Year in Review and Looking Forward

It really feels like this was a year of good and bad, writing-wise.  The first book I wrote, I deliberately plowed through it in a month because I had this strange idea that I had to write as fast as possible.  It sucked.  The second book I wrote turned out much better, and I'll begin the publishing attempt process in 2014.  Of course, the only reason I wrote that book was because I decided to put SKYBORNE to rest after nearly a year of failing at the publishing attempt process.

So, yeah.  Roller coaster and all that.  @_@

I also started blogging more regularly in 2013, and it's starting to feel more natural.  It still seems more like a duty than something I really enjoy, but as the writing process goes on, I think I'm getting more used to it.  I also participated in my first Follow Fest, and met a bunch of nifty people that way; it's been great to reach out to the wider writing community.  I'm hoping we all find success in the next year, one way or another.

As for looking forward, I'm pleased to say I have two plots that I'll do my damndest to make into two new books next year.  I'm going to try something Rena suggested -- write one book, then write another, then go edit the first one.  I've never done that before because I've never had two fully prepared plots at once, so this will be a new experience.  Sadly, neither of those plots is the one I blogged about back in October; while I've spent time fleshing that one out and working on character development, something about it just doesn't interest me as much anymore.  I think there's too much there for one book, and it needs to be pared down.  As much as I overwrite, this is no surprise, but still.  I've set it aside for now, and hope to return to it later.

As for what I do have, I gotta say, I'm really excited.

The first one is an interplanar adventure story I tweeted about as sort of a combination of three shows I love.  I'm still hashing this one out, as I ran into a problem in the second act that meant I had to re-plot much of the first act.  But the re-working is going well, and I'm not getting frustrated.  (Yay!)  Very much hoping I break through this plot wall tomorrow and pull the whole thing together.  And anything that involves an intellectual lamia, a foulmouthed goblin with opposable toes, and a shotgun-wielding faceless wargolem should be fun.

The other is the kind of story I've wanted to write for a long time.  It's dark fantasy with a healthy dose of cosmic horror thrown in, inspired by equal parts Marvel Comics and H.P. Lovecraft, and seriously, this thing was just about pulling itself out of my head as I plotted it.  It still needs revision, but everything was working perfectly.  I can't wait to polish this plot until it shines.

To everyone reading this: happy new year.  May 2014 bring you what you want and what you need, whether you find these to be the same thing or not.  ^_^