What I'm currently writing

Sometimes I wonder why I bother updating this blog, since I'm pretty certain no one's actually reading it. I do enjoy reviewing the books I'm reading though, so I'm going to persevere regardless! This post, however, is about what I'm currently writing.

I've just been reading Amanda Hocking's blog, specifically her post about how she became successful through selling ebooks. I admit, I have (briefly) considered doing the same, once I've collected rejections from all possible agents. I'd be willing to put hours into promoting my work, but I have to question whether it would be worth it, for me at least. I know very few people who would be interested in buying my book- a handful of friends and maybe a couple of people from Authonomy. The nonexistent sales would doubtless crush my confidence even more. Who knows, maybe after a dozen rejections I'd be willing to try, but last time my work was rejected by every agent I sent it to, it made me conclude that the story was therefore rubbish and it wouldn't be worth publishing at all.

Authonomy has, of course, been my biggest help recently. I'm coming to terms with the reality that I'm going to have to re-draft my novel 'The Puppet Spell' yet again, making drastic changes to characters, but if that's what it takes to be published then I'm willing to do anything. That project is currently on hold whilst I revise for my exams; I'm also currently waiting for a kind reader from Authonomy to send me their editorial expertise on the full novel.

I also have outlines for two sequels, but honestly, I'd rather wait until I've re-edited The Puppet Spell before I start writing them. I should really be concentrating on revision right now, but unfortunately (or not), the moment I tell myself I should be doing something else is the moment I get inspired. Only instead of being inspired to re-edit The Puppet Spell, I instead find myself planning an entirely different series. My next book's going to be the first in a 5-book YA supernatural fantasy series set at a fictional university...I'll say no more for now! Based on the darkest ideas I had for the later sequels to my first ever novel (which I never wrote, but planned in detail- a good job, too!), this'll be a demonic thrill-ride- or maybe a failure. I'll be writing about things I've never written into a story before, including demonic possession, hell, unrequited love, romance (hopefully not cheesy!), and above all, the lunacy of student life! Some of those I know about, at least...

So far I've figured out most of the characters, rough outlines for the five stories, and done a hell of a lot of background planning. I'm going to finish up the characters and then do more detailed character profiles and plot synopses (something I'm all-too-familiar with now!). I have high hopes for this series, partly because I have a feeling it'll be potentially more marketable than my other book. This is assuming that the current trend for teen supernatural fantasy romances continues. I'm not trying to jump on the bandwagon or anything (some of these ideas have been in my head since before teen fantasy romances were even popular) but I think, in general, I have a bigger potential readership for this than my other book, which is a non-traditional fantasy for older children and teens about a hero who isn't really a hero, and a talking cat. Take from it what you will!

I think in general, it's difficult to predict what'll be popular. All us writers can do is write the best book we can- and I'll certainly be making my best efforts to do that!