One of my friends who is moving was talking about how much she hates it. Me, I love moving. When I enter my new house, I feel like an artist with a blank canvas, full of exciting possibilities. So why don’t I feel the same looking at a blank page?
Over the past couple of years, I’ve felt less and less joy in writing fiction. What used to drive me was becoming a chore, although I continued to write and publish, I was no longer as driven. My characters weren’t talking to me like they used to. Granted, I had plenty going on in my life, from family issues to a full-time job to struggles with feelings of commercial failure. Even so, it boiled down to the fact that many times, my writing had become an obligation and pressure.
First, let me be clear – just because my writing had become obligation and pressure didn’t mean I couldn’t write or write well. Discovery came out, and I am so proud of that book. Plus, it’s been consistently outselling all my previous novels. I wrote 50,000 words on DragonEye, most of which I’ve tossed as I’ve remade the Vernverse, but which also did a lot to clear the cobwebs in a universe I’ve not seriously addressed in several years.
Like with a good marriage going through a rough time, I had to work through some issues with my writing before I could love it again. How did I do it? Let’s discuss that in a later blog.
The point for now is that I did, and I’m glad. It kept my writing skills and meager habits going. There were times I loved what I was doing, but I wasn’t in love with writing anymore. This year, however, I want to capture that feeling of being in love.
This year is about low-pressure fun. I have finally found my groove with Vern, so the goal is at least his first novel finished in the Fall with publishing in 2018. If you want to know more about that, subscribe to my newsletter. But I’m also going to take time for the silly distractions that come along the way.
The next couple of years will mean big changes in my writing career. I’ve already had the rights of two of my books come back to me, and plan to take back several more in the coming 18 months. I am going to start self-publishing the DragonEye series. My writing at work with Top Ten Reviews is expanding from product reviews to business articles and that’s opening up opportunities elsewhere. In a sense, I am moving into a new home, with empty rooms waiting to be filled according to my designs.
I’m ready. I’m looking forward to unpacking the boxes, brushing off past characters and putting them in new story lines; and designing whole new universes. I think it’s going to be a fun adventure.
If you are interested in joining the adventure, please subscribe to this blog or to my newsletter.