are already editing a coupld of short stories and a novella so why not throw a novel in there too.
Then again if your waking hours are being haunted by a gypsy, finder or female warder ... just go with the one whose main character will haunt your every waking hour until you get their story down on paper.
Good luck!
I'm voting for "Gypsy Curse", too. Although I love the length of novellas ... Hmm, choosing is tough.
ReplyDeleteWow, I go away to do my first ever Tai Chi class and come back to all these comments....
ReplyDeleteCath, how fascinating to have a gypsy heritage. I remember the first gypsies I saw where in Greece when I was 9. I was truly fascinated with them. Thanks for commenting.
You are so right Nicole - methinks this must be procrastination maybe. Finish the damn book as Suzanne said above. Hmmm....
ReplyDeleteoh and I love my Beyond World storyline but maybe it's not time for it yet. I really want to do it justice. Thanks!
Hey Eleni, my choice was going to be (popular) Gypsy Curse, but then when I got to the end and saw Lady and the Dragon I was swayed, so it gets my vote :)
ReplyDeleteJaime - a gypsy eh? Does that mean you travel around and are a free spirit? I think that negativity to gypsies is people think because people are passing through, they could be trouble. That someone who hasn't got a 'steady' home, ie in one spot, doesn't understand the value of home. Which I disagree with. Home is not necessarily a place. I can understand your fascination with gypsies totally.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by.
Oh Dana - that is so true. Short stories usually don't take too much time - well compared to a novel, so I COULD do as you suggest....and thanks for your confidence in me. You are a great cheerleader!!! :)
ReplyDeleteOh the magic words - Serenity and Nathan Fillion (sigh). Yes, I would love to write something like that! ......okay, I'm back from my Nathan day-dream. But yes, it is something completely different for me. The only sci-fi I've written was my flash fiction story, The Bucket.
ReplyDeleteThanks Em!
Oh Peta - they are all haunting me. They are like a chorus in the background, all with slightly different voices but all melding as one...maybe I need to do a gypsy finder, dragon friendly, space opera with a detective who finds out she's from another parallel world, which is ruled by goddesses??? LOL!
ReplyDeleteBut yes, working on the novel while editing short forms is a good suggestion. Thanks!
Jenny, choosing is VERY tough. Hence why I put things to votes and get opinions. And you never know the short story could easily become a novellete or novella! :) Thanks for the suggestion.
ReplyDeleteHey Anita, it's lovely to see you here. The Gypsy story IS very popular isn't it. It is different, so I can understand the attraction. But I can see the dragon tale has you in its grasp. LOL. I think it's going to be a close match between those two tales. Thanks for popping by!
ReplyDeleteHi Eleni,
ReplyDeleteI like all of your ideas, but I think Goddess Chatter could be interesting because it is so undefined and therefore a good project even for a short story. Good luck choosing one.
Skye
Thanks Skye - yes, I have this image of the Goddesses sitting around with their cups of tea, gossiping and deciding which mortal life to interfere in... :) thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteEleni
ReplyDeleteStart with Snoop, work up to Finder and in your down time, work on Lady and the Dragon. What do you think?
Fiona
Hey Fi, my long suffering CP - hmmm.... that is a three part plan of attack. Definitely worth considering. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteHi Eleni,
ReplyDeleteUh-oh, another vote for the gypsy one (nice for something different) from me. But I do love me a forced-proximity story so LOCKDOWN also appeals. Lots of character exploration and more inner conflict type stuff.
When you have as many ideas as you obviously do, my vote would be for doing shorts becuase you can explore all that creativity and give it voice without getting tied down to something longer. Test the market, see what people respond to best, it might guide what longer book you write.
Plus, you're building a short story platform... keep growing it!
xx
PS: My word varification code for this post was 'Eurene' which sounds very spec fic... a planet, or a starsystem, or a character... ooh, or a whole race! "My name is Tuk'ch, leader of the Eurene"....
Hey Miss Nikki!
ReplyDeleteGreat to see you on the Dark Side. I agree, the wonderful thing with short stories is they let you explore different styles and genres. Gypsy strikes again and Lockdown too....
LOL re the word verification - hey there Eurene leader, what can I do you for? :D Thanks for popping by.