Forward thinking
With the Apocalypse Blog running headlong towards its conclusion, I have been turning my brain to the brightening question: what next?
Some of you may know that I’ve had another blogfic knocking around in my brain for most of the year. As often happens when I dive into something new, ideas clamour for attention. When I was getting into the groove of AB and loving it, I asked myself ‘what else can I do with this format?’ And an answer came immediately to mind. I have held off doing anything with that idea, because I wanted to remain focussed on AB and get that done before something else distracted me.
More recently, I’ve had another couple of ideas crop up, one with a story attached and the other more of a character and concept. These are both blogfic-type ideas as well. They’re not very well-formed, but one might take shape soonish if I have the time.
There are some other things that I have been putting aside in order to focus on AB as well. The post-a-day schedule really hampered by ability to get any other writing done, and the novel I wrote last year has fallen by the wayside. I’d like to get back to it, edit and redraft it, and start to do something with it. I also have a short story that I stopped halfway through (I can’t remember why – I think I hit a snag with it), and I want to get that finished too.
And because I’m a glutton for punishment, I am not quite ready to say goodbye to AB forever once the new year rolls around.
So, things I have lined up for the next year:
- Novel – edit/redraft. Aim to submit.
- Apocalypse Blog –
- Finishes 31st December 2009.
- e-book it – need to look at how, where, etc. Also need to decide whether/how much I should edit it.
- Shorts – short stories showcasing different cast members. Masterson, Jersey, Bree – I think I can do these without any problems. At some point, I might look at the Seekers’ future, too.
- Merchandise – design and make available (?).
- Other blogfic –
- Starwalker – a ship’s log, told by the ship. Site is halfway done, planning is partly done, needs some work to nail down cast and details. Posting 2-3 times per week (none of this every day craziness!).
- A smite-happy angel in a Hawaiian shirt. Earth suddenly cut off from Heaven and Hell. Ahhh, handflappy. Yeah, that’s all I have right now. Tentative name: Earthwalker.
- Short stories – various. Finish that outstanding one! This one is definitely a maybe.
- Do more writing tips posts.
Hmm. It’s a lot, looking at it like that. I get tired just thinking about it all. The first thing I have to do is finish up AB. It’s a struggle at the moment – I still have over a week left to write, and it’s hard to find the time and energy with everything else going on right now.
In my original planning, I had hoped to be having a break right now. AB was supposed to have been finished off in November, leaving me a couple of weeks of December to myself as a break, and then a couple of weeks of planning for the next one. AB would post itself up until the end of the year, and by the time 1st January rolled around, I’d be ready to start posting the new blogfic. Perfect.
Yeah, that hasn’t happened. I’m still writing, editing and posting AB. I’m still rushed off my feet with everything. My head is reeling with everything I have to get done, and I am never going to get everything (anything?) prepared for the next blogfic before the beginning of 2010. Considering how painful it is to write and post with no kind of buffer, I don’t want to start the next one without at least a week or two’s posts in-hand. Preferably two weeks’ worth.
I’m the only one setting these schedules for myself. And you know what? I don’t need to punish myself with them. So I’m going to take January off. I’m going to take that month to do my planning, set up the site/s, build up a buffer of posts, and get myself ready to dive into the rest of the year. I need a chance to get my feet under me before I set off running again.
So that’s the plan. Get through the next week and a half, collapse, then catch my breath and start the craziness all over again. With slightly more planning and maybe a trace less crazy. Who knows?
You gotta try, right?
sharkbytes says:
Hi- just came over from Accentuate. That is one awesome to-do list. Good luck with that. I never can make myself do a write every day thing. I’m impressed.
December 24th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
Rissa Watkins says:
You’ll think I am a crazy, but I read today’s post and teared up. Our girl has been through so much in one year! I felt a little sick when I realized I only have a week left.
I am really going to miss the crew- but I understand how time consuming it has been for you. I am amazed at how much you have done. How faithfully (ha get it) you have posted every day.
I can’t wait to read the new ones though.
December 25th, 2009 at 6:44 am
Mel says:
sharkbytes – Thanks for the comment! I find that without setting goals, I get next to nothing done. My theory is: if I set the bar high and only make it halfway, I’ve still made it halfway there.
Rissa – aw, hon! Yeah, it’s been a hell of a year. I’m so excited to finally be reaching the end, but at the same time, it’s going to be sad to put it down.
Thank goodness for the new projects – otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself after AB!
December 25th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Scath says:
May I suggest Smashwords.com for your ebooking of AB?
December 26th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Mel says:
I have heard many good things about Smashwords! It’s on my list of sites to check out when I get to that stage. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder, Scath!
December 26th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Nigel says:
Sigh, 2009 was supposed to be the year I wrote my novel. I even quit Facebook to concentrate on it… but once I actually sat down to write nothing come out. I only wrote 9k words for NaNoWriMo but that’s because I was overseas at the time. Surprised I wrote that much to be honest.
So 2010, then, is the year I write my novel. Yes ma’am. I’m glad I can’t get around to doing one thing, let alone the million things you’re planning on doing!
December 26th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Mel says:
Go Nigel! I shall be cheering you on. 2009 was the year I was supposed to finish off my novel, but that didn’t happen, so 2010 it is.
I like to aim high. I’m more likely to get something done that way. And hey, 9k is better than none! At least you’ve made a start. Now all you have to do is build on it. 🙂
December 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Nigel says:
Yeah. I might actually do an outline or a treatment for it to start off with. I tend to avoid doing that because it feels too much like writing, and when I write it’s like trying to have a bath with no plug – the creativity just disappears before I get anything done.
December 28th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Mel says:
That’s why I tend to use the ‘stepping stone’ method of planning – put down notes about events/plot points I need to work through, and then write my way between them. Planning stuff too heavily or in too much detail sucks the spontaneity out of it for me!
December 29th, 2009 at 8:10 am