Blog Post #2 - Split in Two

So…I've been working on the second book in my Knights Elementalis series. It's been going kinda slow. I make progress every day. It's not the kind of machine gun typing I'd like to see, blurping out 3k, 4k, or even 5k words in a clip. Man, that would be SWEET. Lately my pace is more like a sedate 2, 2.5k. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

I've been distracted. Another story idea, one that's percolated behind my eyes for a while, one which I've tried to write out twice already, won't leave me alone. In the middle of a scene with Dev and Magnus, I start thinking about this other idea and how the character should react to his given situation. What the hell? I'm trying to help Dev deal with his fury and this other character steals the spotlight.

It's rude, if you ask me. Take your ticket and wait your turn, buddy. You'll get your chance. But no, that's not good enough.

I've been split in two. During the Superstars Writing Seminar, Kevin J. Anderson said we should have multiple projects going on in different stages of the writing process. If you get stalled on one project, you can slide over and tackle one of the others. Great advice. I'm all over it. I figured I'd focus and write out The Last Clan while I plot the new story. Cool.

I plotted the story. Now what? The Last Clan moves ahead slowly while this upstart project siphons off my creative power. It's like a having a new puppy in the house. As soon as you leave it alone behind the gate in the kitchen to go and do something else, the fuzzy ball of cute whines and yips and growls until you're forced to come back into the room and play with him.

Somehow, someway, I've got a metaphorical new puppy. Not as fuzzy and definitely easier on the newspapers, he demands just as much attention.

And…grrrr, I gave in. This weekend I could resist those sad, doggy eyes and lifted him over the fence. I started writing the story and I hope that, once he hits the page, he'll let me concentrate on The Last Clan.

Don't get me wrong. I'm super excited about this new project. I believe it will be my next gihugic thing after the Knights. It's got the kind of cinnamony depth swirled with chocolaty conflict topped with flawed character sprinkles into which I as a reader love to sink my brain. I just wish it would be a little less insistent and play nice with the other creative children in my head.

But there's a big risk here. What if I get so enamored with the new project that I don't go back and finish the first? To that I say, "Hogwash." I'm not going to leave the Knights hanging in their fight against the Gray Lords. The world is at stake and I, in good conscience, must write it out of jeopardy or let it fall into darkness. Either way, there must be closure.

The shiny new work, while uber cool and exciting, will not derail my Knights Elementalis train. I simply switched KE off the main track for a few days while I test out a new engine.

No worries. I got this.

Have fun,

Scott

Against the Shadow, burns a noble light.