Projects - and Goals for October

I’ve been thinking about these. September wasn’t a complete wash-out, but I did very little RPG writing. I did, however, make ground on some other writing goals and get my work schedule under control… and then I spent the last week of it with the flu.

So, goals for October look a little like this:

1.      Complete Adventure 1 and submit.

2.      Complete the outline and first 5,000 words on a YA setting-specific fantasy novel, YA Novel 1.

3.      Write a setting specific short story between 2,000 and 5,000 words, Short Story 1.

4.      Get Project 1 up to the 10,000-word mark.

5.      Project 2 to 10,000 words.

6.      Begin Emdras conversion.

And that’s it.

It’s not a lot, but I’m still finding where my limits are and working to fit my writing around family, a full-time job, a language, and an IT course, so it will have to do.

Projects

At the moment, the project roster looks a little like this:

Ø  Project 1: is a setting conversion from an existing setting to another set of rules. This is going well, so far, but there are a few holes I need to fill. Initially, I gathered all the background information from the settings main books and supplements with the intention of compiling everything in one book, but when it was all together I found there was too much information and the book lost focus. 12,000 words of background in what was intended to be a 30-50,000-word book was too much, so I cut out what wasn't immediately relevant to starting a game in the setting. Now that section is down to around 9,000 words. It’s still a lot, and more trimming may need to be done, but it’s a complex setting when all the components are pulled together so we’ll see. The information trimmed out has been put aside in theme-based documents, which could be used to give a campaign a specific focus should the GM want to follow one of the story lines suited to such a focus. With the background complete I came to the unique problems posed by character classes and races: Some of the character classes and races in the base rules don’t suit this setting. Instead there are a couple of new races, an existing race with variations, and at least one new class. I’m not sure how these are going to translate, but it looks possible.

Ø  Project 2: While sorting through the character classes and races, I noted a gap in the rules I was converting to. I thought a more generic description of the new class might be in order. Well, we’ll see how it turns out.

Ø  Adventure 1: I’ve been working on this one for a long time, and I’m not sure the market for it still exists, but it’s a fun game and quirky, so I’ll complete this adventure and submit it once I’m sure I have the ability to meet tighter deadlines. So far, the adventure outline is complete, as well as a third of the scenes. I’ve stalled on a couple of new creatures, but should be able to overcome that now. Next step for this is to complete the new creatures.

Ø  YA Novel 1: Started, mostly outlined. I’ve been hesitating on this one because if it’s rejected, I’ll need to rewrite and remove the setting specific material before it becomes marketable again, but I like the story and the characters and it’s been nagging to be told, so nothing is impossible.

Ø  Short Story 1: Not started, and I’m torn between three settings. This one will be a challenge to finish on time. Again, I face the dilemma of writing it or not writing it because of the setting specificity. If it’s not wanted, I can’t market it elsewhere OR put it up as a free read, and rewriting might not be possible. Still, it will be fun.

And last, but not least, I HAVE to learn more about how to be a professional writer. I can’t make the change yet, but I can start working seriously towards it, day job or no. So many writers are talking about the changes rocking traditional publishing and writing trends. Bob Mayer and Kristine Kathryn Rusch are just two of many that I read - and now Dean Wesley Smith. Both have shown me how much more I have to learn, and how much of what used to be just *isn’t* any more.

The publishing world has shifted; it’s still shifting. What more can I say that won’t sound trite or stupid? I don’t know, so I’ll just go with the first piece of advice that makes a lot of sense and get back to writing, while plotting out my own crash course on learning what goes on in the e-publishing and publishing worlds.