Spent some time this week doing a deep edit of a story I'm still on the fence about. When I first finished it, I was certain I would never submit it: I could just feel it was deeply flawed. After a reread recently, I found some interesting meat, so I decided to edit - expanding where I had taken some elements for granted and slashing out some of the clunkiness and complexity that bothered me. I see the shape that impelled me to write it, but I'm not sure it's there yet.
It's a mystery story in a setting that would also play well for a novel. The world is dominated / terrorized by Spiritwalkers, humans blended with spirits ruthless enough to fight their way back up from the underworld. The possibilities of corruption in the system, the question of whether a murderer is aiming for the spirit or the host ... lots of fodder. The way I ended the story is ripe for a sequel, with the investigator's personal circumstances changing drastically. If I didn't have so many ideas for novels that I love, I might consider retooling it. Maybe a sequel story at some point, instead?
I've also been working on (much) shorter works. I have a list of forms / styles I want to try - originally five, two of which I've completed and three more to go. One (completed) was poetry; the others are flash fiction.
And to the opposite extreme, I have decided that I am officially going for the reality TV novel idea - more on that later.
About Me
- Lindsey Duncan
- I'm a professional harp performer, chef / pastry chef, and speculative fiction writer from Cincinnati, Ohio. My contemporary fantasy novel Flow is available from Double Dragon Publishing, and my science fiction novel Scylla and Charybdis is now out from Grimbold Books. I've also sold a number of short stories and a few pieces of speculative poetry. I write predominantly fantasy, usually epic and/or humorous, with some soft science fiction. I play the traditional lever harp with a specialty in Celtic music - but I also perform modern and Renaissance tunes. And yes, you read that right - I have a diploma in Baking and Pastry and an Associates in Culinary Arts and am currently working in the catering field at Kate's Catering and Personal Chef Services (Dayton, KY). I am a CPC (Certified Pastry Culinarian) and CSW (Certified Specialist of Wine).
3 comments:
When flipping between all your various projects, do you need notes and outlines to keep everything straight, or is your brain just that organized?
Josh
JRVogt.com
Speculative Fiction Examiner
Twitter @JRVogt
Yes. ;-)
When swapping between projects, I find I don't have a problem changing gears or remembering what I was working on. However ... I do create ad hoc outlines for short stories, take scattered notes for flash ("I want to do a lifetime in one brief piece") and I do worldbuilding / character notes for novels. I have reference if I need it, but I tend to find that just having jotted it down is enough for my memory.
Also - hi!
Hello! It's always fun to connect with folks and discover their approaches to the whole writing process. Thanks for sharing and indulging my curiosity.
Josh
JRVogt.com
Speculative Fiction Examiner
Twitter @JRVogt
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