Originally published at Joely Sue Burkhart. You can comment here or there.
I’m going to have to make some tough decisions this year. Looking at my list of everything I want to work on, I’ve realized I simply can’t do it all.
At first, I was rather gloomy about it. If only I had more time, I could finish more projects. But this is my reality. I have to make it work. I have 1-2 hours each morning to write, depending on how early I can drag my ass out of bed. Any time during the evening that I can write is gravy. That’s it.
Meanwhile, April is a page I’ll soon be ripping off my calendar, and the year is slipping through my fingers.
Now that I’m under contract, I have commitments that must be met. That’s a very good thing indeed. That gives me my highest priority. Road will be finished this year. A third Keldari novella will be finished this year. Book 3 in the trilogy will follow on those heels–maybe I’ll write the first draft as my NaNoWriMo novel this year, or at least start it. Next year, Charon’s book for the Mythomorphoses world, unless Deena asks for it over Return to Shanhasson.
I might, if I work really hard the last part of the year, be able to get through revisions on ONE story. One. While I’ll be grinding through editor revisions and promo on two other stories at the same time. In my head right now, I hear the record guy from Walk the Line asking Johnny Cash what’s the one song he’d sing. If he was dying in a ditch and this was his only chance to tell God what he felt about this life…
I love Letters. I do. But. I don’t know that it’s the smartest choice for me right now. Based on recent contest feedback, it might be better shelved. It’s definitely a love it or hate it kind of story and it does nothing for my brand. But. That story’s a gut-wrencher and powerful in many ways. The revision is almost finished. Hmmm. See why I keep waffling?
RHP or Night Sun Rising. Not sure which, yet. The latter has a ticking clock associated with it and I know I’ve seen at least one other similarily premised story announced in Publisher’s Lunch already. Both are rough first drafts. RHP is a departure in many ways for me. Both need so much work it makes my stomach clench with anxiety just thinking about sitting down and locking on to one or the other.
But that’s exactly what I need to do. One of these two stories is a definite must do for the second half of the year. And the rest, well, will just have to be gravy. With a cherry on top. *winks*