This is mostly for anybody who follows my blog for the original fiction. I've been told by many people that it's remarkable how prolific an author I am. That many writers manage only a dozen or fewer novels in the course of their careers. I guess I'm glad I didn't know that.
There was a period in my life where I was knocking out a short story every night and editing it the following morning. I'd love to recapture that productivity, but it was a result of frantic emotional distress over not having accomplished enough with my life. I guess it worked?
Steemit has been as much a curse as a blessing. It makes it possible for me to live off my writing. Kind of. Almost. I am having to spend out of savings to make rent lately, but I'm getting there little by little. The downside is that writing articles for Steemit takes up the time and energy I used to spend on writing new stories.
Which is more important? In the near term, making money to cover my living expenses. But in the long term I'm gonna die, and want to leave behind as much original writing as I possibly can for the sake of my fans. So the fact that my output has dramatically slowed is cause for concern.
I've tried various methods of addressing this like setting aside time in the evenings to write, but just as before, the only time I seem to get serious writing done is when I am sleep deprived, during one of those periods where my sleep cycle is inverted. It seems to be crucial for some reason.
Anyway, not to worry. I have two stories underway at the moment. Maybe novels, maybe novellas, hard to tell at this stage. The first is titled "The Corner Crow" and basically amounts to the backstory of Croctaw, the main antagonist from The Background of Your Memories. It also features secondary roles for Violet (from Mansionarium, Under the Floorboards and Pressure 3) and Katerinka (from Pariah of the Little People).
The second is titled "Baby Bump" and explores macabre aspects of pregnancy. I was inspired by the same theme in the original Alien film, but felt there was another direction I could take it in that would result in a worthwhile story. The Corner Crow contains similar themes of family, belonging and separation anxiety.
Whatever happens I will keep writing. For my own pleasure, and because aside from having children it's the only attainable form of immortality. But also for the sake of long time fans who want as much out of me as possible before I croak.
Keep an eye out! Work continues in earnest on The Corner Crow and Baby Bump. I also still have a long, densely populated master list of book ideas I've only put the smallest of dents into so far. It seems to grow faster than I can write. There is plenty more left in me, artistically, and I feel as if I haven't even truly hit my stride yet.
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