La Vie Boheme

Sequel-itis

Why can't my work behave itself?

This novel (Sword in the Mound) started out as a joke. It was supposed to be a silly, fluffy little romance novel. Even the title's a joke! But no. It's getting delusions of grandeur. Re-reading what I've written of it so far, I realized that it quite likely is set in the same mythos as The Exile's Daughter, and could easily be a precursor to everything that happens then. (I'm spotting several ideas that I've apparently been developing in my subconscious for a long time now.)

Then I started thinking that my problem in ending Sword (and hello, if it's going to pretend to be a serious epic thing, then it needs to give itself a more dignified title than Sword in the Mound) is that there's more story potential here than in just one book. I mean, a bittersweet ending might work okay if there's a sequel coming, right?

Christ.

And did I mention that one of my minor characters might have switched sides on me (again)? He's hinting that he might be more of a villain than I'd originally thought, the bastard. And all of this just from notecarding!

Clearly, this is why I can't write short stories. My brain refuses to think small. If I start pulling a Robert Jordan, someone shoot me, please?

I love this part, I know I do. I know that's why I have such a hard time editing, because I love this part so much more. I'm starting to think that I should just let my work ethic go where it wants, and work on what I want to work on, as long as I'm working on something, and quit second guessing it. I'm tired of constantly questioning what I "should" be working on. Am I wrong in this? I don't know--but tired of questioning myself. I realized this morning that maybe by working on continual first drafts, practicing on getting it closer to right the first time, I might get to the point that complete overhaul editing might cease to be necessary.