Since finishing my first novel just under a month ago, I've finished the first drafts of four new short stories: a piece of flash, 4,500 words, 3,700 words, and 6,700 words. I'm not quite sure where this feverish pitch is coming from, though I have a few theories.
For one, it wasn't until writing the novel that I got into the habit of writing daily. I've never done this with stories before--usually I would take a day off after finishing one before starting another, but I badly don't want to see that ticker get reset to zero, so I'm making a point to do something every day, no matter what.
Secondly, I think this has to do with the fact that I've been monofocused for so long. I got a handful of story ideas while writing the novel and I couldn't pursue them--so now I guess I'm catching up.
However, I really am catching up and there aren't any fresh story ideas trying to get out at the moment. I have an extensive list of older ideas, but I'm always most enthused when they're newer. I guess it's going to be time to start revising some older stories next. Which means it really is time to restart Critters so I can get some critiques in the near future.
In other news, I'm beginning to think that after finishing this round of stories, I might jump into the next novel even though it will get interrupted by the new baby. Life's always going to interrupt me, after all, and I can't put it off because of that or I'll never sit down and write another. And if I'm going to have any chance of making a living in this industry, it will be from novels, not short stories--so all the more reason to get a few of them under my belt. At least, that's what I'm thinking right now.
1 comment:
It's true: life is that one thing you're doing; writing is that other one. I think starting a new novel would be great! If you're like me, the ultimately goal is to be a "novelist" (so to speak), and you can't do that unless you write novels. And more life should mean more ideas for novels, short stories and more!
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