April 6, 2007

I'm having a moment...

My desire to write for a living is growing stronger and stronger as Tiva's release nears. I'm worried about many things but mostly, I wonder if I should stick with Sci-fi. I've read Star Trek Books, the Jedi Apprentice series, and S.L. Viehl’s Star Doc series.

I've read about twelve full-fledged romance novels, not including the Vampire Romance series I'm still reading now.

Also, I've read a couple dozen kids books.

My book shelf is filled with Suspense, Thriller, Detective-Cop type Fiction, a few Chick-Lit's and True Crime stuff.

My first "book" was a romantic suspense. The second full-length novel I wrote was a romantic mystery. The third and fourth were YA Sci-Fi. Tiva is sci-fi/fantasy-ish, which also has a love story sub-plot, but no "romance" style loves scenes. The "thriller" I'm working on now, is trying to turn into some hybrid romantic-thriller, I think.

With the way Romance has grown in the last ten years, I find there are more subgenre's that actually fit the type of romance books I'd want to read There's Paranormal, Chick-Lit, and Romantic Suspense.

Now, I KNOW more women buy and read books than men; it's just common knowledge. So, why do I feel this need to write stuff for men to read? Hell if I know. Must be the tomboy in me.

I could easily keep the Lucky story the way I had it originally with a bit more oomph on the romantic sub-plot because it just feels natural for me, but I can't help that nagging feeling I get in the back of my head that keeps telling me to stay away from it. Sure, thrillers usually have some type of love interest character, but it’s more the Bond type, love ‘em and leave ‘em. This guy won’t leave.

I think I know my strengths—dialogue and internal conflict. I have that down pretty well. I'm better now with that stupid passive voice—it kills me—and my pacing and plots are cohesive and consistent. I'm still struggling with descriptions (people, places, things) either having too much or too little, or just plainly stating what it is without all those awesome authorly similes and metaphors.

I know for a fact that I could come up with bunch of stories to continue with a series of books for Tiva, but that's complicated on a whole other level. The story for Lucky has evolved into 4 to 7 potential books.

But I'm stuck.

I know I'm going to finish the second Lucky book, I've already started it and it's done in my head. After that...what do I do?

I'll be promoting Tiva and looking for an agent or publisher for Lucky by time September rolls around. I'll have a bit more street cred with three published books under my belt. I'm honestly not worried about being stuck in any one genre; however, I'm struggling to figure out what I SHOULD be writing.

I'd love to get my YA sci-fi series published. I'd love to try my hand at a Paranormal Romance (I have an outline for one, and ideas for others). I want to be a thriller writer too.

I know, stop complaining and keep writing, right? Of course, I know I'm not alone (Hi Chris), but one can't help but vent every now and then.

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