Current Project: MYSTIC TAXI
Status: Agent revisions
What do you do when you find yourself between projects? That's where I am right now, and I think I know what I'll work on next, but I'm not a hundred percent sure.
Right now I'm making revisions to Mystic Taxi for my agent, and they're mostly in the last half of the book. A couple of them will make it hard to prevent a ripple effect in the rest of the book, but I think I have it mostly figured out. Then after I'm done? *crickets*
What I'd like to do is start on the next book in the Mystic series, but I had an hour- long conversation with my agent last week about "next steps." She'd rather I not work on sequels to either of my "as yet" unsold series. She doesn't want me wasting time on the off chance neither sells. So she wants me to write something new.
So we talked about new stuff. I have a half dozen ideas scribbled down that I'd like to pursue someday, and not all are the same genre. I love dark, edgy stuff with a strong supernatural slant, but I also like light, sensitive material with a mild supernatural slant. The supernatural weirdness is my signature and it's in everything I write, even when it's only a subtle hint.
I told my agent about my pole dancer story idea, and she wasn't too sure about it, mostly because the idea is too bare bones at this point. My MC's character arc is sketchy. However, I've been story dreaming on it and I think I have it together now, along with a full cast of quirky offbeat folks in a small coastal town in Oregon. It's more like women's fiction, but with a magical realism quality similar to Alice Hoffman (whose work I adore). I'll write the first chapter of WHISKERS AND WINE along with a one-page synopsis to send my agent for her feedback before I go any further. We both agreed that was the best way to start.
One point my agent emphasized was that I should write whatever excites me.
An agent has more value than just selling your book. He or she is also your guidance counselor. Most agents, though not all, represent your career as well as your book. I've come to depend on my agent for advice both on my work (she's really, really good at that) and my writing future. I feel like I'd be floundering right now without her.
Within the groups and forums I'm on, it's common for some writers to agonize over one completed project, the book that was meant to open doors to a future they'd dreamed about for a lifetime. They have no other projects started. No other books completed. They just received a rejection on the full requested by their dream agent. Or if they have an agent, he or she has approached every publisher in the country and all of them passed on the book. These depressed writers are ready to give up. It's so sad, and so unnecessary. Writers write. We can't help ourselves. No wonder they're depressed.
Do you have your career mapped out? I know Genene has her ambitious series planned (I bow down to Genene's courage and fortitude *grin*), Eli has her work cut out for her, and Alice is a storytelling machine. :) How about the rest of you? Do you know what your next book will be? Is there anything that could happen that might make you change your mind? Or will you stand by your original goal no matter what?
7 comments:
It's good you have an agent who is helping guide you down your career path, Karen.
Right now I'm trying DESPERATELY to finish the fourth Halsey book, then I have a co-project to get done and a Christmas Novella, then the Fifth Halsey book and I had a request for the first spirit book from the Fantasy line at WRP. So if they contract that, I'll need to finish the second book and write the third. I'm still waiting to hear back from agents on the Pinkerton proposal I sent out. Still about 5-6 I haven't heard back from.
I'm never at a loss for projects to work on.
Me a story telling machine. LOL, that's about the last way in the world I would describe myself.
But -- if (or when) I fall out of favor with my current editors, when one or both move on in their lives and new people arrive who might not like what I write, or if the Intrigue line were to go belly up, I would find myself without a job. Every writer is an independent contractor -- who would have believed ( a mere three years ago) that house builders would be out of work and living on food stamps today?
The one constant in life is that things change. I've lost editors and houses and more editors. I've had slumps that originated inside of me and seemed to last forever and I honestly do feel it's all over every time I complete a contract and that's the reason you are so right in what you said about writers writing. Don't sit on one book and wait. Start another, always keep balls in the air, always be ready to embrace the next step because sure as shooting, it will come whether you want it to or not.
I envy the quirky twist of your mind, Karen, and know that once your stuff starts hitting the bookstores, you're going to amass a legion of fans!
I like writing single title romantic suspense. I've never had the desire to write anything else. I keep plugging along, finish one and move onto the next MS. My skills improve (I hope) with each, and one of these days a MS will be good enough to sell. I don't write series but have used secondary characters as main characters in their own stand alone stories.
I'm glad your agent is able to give you good advice on which direction to take, Karen. And I have to say, I love the idea about your pole dancer. LOL. Can't wait to read that one!
My head is too easily swayed.
And holy smokes, Paty, that is quite the itinerary.
For some reason, I had a really hard time choosing a WIP this time around. I have purple book of ideas, and the ideas outpace the ability to draft them all.
I have six first chapters to different WIP banging around on my hard-drive. I finally selected one, only to get hit with an idea that I just can.not.drop. So right now, my plan is to do the "can't let it go" idea as part of a summer class I am taking in writing for children/YA, and to try to keep working on the other WIP as time allows.
Great post!
Paty, I'm amazed at how prolific you are! That's great that you're never at a loss for projects.
Alice, you ARE a storytelling machine, lol! It comes so natural to you. You and Kay are a lot alike that way. But I get what you mean about the fragility of the contractor's job. That's got to feel stressful at times.
Kendra, being secure in what you're passionate about writing is a huge accomplishment. Hang in there. It's only a matter of time before an agent takes notice of your brilliance. :)
Thanks, Eli. The story is percolating, but I'm excited about getting those first few pages down so that I can get to know my pole dancing widow. I think I'm going to name her Eve.
Wavy, how exciting about the summer YA writing class. I wish we had something like that happening in CO. We just have The Nature of Words in the fall, and it's meh. Obscure university press authors. It's just... odd.
Thanks, all, for sharing your goals!
LOL, Karen! Don't bow to my courage and fortitude--give me a swift kick in the fanny so I can finish my novella edits and house/yard projects to actually get to that series.
I love your titles and the "quirkiness" in your stories. What a great signature for your writing style! And I'm glad your pole dancer is getting some "exposure." (hehehe)
Paty, I so excited that TWRP has shown interest in your spirit book. I really, really like what I've heard you say about that series and hope it gets picked up!
Alice, you are a marvelous storyteller! Book #40 is testiment to that, so don't worry about joining those out-of-work house builders--just keep writing!
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