I'm not writing.
It's not because I've given up on it. I want to see how the stories end for Jack, Abigail, Allison, Sharon, Ted, Ben, Brianna, Merrigan and the rest. I can't even say that it's because RL if too chaotic, as has happened in the past. Writers' block, maybe? I don't know. I just know that when I think about sitting down to write, I just feel...tired. I am dealing with some medical issues for which fatigue is a symptom. I think that might be the culprit. Who knows? I've been to the doctor and I'm waiting for pre-approval on a treatment plan (damn insurance...)
I've gotten through two chapters of FB3, but can't seem to move past that. I started writing on that other story that's been lurking in my head, but I only got halfway through the first chapter before giving up.
I'm reading alot, hoping to find a spark. I even went back and reread some of my favorites. I could try to force myself to write, which I'm told is sometimes a way to get through "writers block", but I'm not even sure that's what this is. Regardless, writing when I'm not inspired usually produces mindless drivel.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know, in case you were checking SOL every few days hoping for a posting... (If you are, thanks for your diligence; I want to get back to writing almost as much for you as I do for me...)
The battle between stories is over, and it didn't even make it to the writing stage. I turned my sci-fi story around in my head enough times and kept seeing holes I didn't want to have to think about yet and it quickly lost steam. Which means...FB3 will be next. Yes, thank you, thank you. No applause necessary.
Here's what I've done on FB3 so far...
Took all my notes from FB2 (and there were many) and combined them with my various story arcs for FB3. I cut out a couple of superflous arcs, added a new story arc tied to all the Ted drama, and revamped a few others. My normal story prep process once I'm at this point is:
1. Write summaries for each story arc.
2. Break each story arc into time periods, which allows me to keep track on when things occur and how much "story" time has passed before something in the arc happens again. (In this case, FB3 will cover about a year, so I used the seasons as my break points.)
3. Break each arc into individual scenes, which allows me to add more detail to the story arc. (As the story progresses, I often tweak these. I might break a scene into multiple scenes, combine some, add or delete others...)
4. Determine the relationships between each story arc, which keeps the whole thing cohesive and helps me know when one scene must follow another.
5. Mix all the scenes from all the arcs together so the story moves from one arc to another fluidly and in an order that makes sense.
6. Re-read the previous story to make sure I 1) have addressed all the open arcs, 2) haven't repeated anything in my scenes for the new story, 3) start at the correct spot, and 4) immerse myself back into the story's world and fall in love with my characters all over again.
7. Start with the first scene and write, moving from one scene to another in the order I've placed them.
All this is said to let you know I'm in step 6. I've completely mapped out FB3 and I'm about a third of the way through my reread of FB2. I can safely say that I'm chomping at the bit to start writing. I'll let you know when I get started.
I've taken an unplanned hiatus from writing to deal with work issues and family issues. Not too stressed about, though, because after finishing a story, I often have burnout. Here's an update, such as it is:
I had planned for Finding Bathsheba 3 to be the next story I write, but over the last three years or so, I've had a Sci-Fi story swirling in my head. Its form has solidified enough that I can't ignore it. What that means is I'll probably be writing two stories concurrently when I start writing again: this new story and FB3. Not sure how that'll go. If it's like the last time I tried to write multiple stories at the same time (which was back in the beginning of my writing days), one of the stories will probably win out eventually and get the bulk of my focus.
After those two stories, I think I'll either jump into Brody's next installment or pick A Road Less Traveled back up. I know some people want to see that one finished (me included), but I can't really get to it until FB3 is done.
Anyway, next time I blog will be after I've begun writing in earnest again, which I hope will be soon.
Thanks for reading and for your continued patience!
jonas
So, I finally wrapped up the posting of A Balmy Spring. As usual, it took much longer to post than I anticipated. RL issues interfere so often. I'd be content to write full-time if I felt I could support my family comfortably, but alas, tis not likely to be.
Let me take a pause to give a shout out to Dave & Evie and Pepere, the awesome volunteers who help the story be better than I can do on my own. D&E's feedback on characters and story arcs is a huge reason why my characters keep getting rave reviews from readers. And Pepere is the one who tries to keep my writing clean and error free. I say "tries" because I'm damn stubborn sometimes and have some pretty bad writing habits. He's patient, though, which makes him a godsend.
Speaking of "characters", this particular installment of Brody's story generated some of the most aggressive reader feedback I've ever received. Most of the feedback was positive, and the feedback that wasn't was tied to the emotional impact the story took on them. I hope I don't give anything away with my next comments about the story. I'll try to be cryptic. If you're afraid I'll spoil things, then don't read the rest of this post.
Several readers gave up midway through the telling when things got tough for Brody and his actions became undesirable. Several other readers threatened to quit reading if he didn't "shape up" sooner than later.
What that tells me is people really like Brody, and they expect better from him then he sometimes gives. I expect a lot from him, too, and while he often sounds and acts like a grown-up, he's still only sixteen and prone to stupid mistakes. Hell, I'm in my late thirties and I'M still prone to mistakes. The story as it's presented here is by and large what I intended to write from the beginning, and it took a lot of willpower to not change things to accomodate a few readers. I knew I had to remain true to my creativity, though, so I did.
This "remaining true" idea also became an issue when a couple of readers expressed dislike for the direction Cassie's character took. In her case, I'll admit that she evolved during the four stories, and that I hadn't intended for her to take this direction when I first introduced her into the story. I did, however, begin ABS with a clear direction for her, so I still remained true to my creativity. One reader asked me why I took Cassie the direction I did, and a large reason why is because I enjoy stories with this element included, and it really seemed to work with her.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story. I'll spend some time while I'm taking a breather from writing to respond to e-mails people sent over the last couple of months. Thanks for reading and writing and encouraging me. It's always a pleasure to hear that others enjoy my writing as much as I do.
jonas