How much leeway does the audience give an author in terms of bringing out the next story? Most of the writers I enjoy tend to have about a year between books, but that's not always the case. George RR Martin, for example, has seen over 11 years elapse since his last novel in the Song of Fire and Ice saga, although he says that Winds of Winter will supposedly be out this winter. Has the saga grown stale, or has the audience moved on, especially since the HBO series went out with such a whimper?
I ask this because the novel I've been working on for more than two years is still a long way from coming out. I'd like to say it's because I'm caught in the throes of some huge plot point dilemma, but, truthfully, life has been bisy and I've bene lazy in my off-work time. Several people have read the first few chapters and been interested in continuing, but I haven't done anything much with the book in the last year except maybe belt out one or two more chapters.
I suppose I should be grateful that not many people know about it, so it's not like I'm disappointing throngs, but even with that caveat, I haven't published anything since the Spring of 2020. I don't have vast hordes swarming me for my newest novel, but one or two have asked where my latest is, and what its status is. Do I risk losing the few fans I've got by being so unproductive? Or can I appear fresh to an entirely new audience by waiting? This next novel is my largest project to date, and it will involve the most complex cover(I think), but postponing it so much leaves the audience...wanting. Wanting is okay if there's a payoff, but the longer the payoff the better it needs to be. I guess we'll find out if/when I ever get back around to it.
No comments:
Post a Comment