On the Subject of Gatekeeper: Choices Reboot
I know I hardly ever use LJ anymore, and I also know it's not necessary to explain myself in this matter. However, this morning I had a strong urge to write down why I decided to redo the last book in the Gatekeeper saga, so this is more for my benefit than anything else.
It probably doesn't exactly help that I waited a year and a half to actually start writing this book after the third book finished, but I had other projects that needed attention. Since MDC was so short, and I had six months before my CreateSpace offer expired, it seemed like a good idea to just collect the whole trilogy in one book. After all, I didn't have a whole series in book format yet. And then when I finally got that done, barely before the deadline, I had a boyfriend that I was seeing pretty much everyday, and my relationship with him was new enough that I wanted to see him as much as I could. So that pretty much killed 2013 for Gatekeeper.
Pretty much the same thing happened in 2014. Yeah, I did attempt to kick it off, but I got two chapters in before the muse just fizzled out on me. To be fair, I think I was a little burnt out on writing at that point, since, other than NaNo, those two chapters were all I wrote that year. So when GE came up, I wasn't as burnt out, and I was able to pop that one out fairly easily.Since I had enjoyed GE so much, I wanted to get back into writing again. My original plan was for the Earthia reboot, but I couldn't seem to manage to get that actually going before the 1st of January. And then I had the random idea in the short - go back to Gatekeeper.
I'm actually surprised that I managed to get as far as I did, to be honest, considering it was just such a random idea.
Of course, you'll notice that, at first, I was cranking out chapters like I used to. And it was easy. But then, as I got deeper into it, it got harder.
I realized a few days ago exactly why. Well, actually, it's a two-fold reason. The first being my work schedule. Back when I was writing all the time, my work schedule was sporadic. Sometimes I would work mornings, and sometimes at night. I write best in the morning, so when I worked at night, I could pop out a chapter easily. But then the usual morning co-worker broke her foot, and since I was dependable, I was given the opening shift for three weeks until she came back.
For a while, after that, I'd mostly still work mornings, but sometimes I'd still have the odd mid- or closing shift. But the usual girl isn't as dependable. She's always late (usually a few minutes, but yeah), and calls out at times. Not that great for an opener. So, I suddenly became the opener. And when my front end manager decided to give me longer hours, I started usually getting off at 2.
Which meant that when I tried to write, my muse fizzed at bit.
GE wasn't all that bad. I guess because I differed my writing style, I was easily able to pop out a chapter even when I started after I out my boyfriend to bed. My writing ten pages with a rambling first page? Yeah, not so much, I found.
Especially when I wasn't fond of the content.
The idea of the Ithiyans and the people of the dimensions being slaves to this giant angel people was amusing at first, but as I wrote it, I found I didn't like it all that much. For starters, I reminded myself of my original plan, that the Ithiyans were actually refugees from a war torn country just seeking a peaceful country of their own. I saw them as sort of like Roma, actually, ostracized by their countrymen for no real reason. And so they escaped.
And that just seemed more appealing to me. And so continuing to write the current idea, well, it seemed like something I was pulling out of my ass.
So I figured, since I was struggling so much, that I'd just scrape that idea, and restart anew.
And thankfully, since I decided that, I've come up with a new plot and ideas for Choices. There was still some things that I haven't figured out, but it'll feel more epic, in my opinion, and not drag on Persey trying to get her power back for half the damn book. -_-
And yes, Elyon and the giant angels will still have their place. I love Elyon too much, so he definitely was going to have a place. Originally, he was going to be normal sized, but I found a way to make the giant angel thing work. :D
My only problem with this is finding time to write it. I don't want to start it now, what with March being my GO planning month, and April is GO month. Then May is GO editing, June is GC planning, and July is GC writing, August is CG editing. September is probably a resting month, with October being WfS/ES/IsoF planning. Which pretty much leaves...January of 2016. O.o Hopefully I'll be ready to write it then. Stupid GE, getting in the way of GK.
Granted, I think the another reason I'm dragging my feet is because Gatekeeper is the best thing I've written, so I'm delaying the ending as much as possible, since it seems I sort of lose interest in a book once it's done. Or else I rewrite it or something. And thus far, all I want to do is edit Gatekeeper and...yeah. ^^;
Sorry this was long. Felt good to explain things. I do kinda want to outline it, but not sure if it'll help matters, to be honest. We'll just have to see in the long run.
