Shifting Focus

Hey friends.

Update on Book 1: Active rejections received: 6 of 33. Most won't reply to my query unless interested, so I'm basically waiting three months to hear nothing before submitting directly to publishers.

Update on Preconceived Notions: I was wrong about the rights with regards to traditional publishing. Apparently such things can be negotiated. This grants me much relief, as I'd like to go the publishing route, but will get my books published regardless. I intend to continue querying to agents and pursuing traditional publishing until I'm done with the first draft of Book 2, wherein I might consider self-publishing then. It'll also give me a chance to save so I can publish a high-quality book if I DO have to self-publish.

Updates on Book TWO: I have drafted the entire thing. Sat my happy butt down two days ago and spent 3-4 hours doing nothing but writing the intricate details of the plot of Book 2 and MY, I think it might even be better than Book 1 and I think Book 1 is good, especially with the feedback. I MIGHT, God-willing, even be able to finish this story in TWO books, so a duology vs trilogy as originally planned. That said, the details for Book 2 are so intense, I'm not sure I can with an appropriate length, so... we'll see.

Some things I've noticed: Hooking the reader for Book 1 is easier than Book 2. Book 2, I kind of want to bleed right into the story, but I have to do updates and reminders on who people are and what has happened, as most books don't come out back-to-back. So. That's a thing. I think I managed well enough, but we'll see once it's all said and written and I go back over it again. You know... maybe at the end of this year. I'd love to finish this thing in 6 months (I finished the first draft of both Book 1 and 2 in 6 months, so... why the spells not, eh?).

So I'm utterly rewriting Book 2, but originally, I started EDITING what I had already written for Book 2 (I "technically" wrote Book 2 the same year I wrote Book 1, but then edited Book 1 before finishing Book 3 and good thing I did because I now know a ton about the world and EXACTLY what's going on and... that's kind of needed. Yay, for first-time-author learning curves!). After a few pages of not giving a crap about what I wrote (heavy red-flag), I opted to utterly rewrite Book 2, while keeping the first draft near so I can pull the gold nuggets out of it as I rewrite the story in a much better, more succinct manner (remember: the draft of Book 1 was upwards of 220k and I was able to rewrite and edit it down to 173k. And there MIGHT be a scene I can utterly erase as well to shorten the word count even more. We'll see; it depends on how Book 2 goes and if that certain character I might erase will show up as I expect him to. But then, he might not, because in the drafting of the outlines, he didn't show up, so... I might just cut him out. I love him though! But I guess that's why they call it "Kill Your Darlings." Ah, me.).

So far, by doing so, I've DRASTICALLY sped up the pace and I'm enjoying Book 2 now, and eager to "Find out" what happens, even though I already drafted it and I already know. Huzzah! But HOW will the characters get there? I only kind of know! It's an adventure to be sure!

I'm officially enjoying myself again. Was beginning to severely stress over the publishing thing, and that is no way to live (not to mention juggling the health of my elderly furr-baby), so I've chalked it up to continuing the story while I await my rejections, and decided to spend most of my effort writing Book 2.

BUT! I will also be creating a FB Page for Chronicles of Liren (the name of the book series [or Duology... again, it might not even BE  a series come the end of Book 2!]), assuming I'm even allowed to make a page. FB blocked me before I even could, to make me press pause so I don't spam anyone, but... I haven't even created the page yet. So how can I spam anyone?

Irritating, AF.

Anyway. As I conduct the story of Book 2, I should be able to provide more fun information here and on the FB page other than just dry publishing talk without any info about the books. Because as much as it is a good release to let all this mess out of my brain, I know you don't care. Spells, *I* don't care. And I was harshly reminded of this when on a YouTube video, I skipped the intros of who the people were because, "I don't give a crap."

Ha! So I know you don't either, and don't worry, I'm not offended. I'll just make more of an effort for this blog and upcoming FB page to be worth your while, and hopefully introduce you the characters and getting you interested in and involved in the story that is A Conduit of Fire (working title for Book 1 of The Chronicles of Liren -- also working series name).

Anyhow. If you've stuck it out this far and are still with me, thanks.
I'll have more interesting, book-ish stuff for you next time and moving forward.

Huzzah!
Your affectionate servant,
Jess


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