If it's worth doing...

I'm very excited to tell you I've finished the first draft of Epitaph 7! That's when the real work begins, the checking through it for continuity and holes and "what was I thinking there?" The getting a finished product ready for the editor.

As I finish writing a book, my brain is usually spinning ahead to "what's next." In this case, I'd already decided to give myself a break over the holidays. Finish off Epitaph 7 and give my creative juices a breather. Wouldn't you know it, my imagination had other ideas. In between my OCD to finish what I have, I got excited to start in on my next project - except my next project would come with a February deadline. That's pretty ambitious, and for someone who was looking for time off, will I short-circuit myself? It would mean rushing through completing this one or rushing through writing the next one. This is where the old adage "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right" has been front and center in my head.

I always strive to bring the best product forward. The original Epitaph novel is an example of that. I started that book in 2009, but I couldn't get it right. Even I knew it wasn't working, but I couldn't let it go. It took me seven years to figure out what was wrong and fix it, but rather than try to force a sub-par book to market, I took my time. I'm pleased with the end result, and the rest of the series that it spawned, and I'm glad I took the time to get it right. Likewise, I can't rush the final installment to market until it's done "right," and I don't want to hurry the new story at the risk of making a muddle of it. Once I start the new project, I'm not sure I'll make the February cut-off, but the new story is speaking to me. In a loud voice. Clearly. So it will be written. If I miss the cut-off, I'll wait for my next opportunity to present it, or I'll follow Plan B (yes, there actually is a Plan B).

The moral of my story (and shouldn't there always be a moral?) is to follow your heart, and if something is worth doing, it's worth doing well/right, even if it takes a little extra time.