Welcome to Open Book Blog Hop. You can find us every Monday talking about the writing life. I hope you'll check out all the posts: you'll find the links at the bottom of this post.
What's the biggest problem you have in your writing right now?______________________
I'm taking on a first in my writing life right now: writing a series-ender. I've been writing the Menopausal Superheroes since 2013, with the first book, Going Through the Change, coming onto the scene in 2015, and the other books following in 2016, 2017 (with a re-release with a new publisher for the first three in 2019), and 2020 for the novellas and short stories, and 2021 for the fourth novel.
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| The Menopausal Superhero series, as of 2021 |
It's the first time I've written a series, but I didn't struggle that much book-to-book. Each one took me roughly a year to write. Even the third one, which required a revise-and-resbumit to the publisher only took 14 months. I feel good about that rate of progress, especially alongside a full time day job, kids to raise, and a household to take care of.
But writing the fifth and final novel in the series is a different beast altogether. I'm two years in on this one already and I'm not done yet. And I'm so lucky I have a patient publisher.
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| My publisher (John Hartness of Falstaff Books), looking patient by his truck |
I really want to stick the landing and leave readers feeling satisfied with how it all wraps up. I need to make sure I tie up the most important loose ends without getting wrapped up in trying to settle every story gambit that I ever through out in previous four novels, two novellas, and collection of shorts.
Did I mention I'm a pantser? (For those unfamiliar with the term: this means I make it up as a I go. I don't sit down with an outline or a fully fleshed out plan, but just start writing and see where it goes). That doesn't make this easier, but it's a process that works for me. That feeling of exploration and discovery while I'm writing often serves the story and characters well.
So, yeah, that's my writing problem of the moment: finishing it right.
I've had a good couple of months of steady progress, so right now it feels possible that I'll finish soon. Send all your good vibes my way! I'll need them.
In the meantime, check out the other posts in this week's blog hop and see what's giving everyone else trouble and, as always, leave me a comment letting me know what you think!
Some of my part finished work dates back years, I wonder if I'll ever get the stories told?
ReplyDeleteWhen I wrote The Ranger's Dog Tags, I worried not only about sticking the landing but not jumping the shark, either. Some books take more time than others.
ReplyDeleteBeing a panster gives me difficulties with series, too. It's why I tend not to publish any books in the series until they're all done. That way I can easily retcon stuff without anyone knowing.
ReplyDeleteI've got a friend who has gone that route and it seems like a good one--if you work fast enough and can keep enthusiasm without publication validation along the way.
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