New Project - 2nd in Series or Something New?

 

Once a book moves off the desk, it's time to figure out what's next. 

While writing Threshold of Midnight, an idea for a sequel came to mind, and I immediately started outlining. Just get those ideas down on paper in case - IN CASE - I want to make the sequel my next project. 

I have 3 other manuscripts finished but not edited. Should I just get them edited and out? Or start the sequel that's on the edge of my mind while those characters are fresh in my mind? 

So I need to pick between these; 

1. Threshold of Tomorrow (Sequel to Threshold of Midnight)

2. Eyes of My Killer (paranormal detective novel)

3. To Be A Patriot (Fight back against the establishment)

4. Lucifer (my oldest manuscript - what if you meet Lucifer?)

Which would you choose? 

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Turbulent Life & Time to Write

I wish I had stairs to do this! 

When life gets crazy--writing gets hard. 
Lots going on right now at home and at work so I'm struggling again with carving out time to write. Some days I come home from work and my brain is fried. I just want to veg-out and if I do pick up my laptop, it's usually for surfing art on Pinterest.  Some really awesome artists post there and after writing, painting is my next love. 

At work I've been designing artwork/lettering for company trucks and doing some copy writing. Although I started there as a receptionist, my job has morphed into much more and I'm having a great time. However, a busy day at work can be draining.  When my brain is mush, I'm not sure I can give my manuscript my best. 

Just did a major home improvement, which sent dust everywhere and drove me crazy. Now it's done so the house doesn't seem to be such a wreck any more. As a former stay-at-home-mom, I still feel like the house is my job and if it's a mess, that's all I think about. 

Am I making excuses??? Hmmmm....could be. Everything is an excuse when you don't write. I just have to figure out which excuses are valid and which are my anchors of procrastination. 

Back to the wall-best way to write. 

Did I mention my desk? Due to the shuffling we did in the house, my desk is now up against a wall. My desk use to be set out from the wall so I could slip behind it and my back would be to the wall. I know this might sound weird but when I write, if someone comes up behind me it startles me big time. I nearly jump out of the chair. So I'm thinking of moving it, I just don't know where. 

Where are you Edgar? 

And I can't find my Edgar Allan Poe action figure since moving my desk. 


The excuses are mounting....

How's your writing going? What are your usual excuses?  

Writers, Slacking, & Motivation

Confession: I'm a slacker.

My writing habits have tanked in the last few months. Two separate manuscripts sit on my desk right now and I haven't touched them in...weeks. (Insert sad face here) I don't know what pushed me away from my desk or why I'm ignoring projects that I love, but it's time to bring the  hammer down. I'm bringing back the basic writer rules.

1. 1. Ass in Chair. The simplest of writer rules and the hardest one to follow. I know if I just walk into the little office on the side of my house I'll write. Getting there is where most writers fail. 
2. Turn off the Distractions. No facebook, twitter, TV, or phone. Another super simple rule. A writer needs a cave. A place to shut out the world. Stephen King once said he wrote in the laundry room of his trailer when he first started out. If he can go into a laundry room, I can go to my cave, too. 
3. Just write. Good or bad, as long as the writer is writing, amazing things can happen. Believe it. 
4. Be religious about your writing time. Carve out those hours and don't let anything interfere with it. It's a job. Go to it. 
5.  Seek other writers. Visiting their blogs, reading articles about writing, and going to writing groups keep a writer motivated. Being with your people centers a you, encourages you and can bring you back to productivity. 

So those are my writer rules. For the next eight hours I have to go to the day job, but tonight I go to my cave. 

Write on, my friends, protect your writing time and get your ass in the chair. That's my plan.