For now, though, I'll probably pop out a few more Gatekeeper pieces, since I'm feeling a bit better about the story. Yay, art! :D
It probably doesn't exactly help that I waited a year and a half to actually start writing this book after the third book finished, but I had other projects that needed attention. Since MDC was so short, and I had six months before my CreateSpace offer expired, it seemed like a good idea to just collect the whole trilogy in one book. After all, I didn't have a whole series in book format yet. And then when I finally got that done, barely before the deadline, I had a boyfriend that I was seeing pretty much everyday, and my relationship with him was new enough that I wanted to see him as much as I could. So that pretty much killed 2013 for Gatekeeper.
Pretty much the same thing happened in 2014. Yeah, I did attempt to kick it off, but I got two chapters in before the muse just fizzled out on me. To be fair, I think I was a little burnt out on writing at that point, since, other than NaNo, those two chapters were all I wrote that year. So when GE came up, I wasn't as burnt out, and I was able to pop that one out fairly easily.Since I had enjoyed GE so much, I wanted to get back into writing again. My original plan was for the Earthia reboot, but I couldn't seem to manage to get that actually going before the 1st of January. And then I had the random idea in the short - go back to Gatekeeper.
I'm actually surprised that I managed to get as far as I did, to be honest, considering it was just such a random idea.
Of course, you'll notice that, at first, I was cranking out chapters like I used to. And it was easy. But then, as I got deeper into it, it got harder.
I realized a few days ago exactly why. Well, actually, it's a two-fold reason. The first being my work schedule. Back when I was writing all the time, my work schedule was sporadic. Sometimes I would work mornings, and sometimes at night. I write best in the morning, so when I worked at night, I could pop out a chapter easily. But then the usual morning co-worker broke her foot, and since I was dependable, I was given the opening shift for three weeks until she came back.
For a while, after that, I'd mostly still work mornings, but sometimes I'd still have the odd mid- or closing shift. But the usual girl isn't as dependable. She's always late (usually a few minutes, but yeah), and calls out at times. Not that great for an opener. So, I suddenly became the opener. And when my front end manager decided to give me longer hours, I started usually getting off at 2.
Which meant that when I tried to write, my muse fizzed at bit.
GE wasn't all that bad. I guess because I differed my writing style, I was easily able to pop out a chapter even when I started after I out my boyfriend to bed. My writing ten pages with a rambling first page? Yeah, not so much, I found.
Especially when I wasn't fond of the content.
The idea of the Ithiyans and the people of the dimensions being slaves to this giant angel people was amusing at first, but as I wrote it, I found I didn't like it all that much. For starters, I reminded myself of my original plan, that the Ithiyans were actually refugees from a war torn country just seeking a peaceful country of their own. I saw them as sort of like Roma, actually, ostracized by their countrymen for no real reason. And so they escaped.
And that just seemed more appealing to me. And so continuing to write the current idea, well, it seemed like something I was pulling out of my ass.
So I figured, since I was struggling so much, that I'd just scrape that idea, and restart anew.
And thankfully, since I decided that, I've come up with a new plot and ideas for Choices. There was still some things that I haven't figured out, but it'll feel more epic, in my opinion, and not drag on Persey trying to get her power back for half the damn book. -_-
And yes, Elyon and the giant angels will still have their place. I love Elyon too much, so he definitely was going to have a place. Originally, he was going to be normal sized, but I found a way to make the giant angel thing work. :D
My only problem with this is finding time to write it. I don't want to start it now, what with March being my GO planning month, and April is GO month. Then May is GO editing, June is GC planning, and July is GC writing, August is CG editing. September is probably a resting month, with October being WfS/ES/IsoF planning. Which pretty much leaves...January of 2016. O.o Hopefully I'll be ready to write it then. Stupid GE, getting in the way of GK.
Granted, I think the another reason I'm dragging my feet is because Gatekeeper is the best thing I've written, so I'm delaying the ending as much as possible, since it seems I sort of lose interest in a book once it's done. Or else I rewrite it or something. And thus far, all I want to do is edit Gatekeeper and...yeah. ^^;
Sorry this was long. Felt good to explain things. I do kinda want to outline it, but not sure if it'll help matters, to be honest. We'll just have to see in the long run.
For now, though, I'll probably pop out a few more Gatekeeper pieces, since I'm feeling a bit better about the story. Yay, art! :D