I'm Considering Postponing a Few Book Deadlines
That's what happens when you learn more about writing.
If you’re unaware, I am a few weeks into the Reedsy writing course for “How to Write a Novel.” I was turned onto the master class by Reedsy directly and decided to give it a try. It’s a 101-day course that walks you through the entire process of writing a novel. And so far, I’ve learned quite a bit. But the awesome thing is that I also learned I was doing a lot of the same things as most successful authors.
In any case, I am debating on postponing a few deadlines that I’ve set for myself for a couple of upcoming books. Not because I don’t think I’ll have the time to write them, but more because of how much I’ve learned.
Why Set Deadlines in the First Place?
I often set deadlines for myself as a way to stay motivated and to ensure my readers don’t have to wait too long for a new story, especially since I started the Witcham series. It’s a planned, four-book series that I am completely engrossed in finishing.
Anyway, setting realistic deadlines helps keep me focused and productive throughout the day. That is as long as the chaos limits itself to a dull roar. Take today, for example. Currently, I’m waiting for Microsoft to update all of its junk so I can continue to use my computer without extreme delays. Last time, it was two hours before I was able to get back to work.
I’m seriously considering using my Christmas money from Mom to buy a Chromebook so I can at least work on the books and blog posts at a coffee shop while waiting for Windows to do its thing. I have a lot of apps and software I use for clients and work that are PC-specific, and having to take such a massive break in the day is killing my productivity time.
And before you ask, yes, I have set updates to happen at 3:00 am. For some reason, Windows is ignoring that setting and doing them in the middle of my workday regardless.
Why Postpone the Books?
Although I feel confident that I’ve been producing decent stories, I have learned an awful lot about plot development and character plights. The elements that make a good story are there, but I feel I could probably expand a bit on them to make a more engrossing tale. Attending this Reedsy course has opened my eyes to a few things that I could probably expand upon in what I create.
I’m all about producing the best work you can every time, whether it’s paid work or for free. I always try to put my best foot forward. In this case, I think Fury and VII could greatly benefit from going back and applying what I’ve learned. After all, isn’t that the goal of every serious author? To create something people love to read? No one wakes up in the morning thinking to themselves, “I hope today is a failure.”
If you do, seek help.
So, I don’t know if I’d outright call it a postponement of my books. It’s more that I don’t know if I’ll hit deadlines like I want considering I am adding more context, backstory, and character development. I’ll still do what I can to get the first draft of Fury out for the beta readers by Christmas. I just don’t know if that’s going to be a viable deadline.
At least the postponement is because I want to expand the story and not because I am procrastinating. I’ve never been this excited for a book before, and I want to get it out as quickly as possible. That is as long as it’s a good story. I’m not going to slap something up on Amazon or Barnes & Noble for the sake of publishing. I want it polished and ready to go.
Will I change the deadline goal for the books? No. I’m going to still aim to finish by those certain dates I have set. For instance, I want the first draft of Fury done by Christmas Eve and VII done before December 31st. However, I’m not going to be too hard on myself if I am unable to meet those deadlines. I want you to have the best version of my book in your hands.
What Does That Mean for the Kindle Vella Project?
Kindle Vella is a series-based publishing platform where people can use tokens to “unlock” each episode. I’ve heard a few authors do well on the platform, so I wanted to give it a try, eventually. It’s along the lines of how I create the Despair audiobook on YouTube, so it shouldn’t be all that difficult for me to swing. Well, after I wrap up some of these other side projects.
Postponing the books might set the Kindle Vella project back a bit. However, I am debating on using the new book I’m writing during the Reedsy writing course. That would mean that I could start using Kindle Vella as early as April. Of course, I’ll have to break it up into episodes, but I think that will be easy enough. I don’t think I do too bad of a job with cliffhangers.
Or, perhaps I could really dive into publishing VII outright outside of Wattpad and use it with Kindle Vella. I have quite a few options available, so I don’t think it’ll be much longer before I can start using the platform. If anything, it should make for decent blog posts and videos.
It’s All About Quality Over Quantity
A lot of authors try to pump out as many books as possible in the hopes of generating enough money to replace a full-time income. Personally, I’d rather produce the best book possible so that people view it as worth the money. And since I’m continuing to learn more about what it takes to publish a good book, I’d rather take my time and do it the right way.
I’ll keep plugging along as best I can, given the extreme circumstances this year. And who knows, perhaps you’ll have your own autographed copy of the entire Witcham series for next Christmas? That would be fun, but there is still a lot of work to do before that happens.
Here’s to a smooth sailing last couple of months in 2023!