Happy New Rear, Darlin's. An Update, the Intention, and Other Blatherings.

 Howdy Ho!

((Why won't this thing let me post a picture!? It says I have to sign into Google, but I did, dang it.))

Since my previous post, I've had some significant traction, where the creative process goes. I heard back from one agent, but she desired me to cut my words down from 173,000 to 120,000. Give that this story was already going to be a trilogy turned duology turned single book (with series potential), it had already had a plethora of words sliced from it, but I did my best. Instead of 50,000 words, I was able to slice a little more than 11k. Not too shabby, considering there was little I could slice from the plot. I did reach back out to her, but am still awaiting feedback.

Additionally, I submitted to the last remaining agents on my list for 2024, and have already received one rejection. I am grateful I was even given an actual rejection, as ofttimes, you are waiting until a certain time passes to know if you were rejected. (Perhaps I shouldn't say YOU, but traditional publishing is very much a business venture, and if the market is requesting cozy romantasy written by BIPOC authors featuring non-traditional settings... well, unfortunately, that simply isn't what I wrote [at least where COF is concerned]. Thus, my market standards, I have written a hard-to-market, hard-to-sell book [at least that's what one other agent said when she rejected my manuscript; it had little to do with the story itself or the prose, but the fact that, simply put, "epic fantasy is a hard sell."] All this being the case, I hope not, and yet foresee, my COF manuscript being rejected due to the nature of its nuances and the current desires of the market.)

ALL THIS TO SAY, I have managed to plot the entire (eh, as well as a pantser can learn how to plot, I suppose) story for this second book that I am working on. Which is LOVELY. But it also extremely challenging. It is almost more difficult to write this second book than it was the first, knowing the upcoming work. Not that I do not desire to do so, or that I do not think it worth it, but I find myself intentionally skipping some of the creative process in order to short-cut some of the edits later. While this is fine sometimes, it has dampened my creativity on other times. It seems now that my biggest challenge as an author will be learning how to balance writing and editing as well as learning how to market, given the fact that I will likely have to self-publish COF.

BUT! This second story--separate from COF and already intended as a stand-alone, instead of a stand-alone with series potential as COF is--is likely going to be shorter than COF, which, while my I-love-big-thick-books heart desires a longer story, this is likely going to increase my odds of getting traditionally published with this second book. Which is great! I might end up being a hybrid author, because while part of me desires to simply wait on the trad-pub for this second story, I really, really, really (did I say really yet?) want to get COF out to the masses. I've been told by many folks who like many genres that it is well done, and I've had tens upon tens of people and betas and critique partners read it... I really think it will be okay if I self-pub COF/my Liren series while I aim to trad-pub my more standalone novels (assuming they'll be accepted, assuming I'll do well in marketing and selling COF).

Anyhow.

Additionally! I had an epiphany the other day after speaking with my husband that I will likely write a sequel to COF. After I finished the story, I did not think I would ever write another. And honestly, once I finish this second story I'm writing (unsure yet if I want to share the title or working title given that the rough draft isn't yet done), I might change my mind and not write a sequel. But we were discussing "the world" I created with Liren in COF and he wants to see more of it, yet loves my book as is. He claims not that there isn't enough world-building, but there are suggestions and hints of a wider world and he wants to SEE IT. As someone who loves video games and fantasy tales, etc, I take this as a compliment.

But! It also feels right. And I think this is important. COF (Nicole and I always call it "Liren," because ever since its infancy, it was going to be a "Chronicles of Liren" series turned single book. It may yet become that, or it might be only a duology, OR yet might only be a single book. We shall see come the completion of this second story). But while COF has always felt larger than a single novel, this second story has, from ITS infancy, always been a single story. So once I finish drafting and revising this second story until I'm ready to bash my head into the wall (just as I did COF, and a future I am hoping will come much more quickly than the 2-3 years it took me to do so with COF), then I will return to the land of Liren and see if I can take all the nuaces and bits of the world and characters I deleted for the sake of the COF story, and... see how I can spin it into a sequel. I already have the bones and structure beginning to form in my mind. So. We shall see.

Ultimately, it seems the biggest challenge for 2025 will be me learning to juggle. Finishing the drafting process of this second book before transitioning to the editing phase, learning how to market COF while also learning how to self-publish in a way that presents a beautiful tome that draws the right readers with a professional cover and creates enough sales that querying the second story doesn't seem like a silly dream (for publishers watch to see if your previously-published stories sell in order to determine if you will be a worthy risk--for all newbie authors are financial risks). I admit the creation of the book itself and knowing exactly WHAT to do for the marketing are the two most daunting tasks.

Through the loss of someone (two someones) dear to me, I received a small stipend of money which will help me publish COF appropriately and without cutting corners. I intend to create a beautiful book with minimal to no errors (absolutely zero errors is unrealistic, but I admit many self-pub authors usually cut corners on editing; I will not), and I will have to take my time to learn how to do what I can myself and then know how to adequately hire who I must so that I do not waste the money I have. The goal will be to make enough (or more) to be able to publish my second book, and then my third, etc.

So, in outline form:

1. Finish Second Story Draft; transition then to editing it

2. Create a better presence online (am increasing my posting frequency on FB and Instagram)

3. Gather Newsletter subscribers (and provide an awesome newsletter so I can serve them with things that will benefit THEM, not me)

4. Learn how to use the above to market myself/my books/create a "platform" (eyeroll) so when I'm ready to publish, those who care will know and be able to follow the process (NOT-eyeroll)

5. Learn the actual publishing processes and hire accordingly.

6. After #1, and while doing #2-5, begin plotting/drafting Liren book #2, should that still be a thing.

Oh! And I intend to begin learning how to play the piano while juggling some more stuff at work. And visit my family more, because my heart YEARNS to be near them and see them often, but they live halfway across the country; am entertaining the idea of quarterly travel for long-weekends, should finances and schedule permit it.

So.

This year will be productive.

And fun.

And intentional.

And fun.

And maybe a little overwhelming.

And fun.

And I might already be a little tired.

And fun!

It's going to be fun, dang it!

...Yar. No, but it should be. It'll be a challenge, but hey, challenges are the spice of life.

Am looking forward to seeing what 2025 holds. I hope you'll join me in this venture, and as I learn and develop and grow, perhaps this blog will increase its frequency just as my FB and Instragram are.

Huzzah!

Thank you to all who care and are curious,

Jess the Mess

P.S.

If you ARE interested in signing up for my upcoming monthly newsletter, involving fun-facts, tips, tricks, updates, and revelations as regards to not only the fantasy-book-creation-processes but faith and fitness (and yes, probably some felines, too, so "4F" baby!), then please comment below, and we can coordinate in a way where you do not share you email with people and places you do not desire.

P.S.S.

Thanks for tagging along so far in this journey. Thanks for being patient with my ups and downs. I hope once you get my books into your hands that you are blessed by it, that it was worth the wait, and that my eventual "platform," will serve and bless you in your day-to-day as well as the times when you need to jump into a fantasy realm for a little bit of "escapism" as we juggle this crazy thing called life.

P.T.S.

Check out my Instagram here (handle may change as I figure out how the crap I should market myself. Lol? Lol. We shall see.)

Love you all!

Ciao.

Jess the Mess

(again)

K. Bye.