Well, I released my third book (second fiction) which means my stories are told. What the hell do I do now? I have a little idea buzzing around for a third fiction which has a little (a very little) to do with the other two but is based on the genre of murder mystery/whodunit. As I have no idea how to write that kind of genre, it's going to take me a while to pull it together. (I have the first 4000 words done). I also have an idea for a cookery/recipe book ... I also feel like I want to take a break from writing and push the advertising on the ones I have out already, but in all honesty, after only 5 days, I am bored shitless! So, what do I do now?
Yes. Although, I have a feeling that a cookery/recipe book would look better if I managed to get an agent/publisher for it.
Good luck with the third book. How did the other two do? I know next to nothing about marketing but may I suggest doing a bit of both. If you're trying out a new genre, especially a mystery/whodunit type scenario there is going to be a lot of planning involved and possibly research. Perhaps draw out a detailed plan for book number 4. Planning is not necessarily as intense as writing the story and can often be more fun (but then you'd know anyway after finishing three ).
Up to you but I have a very similar problem (and I'm in a similar boat - finally near finishing first draft of first novel - going to need something else to write while I edit). I haven't decided, but I think I'm going to try working on a crime novel format, because I'm fascinated by trying to mimic the prose and construction of those, but haven't done it before.
I'm sure we can keep each other going ... I sat and made a to do list last night regarding my writing. There are twenty items on it. :-O
I agree with Viridian that your third book could include a lot of planning and research, which could be a lot of fun and give you a break from actual writing. For me, I find planning the next book is a lot of fun of itself. A to do list is a good place to start, and it sounds like you've already got a good idea of what you need to do
Thank you. My first book was true life, the second and third are fiction. Totally different (and the true life is only around 80 pages whereas the fictions are both around the 500 page mark) but surprisingly, the true life is outselling the fiction at 5 to 1. The second fiction set off quite good, (dare I say this) I think because people who had read the first, were waiting for it. I'm not talking big numbers but it was great to have a few facebook messages like "yay, I've got it, at last." You are absolutely right about the mystery/whodunit, I have no idea where to start - I'm usually a pantster who plans as she goes and then jigsaws everything together but this is totally out of my field. I know who the victim is, I know who the murderer is, I know why she's killed, but I don't know why the murderer frames our main character and I don't know how the MC proves his innocence ... So I think I'm really going to have to plan this one out. Thanks for the suggestions xx
Thanks. There's a lot of little jobs on there too, like updating the website and emails I need to send - one of which I did last night. Sometimes, it feels like the actual writing is the least of my worries! LOL