by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
So, here we are. I haven’t even finished the first draft of the first novel and now I’m thinking seriously about development for the second novel in this massive, overwhelming six novel project.
The key things I have to think about are plot, character and character motivation. I think I’m going to re-read a number of books I’ve already read in an effort to remind myself about some of the nitty-gritty elements of how to build out a novel from the ground up.
The plot of this second novel is far similar — a baby is abducted.
In fact, I’m thinking seriously of referencing that plot point in the title. At the moment, I have no idea what the title of the second novel will be. I have an idea for the third novel, but the second novel…I dunno. And, honestly, I still have only a vague idea of the plot.
I hope to use my planned “pause” between the first and second drafts of the first novel to game out the plot and character of the second novel. Something to keep me busy developing and writing inside the already existing universe.
There is something of a trade off to all of this, of course. Even though I enjoy staying in-universe, there are a number of other stories (most of them scifi) that I’m interested in exploring. And that doesn’t even begin to address the stray screenplay that I’m interesting in writing at some point before I drop dead.
I suppose I have to just accept that I have a limited amount of time on the green earth of ours and I have to just make the best of the time I have. It is ironic, of course, that I’m struggling to sell my first novel just as a lot of other (successful) people are checking their existential watches, thinking about retiring.
Ugh. I hate being old. I hate being a late bloomer. But, I can’t help what’s happened in the past, I have to work with what I have going forward.
