L.S. Engler

RoW80 Update: Rowing Along.

L.S. Engler

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”     ‘You deceptive little minx,’ he said, grinning as he leaned into her, not for the illusion of their secrecy, but merely to be closer.
     ‘I know,’ she whispered back, her dark eyes lingering on him for a moment before they set themselves steadily forward. ‘I’m already fitting in.’”

It’s Wednesday, which means I get a sneak peek at what my paycheck will be, there’s a new episode of Top Chef Masters tonight, and it’s time for a Round of Words in 80 Days update! Not that there’s much to update, but that’s typical for a Wednesday, too.

Though I’ve been picking at it a little bit, I haven’t been keeping up with a page-a-day on Serpent in a Cage, but that’s okay. It’s still moving along nicely at a steady pace, and I’ve dug up the notebook that holds the first half so I can get a little bit of a jump on typing it up. I’ve also dug up the draft of SiaC‘s (currently untitled) sequel that I worked on for NaNo last year, so that I can start picking at that a little bit, too. One of the pieces of writing advice I’ve taken to heart is that you should have your next three books finished and ready to be prepped before publishing your current book. Clearly, I didn’t do that when I published Bowlful of Bunnies, but I definitely have a hefty draft on my hands with SiaC. I’d like to be that way with the next book when SiaC arrives, too, so it isn’t too long between books.

And that’s about it. I’ve got a line of books finished awaiting review, I’ve been feeling a little ill lately, but I know that will pass in a few days, ahem (oh, isn’t it wonderful being a woman sometimes??), and I’m trying not to focus too much on a little gaffe in my social life, but it’s been a little invasive. I hate that. No matter how much you remind yourself that you want to focus on other things at this point in your life, there it is, nagging at the back of your brain like some terrible little demon that you can’t shake off.

Luckily, I scribbled out my feelings about it and might get a pretty interesting short story out of the deal!

Either way, I’ve been working, but not as much as I’d like, and I feel this week is going to be a little iffy, anyway, between healthy and that sonuvabitch Life. Not the most exciting update here, I know, so be sure to check out my fellow RoWers here and see how they might be doing.

And, as always, Happy Writing!

13 responses to “RoW80 Update: Rowing Along.”

  1. Lauralynn Elliott Avatar
    Lauralynn Elliott

    I know you feel SiaC is going slowly, but at least you’re working on it instead of FEARING it. LOL Just keep writing.

    I’ve never heard that advice about having your next three books ready before publishing your current one. I’m going to have to respectfully disagree with that advice. If I have something ready to publish, I’m going to do it. The sales come in more quickly that way. 🙂

    I’m sorry you’ve been feeling bad and some things aren’t going so well right now. I hope that all clears up soon!

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      See, I think I just cling that that philosophy because it really validates the fact that I’m constantly working on several WIPs at once. “Oh, no, you see, this way, when the main WIP is published, then this one’s closer to being published, too!”

      I think it works much better in theory than practice, though. : )

      Reply
  2. daringnovelist Avatar
    daringnovelist

    It’s great to have things written ahead (if for no other reason than for some “cooling off time” – though even more important is the ability to publish in clusters so you can leverage any marketing you do). But, unfortunately, it’s just not always possible. Or maybe never really possible for some of us.

    (And, yes, I end up with the monthly “silent migraine” issue, among other things. Glad to hear that your little social issue at least is giving your writing fodder!)

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      Yeah, it’s a really cool idea, and I like how having the next book “on prep” so to speak cancels out that “What now?” feeling after finishing a book. However, it’s a good driving theory, but not something I see really working as smoothly as it suggests. I’m constantly working on more than one WIP, though, so…,

      Reply
  3. Ottabelle Avatar
    Ottabelle

    Happy writing to you too. I think you should just go for publishing as you’re ready, if you write like you do, because you always have an idea and WIP on hand.

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      Exactly! I never seem lacking in a WIP, just sometimes lacking in direction and motivation! So far, I’m thinking a two-books-a-year goal might be a good one, and I’ve got a lot to choose from, too.

      Reply
  4. Lauren Garafalo Avatar
    Lauren Garafalo

    Glad things are moving along steadily even if it’s not as quickly as you’d like. Hope the blahs and the social thing get out worked out soon 🙂 I would love to be that organized if I was publishing though I doubt I could ever pull that off lol. Good luck with everything this week!

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      Thanks, Lauren! Yeah, I so don’t have the organization to make the theory work as well in practice, but it’s a good driving force to always be working on several projects, which is how I work anyway.

      Reply
  5. Nadja Notariani Avatar
    Nadja Notariani

    Had to laugh at your mention of all-things-womanly. My sister and I coined a few terms that go along with that most hated event…lol. We each suffer from Sad-Day and Ugly-Day – religiously…lol. On those particular days…nothing – and I mean nothing will suit me. I hermit myself away so as not to bite off the heads of my poor and unsuspecting kids and husband. Ha! They are appreciative of my efforts to contain the ‘fotch-face’ I become…lol

    I can have more than one project going at once, and at times I enjoy having something to work on when I get stumped with one project. However, I generally work on one novel at a time. I admire anyone who can juggle multiple novels at once. I’m always worried that I’ll carry one character’s ‘vibe’ into another project. Does that ever happen when you bounce back and forth?

    Reply
  6. Rebecca J Fleming Avatar
    Rebecca J Fleming

    I like the idea of having several books ready to publish when you release the first one, but I think I’d rather just release each one as soon as it was ready lol I can see how it would be helpful to space them out, though, so that you kind of keep your work out there and fresh in people’s minds, if that makes sense. Even if you’re not progressing as quickly as you’d like with your WiP, at least plodding away slowly will keep you in the right mindset for the story. Good luck 🙂

    Reply
  7. Cate Russell-Cole Avatar
    Cate Russell-Cole

    Wow, I am, also respectfully, joining the group of people saying that to have three books ready to go at once is super-human and probably not healthy or possible… if you can, then I would have to question why you have work which is ready to be published sitting around being unproductive? A notebook of ideas on what you’d like to write next would take care of the “what now” feeling. So much advice out there, so hard to find the gems sometimes! (By the way, I am a professional writing teacher, advice like that scares me as I see it tip students over the edge. It’s up to you to make your own mind up though. What suits one person, is not great for another and vice versa.)

    Congratulations on steady progress though! That is what will make the difference. Stay writing and loving what you’re doing.

    Cheers, Cate (ROW80)

    Reply
    1. L.S. Engler Avatar
      L.S. Engler

      Not to have three ready to go at once, but to have the next two CLOSE TO ready to go is how I read it. That way, if your agent or fans or publishers want something quick, you’re much better prepared then if you throw all your focus into one project and, when it’s finished, you’re left with that “What now?” feeling….or, if you’re like me, you’ve got a TON of ideas in a notebook, but none of them seem to be working well enough to get something done in time to satiate the need for the next book within a certain time frame.

      I think it goes better with the more traditional publishing model, too, where an agent is more likely to give you a deadline to have something ready by rather than indie publishing when you tend to be in more control of that. It’s basically just “okay, I have this book done….and I’ve got two ALMOST done, so I’m ready for anything!”

      Reply
      1. Cate Russell-Cole Avatar
        Cate Russell-Cole

        I get your point, but it’s a serious burn out risk. Creative energy is like physical energy. You need to give yourself rest, balance and be realistic. Ideally, the brain can only work well on two consecutive creative projects. Many people can’t do that. They are proving now that multi-tasking is less productive than we want to think it is. Nothing is done as well as we’d like.

        Just some things to think about. You know what’s best for you. Be happy. 🙂

        Reply

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