That's right. That's exactly what you're getting.
With each of my previous novels I've waited until after the novel has been published before starting the next novel. With Eternal Knight I was waiting for the massive success of my international bestselling novel to motivate me to write a second novel. After all, I'd put years of effort into a first novel. Why would I write a second if the first wasn't a huge success?
I didn't know much about publishing back then. Especially indie publishing. I didn't know that having a hugely successful first novel was about as likely as getting hit by lightning AND an meteorite on the same day.
Well, I sort of knew it. I was still hoping it would happen to me. The huge success part. Not the lightning and meteor.
The path to success is writing good books and following them with more good books. And you need to do this as quickly as possible. Indie readers don't want to wait around for a next book. They want it YESTERDAY.
It has taken a little while for this to sink in. However, I think I have the message now.
I finished writing The Dromost Gate forty-two days ago. I'm forty-two days into writing The Emerald Gate. Forty-two of the most productive days I've ever had as a writer.
I've once again gone back to my practice of keeping a spreadsheet of my writing. I find it highly motivational. The "start" and "end" numbers are my daily word count for The Emerald Gate. As of today I'm 63,481 words into a planned 120,000 word novel. Just yesterday I passed the halfway mark and my critique partner is still reading the first draft of The Dromost Gate.
It is very likely I'll have finished writing the rough draft of The Emerald Gate before The Dromost Gate is published. I think this is very exciting. It means The Emerald Gate will be published just months after the previous novel.
What will I do the day after I've finished the rough draft of The Emerald Gate? I'll start writing my next series. That will have to wait for another blog post.
