I often think to undertake herculean efforts of focus and persistence. I believe I am capable of these feats, but my successes speak otherwise. All the same, I am pondering the three stories I wish to undertake plus a fourth which is so closely related to the first that I don't think it really bears mentioning.
Many people have heard me talk about the fifty stories I am planning out and, while that is true, those fifty separate stories are really, to me, part of the same overall story. I no more think of them as separate works than you might think of each episode of Firefly as an entity unto itself. Certainly it is, but at the same time it is inextricably a part of its whole. You can think about it as one story overall. This is how I view the work to which I have devoted the past twenty-two years of my life.
Lately, though I have branched out mentally. It isn't so much that I hadn't thought of other stories in the past (I had, and have written them down to be approached at a later date) as it is that I have never allowed myself the luxury of devoting any thought to these orphaned ideas. Things are different now.
The first is, of course, book three of The Prophecy Archives (likely followed by a rewrite of book one). I have an obligation to this work, since it is where I intend to hang my hat for publishing. I don't know if it that will happen though.
The second is a work I would have already lost myself in if I weren't absolutely convinced it would delay any progress on book three, which I cannot countenance. Instead of being a study in time travel, this is a study in magic and the lore of it, inspired by my time in the game Magica. I really envision it as a series following the life and actions of one Entanis Perling. I have a hook for this story which is so good in my opinion that it keeps me awake at night.
The third doesn't keep me awake at night as much as it wakes me up. It is a book based off of my only nightmares vivid enough to be remembered once I regain consciousness. As a study on adultery and my thoughts regarding it, the book frightens me. More because I fear my wife might take it as literal or suspect me of the actions I would write about than because of an unwillingness to face the darkness of the subject. I have yet to decide if this story will ever see the light of day like I do.
The fourth is the graphic novel which is meant to accompany The Prophecy Archives in building the setting for what is to come after. I've already established the lion's share of the storyline and am all but ready to go into production on it. The one thing I lack is an artist to work with who is crazy enough to risk so much of their time and effort on my vision. It is questionable whether I would ever find such a thing.
At the end of the day, though, if I could just get a query letter or two into the mail, there would be victory enough to sustain me another day.
Many people have heard me talk about the fifty stories I am planning out and, while that is true, those fifty separate stories are really, to me, part of the same overall story. I no more think of them as separate works than you might think of each episode of Firefly as an entity unto itself. Certainly it is, but at the same time it is inextricably a part of its whole. You can think about it as one story overall. This is how I view the work to which I have devoted the past twenty-two years of my life.
Lately, though I have branched out mentally. It isn't so much that I hadn't thought of other stories in the past (I had, and have written them down to be approached at a later date) as it is that I have never allowed myself the luxury of devoting any thought to these orphaned ideas. Things are different now.
The first is, of course, book three of The Prophecy Archives (likely followed by a rewrite of book one). I have an obligation to this work, since it is where I intend to hang my hat for publishing. I don't know if it that will happen though.
The second is a work I would have already lost myself in if I weren't absolutely convinced it would delay any progress on book three, which I cannot countenance. Instead of being a study in time travel, this is a study in magic and the lore of it, inspired by my time in the game Magica. I really envision it as a series following the life and actions of one Entanis Perling. I have a hook for this story which is so good in my opinion that it keeps me awake at night.
The third doesn't keep me awake at night as much as it wakes me up. It is a book based off of my only nightmares vivid enough to be remembered once I regain consciousness. As a study on adultery and my thoughts regarding it, the book frightens me. More because I fear my wife might take it as literal or suspect me of the actions I would write about than because of an unwillingness to face the darkness of the subject. I have yet to decide if this story will ever see the light of day like I do.
The fourth is the graphic novel which is meant to accompany The Prophecy Archives in building the setting for what is to come after. I've already established the lion's share of the storyline and am all but ready to go into production on it. The one thing I lack is an artist to work with who is crazy enough to risk so much of their time and effort on my vision. It is questionable whether I would ever find such a thing.
At the end of the day, though, if I could just get a query letter or two into the mail, there would be victory enough to sustain me another day.
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