30k of Secrets

That's it. I've officially fallen down the rabbit hole.

I've been struggling with Secret Order, my first trilogy attempt, lately. I've just managed to heave myself over the 30,000 mark. Things are starting to pick up again. There's lots of interweaving character and plot lines. It's been a struggle to remember which thread is tied to what, whilst trying to work out where everything is headed.

So, I thought the best way to help myself would be to start two more novels.

Yup. I'm now writing three novels at the same time.

Well, two novels and a novella, as I reckon one of them - interesting as it is - is unlikely to have enough juice in for more than around 50-60k.

I've started a writing routine: 1,000 a day on Secret Order, 500 each on the other two. The idea being that my main project should always progress by at least 1k a day. The others just need to progress. That way, when I finish with my main project, my next one will at least be far enough along to keep the momentum up.

It's not something I planned to do, it just sort of happened. There's an idea I've been toying with for a couple of years - the novella - and then there was a sudden bolt of lightning, brilliant idea, that I was afraid of losing unless I started writing it down. 

The other rule I've brought into the mix, since I'm on holiday and have nothing urgent work-wise to deal with, is that I'm only allowed to check my e-mails once a day, after I've finished with all three projects. 

It's only day two, but so far, so good. I know my 1k a day routine didn't last long before, but what I'm really loving about this method is that each of the books are so completely different in genre: quirky fantasy, adult fantasy, mystery-thriller. If I'm struggling with one it's not long before I can switch to something else. Hopefully they'll all have their ups and downs on different days, so at least I'll get some sense of satisfaction from one of them each day.

Yes, this may all be the writer's equivalent of a fad diet, but I'm willing to believe in it for now.

Children of Lir is still months off publication, but I'm hoping that by the time we get there, I'll have something else to present.