The Calm Before The Stor... er, Book 3

[mutales]

I've been asked how long it'll be before I'm ready to start Book 3. I didn't figure I'd make this announcement until I had the Book 2 compilation available for sale, but I've found myself stuck at the library by an unexpected rain... time on my hands and no chance to edit the book, so... here goes.

Comments

[hanabishirecca]

I'm conflicted. In fact, I'm Very conflicted here.

I think of myself as a good writer. My biggest struggle has always been grammar. I have to spend extra time going back and make sure I have it right. Fortunately, I have a good copy editor. And I do have some publication experience but nothing that has ever paid more than $0.01 a word.

I have had my less serious writing projects and you are describing Tales of MU this way. Last year, almost a year to the day, I discovered a real novel was floating in my head. Unlike my other pieces of fiction that coooould be published if I put the right effort to it, this one did it all by itself.

It took a while, but I finally found the right perspective. And unlike other writing projects, I've discovered things about my ability I didn't know before. I've written scenes I've been proud of. I've written scenes that have made my eyes well up and cry. And right now, I'm ~3,000 words from finishing my first draft. Hey, it took almost a full year but it was a good year.

When I finish this draft, I'm not sitting down. I'm printing the entire 90,000+ words, reading it, taking copious notes, discovering themes I missed, and starting the second draft. And I'll share my second draft so that I can get constructive criticism and be able to go back and do the third and final draft. And then, I'm going to do something I have dreamed off since I was 14. I'm going to start trying to get it published.

So here I am, sitting down to try and finish off the 3,000 words and distracted by what I saw when I hit F5 on Livejournal. You are telling me, your reader, that if I donate money, you will put off working on your book that you think you can publish so that you can do Book 3. That is an unfair position to put me in.

I could, on one hand, make a donation which I would gladly do. But, doing so, I would be delaying what I think is far more important to the writer's spirit. You, much like myself, want to publish your work. Now, I don't know your dreams so maybe that isn't a priority to or overly important to you. But you wouldn't tell us, if it didn't matter on some level. I can't, in good conscious, tell you not to write.

So, in summary, I am willing to donate, but if my donation is going to make you put your dream aside for even as long as six weeks, I can't bring myself to do that. I hope you understand.

P.S. Never EVER make a deal with the fae to write about them without some sort of escape clause.

[mutales]

Grrr. You guys are really stabbing my horcruxes here.

I didn't say MU is less serious. I said it isn't a novel... and it isn't. It's an online serial. Seriously. You can check if you don't believe me.

I didn't say the novel I would otherwise be writing would be published, except in the same way MU compilations are. I said I consider it unmarketable. It's not a big step in my career... it's less personal, less experimental, and will require less art and craft than Mu does. Bottom line: don't mistake your trajectory for mine. It's just what I will be writing instead, if I'm not writing MU, as I have to write SOMETHING.

[hanabishirecca]

That's understandable to half to be writing something. I'm also not trying to stab your horcruxes either. I just want to be sure I'm not stepping between anyone and their goal. And you DID ask for donations. So I'll see what I can do come payday.