Future writing projects that I'm considering
Update on The Trouble With Demons: I finished Chapter 18 last night. Whew! That one was tough. Now I have to put Chapter 19 to bed before Sunday evening to get my two chapters for the week. It'd be fabulous if I could finish 19 and get a headstart on 20, but that'd be icing on the cake. Right now, I'm just happy to get the cake.
Today's topic is something that's been stewing for quite some time now. Yeah, I know I've just started the Raine Benares series, but my writing brain has started gathering ingredients for future projects. They're not simmering on my brain's back burner quite yet, but they're close. I'd also like to know what you guys think. Would you like to read any of these?
Tomorrow's topic: Why you should write for yourself, not the market.
Have a great one!
Lisa
Today's topic is something that's been stewing for quite some time now. Yeah, I know I've just started the Raine Benares series, but my writing brain has started gathering ingredients for future projects. They're not simmering on my brain's back burner quite yet, but they're close. I'd also like to know what you guys think. Would you like to read any of these?
- A Raine Benares novelette (definied as between 7500 and 17,500 words) or maybe a novella (17,500-40,000 words) because I'm long-winded. It would take place when Raine first met Tam. That plotline wouldn't be the main core of the story, but it would be an integral part. It would be Raine at work as a seeker, she'd be on a case, and Tam would become involved. Ideas are starting to come to me and I'm writing them down I think it'd be a lot of fun.
- As more of a Young Adult novel, I think it could be fun to do a book (or books) with Raine and Phaelan as teenagers growing up in Laerin. Phaelan's getting a start on his career as a pirate, and Raine's magic/seeking skills are beginning to manifest themselves. She signs on as an apprentice with Rami Perrin (who will be mentioned in Armed & Magical). He's one of the best seekers there is--but not exactly what you'd call an upstanding, law-abiding citizen. The young Raine stumbles onto her first case, and naturally gets in over her head.
- A modern-day urban fantasy. I actually have some of the plot, backstory, and characterization already written for this one. I'm not ready to talk about the plot yet, but every time I read over my notes, I get a little thrill of getting this one started. ; )
Tomorrow's topic: Why you should write for yourself, not the market.
Have a great one!
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
8:15 AM
16 Comments:
I like the Young Adult novel idea. Although, I think MAGIC LOST, TROUBLE FOUND is appealing to teens anyway. The teens I've talked to read mostly Fantasy and Science Fiction, and almost none of them pay attention to the YA label.
I think anyone who's enjoyed MLTF would enjoy Raine's adventures as a teen.
;)
Thanks, Kimber An! Yep, I'm finding that MLTF has quite a big fan base among teens as well as the rest of us. ; )
Lisa, personally I'd love to see the Raine/Tam backstory in a novella, but all your ideas sound intriguing.
Thanks for popping in to Toasted Scimitar. I agree that our theme this week--Where Ideas Come From--is a great complement to your blog topic.
Thanks, Laurie! I'll probably end up doing all of them at one point, but I thought the Tam/Raine novella would be the most popular choice.
BTW -- I pop over to the Scimitar (and all of my blog buddies' blogs) every day. I don't always comment, but I'm there. ; )
I read your post this morning, but have not had a chance to comment until now.
How would you publish the novella/novellette? Would you submit it to magazines? If so, I'd love to know which magazine you are interested in submitting to. Most of the fantasy mags out there seem to publish only edgy stuff, and I therefore don't read them. Would you self-publish it? If you were to self-publish it through POD or an e-book, I'd buy it. You have lots of return visitors here each day, so I'm sure I'm not the only one. If you were to serialize it here at your site, I'd read it, but that wouldn't get you any money. :)
I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that YA is HUGE. Lots of YA authors are getting really amazing advances. I'm not sure how long that trend will continue. And I think Raine is perfect for YA. In fact, the bookmarks that I have given away so far have been to mothers for their teenage daughters. (One of them asked me if MLTF was "teen-friendly". I assured her that it was.)
