So. Now that book's (sort of, vaguely, not really) out of the way, I'm starting to think about the big question. What comes next?
It's getting time to put the old manuscript away for awhile and then return to it with unblinkered eyes some time hence, but the big decision remains: what to work on next. (I'm procrastinating on a. editing, b. the dishes & c. taking the kids to the park in the rain here, it's always nice to kill three birds with the same stone.)
I love the excitement of diving into a brand new story, of finally trying to grasp some of those images and conversations that have been swimming around for months or sometimes years. But first to decide.
My choices at present are between some old and new manuscripts.
Choice One: Overly Caffeinated Werewolves (Are Not Pretty) Book Two in the Emporium Sisters' Escapades. Bella's story. I suspect it would pretty much write itself... and be soooo much fun.
Choice Two: The Toad Lord: A re-telling of The Golden Ball or Frog Prince (I have not yet seen the Disney Version & would put it off until the manuscript was finished). I'd be setting it in 16th century Scotland and making it a lot more gritty. I'd also get to use my Toad Lord pinterest board for heaps of visual inspiration, thus strengthening my claim that Pinteresting is working. I made notes for this story decades ago and put it on the back burner. It would be great to resurrect the idea and the perfect place to use lots of lush, descriptive writing. Mmmm.
Choice Three: Sara and the Seven Beasts: Spoilt teenager Sara falls through the sea into another world. Created centuries ago by the seven dancing beasts, it has since become corrupted half the beings have lost memory of their animal selves. Sara & the Princess Lasiale have to wake the sleeping beasts in order to end the oppression of the unchanging and bring harmony back to the world.
This is pretty much half written. I would like to get it finished, and it has some great bits in it...
Choice Four: Searching for Seadragons: 17 year old Zoe retreats to the sea after witnessing a suicide. Over her year by the shore she thinks about who she is and the world around her. Her sister and friends keep interrupting her reflections. This is a rewriting and editing job. I wrote it back in high school and quite a lot of publishing houses (OUP, A&U etc) liked the first few chapters & asked for more... but then declined. Re-reading it, they were right. The ending is completely unsatisfying and I missed the obvious. You know - the guy yelling hey - I'm the one, I'm the one. Now to re-write, scrap the last chapters and add drama and romance. I do love the characters... and lets be honest, it would only be 20,000 words and a rewrite. And fun words. Sea words.
Decisions, decisions. Now let me add to the mix I've decided to do NaNoWriMo - which is when you write a novel (50,000 words) in a month in November, and only Overly Caffeinated Werewolves (Are Not Pretty) or The Toad Lord would be eligible for this, and I have a bit of juggling to do.
Which one next... which one..
Let me ponder, and return to the dishes and my editing, and hey, looks like the rain has stopped for the moment, the playground calls.
It's getting time to put the old manuscript away for awhile and then return to it with unblinkered eyes some time hence, but the big decision remains: what to work on next. (I'm procrastinating on a. editing, b. the dishes & c. taking the kids to the park in the rain here, it's always nice to kill three birds with the same stone.)
I love the excitement of diving into a brand new story, of finally trying to grasp some of those images and conversations that have been swimming around for months or sometimes years. But first to decide.
My choices at present are between some old and new manuscripts.
Choice One: Overly Caffeinated Werewolves (Are Not Pretty) Book Two in the Emporium Sisters' Escapades. Bella's story. I suspect it would pretty much write itself... and be soooo much fun.
Choice Two: The Toad Lord: A re-telling of The Golden Ball or Frog Prince (I have not yet seen the Disney Version & would put it off until the manuscript was finished). I'd be setting it in 16th century Scotland and making it a lot more gritty. I'd also get to use my Toad Lord pinterest board for heaps of visual inspiration, thus strengthening my claim that Pinteresting is working. I made notes for this story decades ago and put it on the back burner. It would be great to resurrect the idea and the perfect place to use lots of lush, descriptive writing. Mmmm.
Choice Three: Sara and the Seven Beasts: Spoilt teenager Sara falls through the sea into another world. Created centuries ago by the seven dancing beasts, it has since become corrupted half the beings have lost memory of their animal selves. Sara & the Princess Lasiale have to wake the sleeping beasts in order to end the oppression of the unchanging and bring harmony back to the world.
This is pretty much half written. I would like to get it finished, and it has some great bits in it...
Choice Four: Searching for Seadragons: 17 year old Zoe retreats to the sea after witnessing a suicide. Over her year by the shore she thinks about who she is and the world around her. Her sister and friends keep interrupting her reflections. This is a rewriting and editing job. I wrote it back in high school and quite a lot of publishing houses (OUP, A&U etc) liked the first few chapters & asked for more... but then declined. Re-reading it, they were right. The ending is completely unsatisfying and I missed the obvious. You know - the guy yelling hey - I'm the one, I'm the one. Now to re-write, scrap the last chapters and add drama and romance. I do love the characters... and lets be honest, it would only be 20,000 words and a rewrite. And fun words. Sea words.
Decisions, decisions. Now let me add to the mix I've decided to do NaNoWriMo - which is when you write a novel (50,000 words) in a month in November, and only Overly Caffeinated Werewolves (Are Not Pretty) or The Toad Lord would be eligible for this, and I have a bit of juggling to do.
Which one next... which one..
Let me ponder, and return to the dishes and my editing, and hey, looks like the rain has stopped for the moment, the playground calls.
I vote for the toad lord :) I just love the idea of a retelling of The Golden Ball - it's a bit under the radar, but still such a classic - perfect! (although this werewolf story you mentioned sounds like it could be fun, too)
ReplyDeleteI second the toad lord! Fairy tales? 16th century Scotland? Go for it!
ReplyDeleteThe Toad Lord it is! Coming to a computer near me... very soon!
Deletewoohoo :)
Delete