I am at this crossroads. It seems more like a broom handle snaking into many paths. My book sales are progressing like sap 'running' down a tree. I need more reviews of my book to help the algorithms, but that will take time. I need to blog, which can be fun. I need to create content for social media, which is fun and time-consuming. Then the intriguing and challenging part, I started on the concluding novel that will complete my series.
You need to love multitasking, which I do. It is still a challenge, especially factoring in my distracting and engaging life in Portugal.
To get back to the new novel. I don't experience writer's block as much as ideas need to percolate in my brain before coming out. Yesterday felt unproductive, working on the second part of chapter three. I had to reacquaint myself with a character from the first book to start him on his new character arc. So a couple of hours in the afternoon and printing out a large world map to envision where everyone is. Then I start writing, but the result is boring. Then I began to nod off. Either my age or I am boring myself.
I came to it fresh the next morning. I erased what I had started and proceeded to rattle off the second part of chapter three. It fit perfectly with an element from chapter one, gave a reason for the odd scene described at a distance, and I may have been killed off a character at the end of the chapter. It is strange what I call a good day.
Illustration of the Canyon of Lament inspired by The Quest of the Blue Murder
Great company to in. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
This reminds me of a conversation between Neil Gaiman and Harlan Ellison. Neil asked Harlan how he produced so many amazing short stories and Harlan replied: Oh, I go to the library and check out ten books. I then read the last chapter of each book and combine the stories together to get one or more short stories. Genius is linked to how we integrate.