Falling flat, and picking up the pieces

You know the most difficult part in creating a story? The idea may be sound, but the practical difficulties of bringing it into a descent-length narrative can be downright impossible, regardless of the chosen genre.

Take this scenario: you are someone who doesn't like the Superhero comic or film genre that much, but you've created a wonderful concept around a masked vigilante who you think you can fit into sci-fi genre and keep as your own work. But something goes wrong. At whatever point, you look forward or back and see that it doesn't quite work. The problem is that the premise has been greedily taken by the comic creators of this world, and worked to such a degree that trying to do something with those elements results in it becoming part of that genre. This has happened to me.

I'm not discarding this project entirely, but it can't continue in its current form. It's a neat idea, and the world I've created for it is well-worth preserving, but the things I was trying to do are too like those from a genre that I don't like. It's like trying to plant a bush you like into soil that won't take it. You either need to find a new place for the plant, or it will die and need to be replaced with something suited to its conditions. In my case, I've rescued what still lived of the plant and put it in a safe place for later reference. Quite sure this kind of thing has happened more than once to every single author who has ever lived.

For something else in a similar vein, I would recommend this article on how to bring old failed story ideas back to life. Personally, I didn't find it as helpful as I might as I have my own concepts on the matter, but anyone else might find it useful.

Day to Day, Week to Week

Been gardening today (ripping up intruding thistles and the like), after yesterday was a drought when it came to writing. Ice cream always does no good at all to my system. The type I have doesn't have additives in there, it's just quite high on sugar. I'm writing again now, and pushing on with my dark fantasy story (it's reached that stage where you need to plod through towards the final act without it sounding plodding when you read it). I'm also quite chuffed that I have had actual sales for my two published works so far. It's something that's not happened to me before. But then, I wasn't putting in the right amount of effort before. Still one more volume to do, then a complete edition with the usual corrections and alterations to make it the definitive version.

Things quiet here as I go into the weekend. Enjoyed looking at orchids on my local dunes yesterday, and there are some truly gorgeous species. Quite a glut of Bee Orchids, truly one of the definitive flowers of Britain. I'm an absolute nut on the subject of orchids, as my father is about trees and my sister is about lichens. I can look at something and tell within a few seconds what type of orchid it is. Unless it's not an orchid, but that goes without saying.

Sunshine today, and I would be roasting now if it weren't for a north wind which strips the heat right out of you if you're standing still. The plants are loving it, even the weeds, which means some parts of the garden look more like a jungle than a cultivated plot. Still, that comes with the territory. Here, on the cusp of a new week, I can look out at the world and feel content. Things are going fine for me.

A Most Productive Week

The past week has been a most productive one for me. After sorting out a quite pressing issue with my CreateSpate publications, I've come back to my normal writing with a vengeance. The last time after a publication, it took me half a month to get back to myself. Now, everything's hunky-dory. My writings strong, and after a few formatting changes to my documents, it's also going much smoother. I'm taking my time. Should have less to proofread when that time comes, which will be a blessing.

It's raining today, like yesterday. After a long period of sweltering heat where there was no rain but high humidity, there is now a cool breeze and persistent rain, although it isn't slapping the windows in huge drops, but instead forming a steady pitter-patter outside.

At this precise moment, I'm listening to the soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Say what you will about the series being overly traditional, there's no denying that the majority of their music is wonderful. On a par with the likes of Final Fantasy and Megami Tensei. Think I'll turn the volume down so I can enjoy the rain sound. And the smell of dry earth given water that's always so wonderfully sweet.

June 7: Trials and Tribulations

This has been one of those days. My writing has been returning at a much faster pace than my past go publishing. But some of the day was ruined by a panic attack induced by some toxic homemade ginger beer. My system is so infernally delicate for some things. On the plus side, I've been greatly enjoying doing some research into recreational Wikipedia writing, and enjoying a dramatization of PG Woodhouse's "Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves".

Had some spectacular thunder storms yesterday, passing overhead and forcing me to shut down and disconnect my computer to protect it from surges. Things were well and truly thunderous. I'm glad I got my walk out of the way before the rain and storms came along. Our dog was quite nervous with the rumbling overhead.

On, and on a side note, the second volume of Crystal and Sin, my three-part sci-fi short story saga, should be up on both Barnes and Noble and CreateSpace within the day. I've needed to do/will be doing some emergency maintenance to cover art due to my inexperience with handling CreateSpace. You'd think they'd have an idiot's guide, but no. Ho hum.

Anyway, things are pretty much set until July, when the third and final volume will be published. Not sure when the Compilation volume will appear. That's for the future.