Book 3 Progress & Insight

It’s so far away. So far, far away.

At least it feels that way. No, I’m not talking about a fictional galaxy or a fairytale land. This isn’t about laser swords, princesses, goblins, or hairy dog-men. It’s not referring to the song stuck in my head from Red Dead Redemption.

It’s the completion of my third novel. I’ve talked about writer’s block multiple times in the past, whether there is even such a thing as a strategy to cope with it, but today’s different. I think.

I’m not one to whine or complain on the internet about the writing process. I think every author goes through a period where severe mental blocks and an inability to think about the road ahead leave them as exhausted as actually writing. Even the most vivid of stories and imaginings in our minds can be excruciating to deliver onto a page.

I’ve said before that I’m a pantser. I don’t really outline or practice extensive planning for my work. That doesn’t mean I make it up entirely as I go along, but it does mean I don’t have a step by step schedule of events. I’m not Rowling; I haven’t written the ending before I’ve begun the bulk of the work.

I’m about six chapters into the novel. Something close to seventy pages. I’ve set the plot in motion. I have an idea of where I need to go and by when. Yet the writing itself is slow and arduous. I find myself wondering what it will take to propel myself into the meat and potatoes of the narrative.

There’s a structure to the book. Most of my brainstorming and inspiration lends itself to the back half. There are specific beats and character choices I want to hit. The book has a primary theme and a setting that differentiates itself from my prior novels. The problem is the connective tissue.

Let me tell you a little story about my first book, The Shadow Over Lone Oak. I started writing it in the late summer of 2015. In less than two months, I had the first ten chapters recorded. But I was stuck. I couldn’t figure out how to end the story. The climax was weak. Life took over and I pushed it aside.

Nearly a year later, I returned to the book. An inkling of where to take the story formed in my mind, but it required an escalation in stakes. A thought occurred to me that I should just go for it, regardless of how it altered the original content and character of the book. For my debut novel, why not go all out?

So I plunged into the new direction. I described each new chapter beforehand with a single sentence to set the goals I had in mind. The book became bolstered by this compelling turn in direction. Were my homages and inspirations more transparent? Yes. Did this increase the excitement and fluidity of the narrative? Yes.

After an additional month or so of writing, I completed the initial manuscript of TSOL. Roughly three months of work spread out over a year. Not bad for a first timer, I should think. Was it perfect? No. Did the novel require additional editing and sculpting? Yes. But it was done. A person could read the work from start to finish and be satisfied.

After Kindle Scout and the book’s release, a number of ideas of where to take the story next started to bludgeon me like sledgehammers. The Smiling Man Conspiracy was easier to craft than its predecessor, though I still languished in the pit of writer’s block for a short period of time. One hiatus of three months and a vacation later, I tied the bow on the last chapters of the sequel and readied it for editing and submission.

Leftover ideas, unused in the second novel, remained as potential plot points for another sequel. A shift in setting and purpose would better accomplish that idea, so I set to work on compiling a list of things I wanted to do with the third book. Sharing that whole list would spoil the narrative, so I’ll refrain from saying anything beyond these:

Infrequent or nonexistent usage of profanity. I consider this a worthy challenge for my creative license and a way to further show my newfound life in Christ.
Larger time skip. TSOL and TSMC take place within two months of each other. This third book needs the passage of time in order for certain aspects to work, so I fast forwarded a bit.
A villain who challenges the protagonist mentally, physically, and spiritually. None of my prior primary antagonists have been physical threats to the main characters. Think of the reasoning behind Bane as a villain in The Dark Knight Rises and you’ll understand where I’m aiming to take this character.
A sense of adventure. My stories are horror-thrillers, dealing with death, conspiracy, monsters and monstrous men, but I wanted to set a moderately different tone with this entry. Something that calls to mind Indiana Jones or Uncharted.

Presently, the book is in the midst of a knot. There’s a point I need to reach, but it’s cumbersome to get there. There are characters we’re required to meet, but they have to wait their turn. There’s a twist in the narrative ready to deploy like the Allies on Normandy, but no one’s giving it the go-ahead.

Why am I telling you this? Because I like to share who I am and how I work with my readers. I value honesty and transparency. I want to reassure folks that yes, Book 3 is coming, but it may not be as quickly as either of us hoped.

It’s rather comforting, I think, that the book’s tagline – and possibly title – come from/are inspired by Psalm 23. It’s a great reminder that a person who has the Lord can persevere because of who He is.

“The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff – they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD as long as I live.”

Even when my brain isn’t working the way I’d like, He’s there. When I’m struggling to put my fingers to the keyboard, He’s there. When a lack of drive and ambition overtake me, rendering me useless as a creative person, He’s there to comfort me. What a great and loving God He is.

Thanks and praise be to Him. I hope this post has given some insight into the progress of my work while not dragging you down in the dumps. If you’re a fellow writer, all I can say is keep the faith and stay strong. I don’t know whether you believe or not, but if you do, pray to Him. Seek Him. Even if you can’t work, it’s always good to remind yourself that You are loved and that there is Hope Eternal.

God bless you. Have a great weekend!