As for the urban fantasy, it's hard to comment on something I have not seen yet. But you are doubtless going to want to move on to something else and it's my suspicion that your readers will what to see what else you can come up with. One of my favorite authors, Tad Williams, is always trying something different. However, lots of other authors -- especially those in the mystery genre -- do stick to the same series for year after year, and they sell just fine!
And that's my long-winded two cent's worth!
Hi Tia, great comments! And you're not long winded, you're thorough. ; )
If I did a Raine/Tam novella, ideally I'd like to publish it through my publisher. Or perhaps do Raine-based short stories in fantasy anthologies. That'd be fun, but first I'd need to learn to write a short story, not a chapter. ; )
Hi Lisa! Sounds like your writing's going well. I hope you meet your weekly goal. :)
As for your questions/suggestions about future projects, I love all the things you mentioned. I'd love to read shorter stories with Raine and the gang. Reading about them in the YA arena would also be interesting.
But you know, now that you've mentioned the Urban Fantasy idea, I'm totally intrigued. I'd love to read an UF of yours. And I don't need to hear details either. I love your writing, and I love UF. So, I'd definitely check it out.
It's just hard when the muse offers up so many possibilities, huh? Keep us posted on what you decide.
:D
Hi Yolanda!
Yeah, my urban fantasy idea came to me during the last week of trying to get a publisher for MLTF. If MLTF didn't sell, I wanted to do something completely different. And one or two of the publishers we submitted MLTF to wanted to know if I had an UF -- and if I did, they wanted to see it. So in the nail-biting final days before Ace Books offered for MLTF, the plot, backstory, etc. for that UF was coming almost faster than I could type. THAT told me that it was a project worth doing. Whenever I read my notes for it, I still get a big grin on my face. Dang, but that would be a good book. And one of these days, I'll have to write it. : )
And you can't do ALL of those because...? %-)
I like the sounds of 'em all, Lisa. I know, I know--lot of help that is, huh? :P
With the UF, would it have a FMC?
because~Merc
Tam!!! Anything with Tam involved and you know I'll be extra excited :-) And of course anything else involving Raine all of your MLTF fans would absolutely eat up (including me). I would love to see you do an urban fantasy type of thing--I think it would be really sweet, you have a great writing style :-)
Good luck with finishing your chapters!
I was going to ask about publishing a novella through Ace, but then I had another idea.
Graphic novels! Graphic novels are hot! I bet Raine's story would work great as a graphic novel, especially the novella. I would so buy a Raine graphic novel.
Merc, yep I probably will do all of them at some point. And yes, the main character for my UF is female (and actually human this time).
Otto, LOL, I was pretty sure you'd vote for anything with Tam. ; )
Tia, yeah I think Raine's stories would make great graphic novels, too. Maybe one of these days when I get famous, I'll get the offer. Whenever I do signings/readings, I always have people come up to me and say that I need to do an audio book of MLTF -- apparently people really enjoy hearing me read. Heck, I'm just glad I don't suck. ; )
Lisa, Of course you don't suck! If you did, would we all be poping in at your website everyday? LOL. I would love to read anything with the MLTF cast in it, but if you did try something different, I would read it anyway, just because you wrote it. :)
Thank you, Kate!
NO!!!! the horror! the horror! please do not turn Raine into some serialized creation of the American graphic novel industry. I'm begging you! I've seen some of my favorite books killed that way. They did a graphic novel for Artemis Fowl and the drawings looked like still frames from Invader Zim (google it and you'll see why I am disgusted). If you could get it turned into a manga as opposed to a graphic novel there might be a little more promise, but please do not be lured by their lies. LIES I TELL YOU!!!
.....okay.......sorry.....
.........I would definately like to see more Tam. and anything having to do with Raine and Phelan growing up is going to be fantastic.
LOL. Diana, hon, don't worry about Raine graphic novels anytime soon if ever. A series has to be WILDLY successful and well established before any offers are made. ; )
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