Well actually there are two things I can't believe I am doing:
1. I am shelving Three of Ivory.
Yes, I know - shocking that I would set aside a project. I just think I need more time to wrap my head around the story and get to know the characters. I want Three of Ivory to be amazing. There are some things I need to do before I can give it the time and effort it really deserves.
2. I am starting a fantasy/romance project.
Me. Romance. I know! Now to clarify it is not going to be a steamy romance (yuck!). It is going to be a love story. Something along the lines of Jane Austin. This idea has been floating around in my head for a while. Here are some examples of the idea leaking out in my writing:
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C
Making this decision was hard. But I came up with a really really good reasons why to do it.
As I was writing Three of Ivory I realized that it had much the same tone as Shadowed Stones. This is not what I wanted. The idea, the world, the characters are all different. So I decided I need some distance from the project so I could reset and look at it with fresh eyes. My new project is like a half step between the tone of Shadowed Stones and the tone I want for Three of Ivory. I think it will be a good way to break away from Shadowed Stones and get ready to write Three of Ivory.
Another thing I am trying... I am not telling anyone about the plot to my story. I want to plot it a write the first draft before anyone knows an ounce about it. Part of this is to keep me interested in the project. The other part of it is that this is the first real love story I have written. And I want to see how it goes without any outside influence.
Have you ever had to shelve a project - before you really began?
Hru Krista. Good luck with the new story!
ReplyDeleteI like to think of it as time capsuling instead of trunking or shelving. Opening a time capsule is something to look forward to down the road, ya know? :D
That is a great way to look at it!
DeleteGood luck with your new story! I love the little chunks and I hope that someday I get to see what it turns into. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd to be honest, I actually have a folder on my computer, hidden deep in my files, called "Unused story chunks". Literally. It is full of chunks of books that I started writing, but I never finished. One of my completed novels actually spent three months in that file before I pulled it out, wanted to write and it's an edited book now. It's okay to "shelve" book for a while, but that doesn't mean it will stay there forever. :) I always have too many ideas to write at once, so it is good to keep them on the back burner.
I have way too many ideas too!
DeleteI shelved an idea last year, I didn't feel like I was advanced enough as a writer to the tell the story so I started over with something completely different. I think it's allowed me to take risks and experiment more because I'm not hung up on the details of a story that wasn't working. So good for you on making the decision to move on. You can always go back if you want and finish your other story.
ReplyDeleteI've had to technically shelve many projects; Character Defects (this breaks my heart, but I think it'll go through another round of editing soon), Igniting a Firestarter, and Confessions of an Immortal Heart. All of them are WRITTEN just not on the level they'd need to be for editing, so I've dropped them to focus more on my memoir and My Sister's Memories because they're the stronger ones, the ones I think can help land me an agent.
ReplyDeleteWriting is hard, man :)
I also am supportive of keeping your secrets. I think sometimes when I don't talk about what I'm writing about, it makes the characters in my head shout at me so the writing comes easier.
Best of luck to you!
Best of luck! It's always fun and a bit scary to start a new piece. :) Hope you have a great time with it!
ReplyDelete