Taking a Moment to Reflect: Writing Two Novels at the Same Time

in #nanowrimo20185 years ago

Malum Poster Silent Hill.jpg

At the end of last month, I mentioned my objectives for this month's National Novel Writing Month. You can have a look at the post here, which did extremely well in relation to my other posts, thanks to a @curie vote and trail.

Today I want to reflect on how it feels to be writing two novels at the same time, and the decision to do so. It's the first time I am doing so, and I wish I had done this before during Silent Hill: Betrayal or writing any of my fantasy novels.

Let me explain....


EVENTS LEADING UP TO MY DECISION

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Image Source: Pixabay

Writing two novels at the same time is no easy feat. I am sure many writers will tell you writing one is stressful enough. So why did I decide to write two at the same time? Have I gone insane?

Before you say yes to that last question, let me explain. I completed Silent Hill: Betrayal in October 2016. It was received with raging success, despite many Silent Hill game fanatics crying out that I should kill my project and let the Silent Hill franchise die a silent death. One reviewer on Amazon even called it a masterpiece, which still rings beautifully in my head.

The plan was to write and release Silent Hill: Obversion in 2017, while working on the development of my new dark fantasy novel, Malum: Rise of the Deadly Sins, inspired by the game series Diablo. I was also trying my hand at a romantic fantasy novel, Dream Whispers, which is book 1 in the Dreamweaver Saga. I wrote Dream Whispers in both NaNo camps in April and July 2017.

And then something magical happened. My new publishing company Celenic Earth Publications was taking off pretty well, and Guinness World Records approved my attempt at the World Record for the Most Authors Contributing Towards An Anthology of Short Stories. The record at that time was 50 and we came in at 108, blowing the record away.

Because of Silent Hill: Betrayal, I was also asked in April 2017 to write for two entertainment sites. The one was Pulse Entertainment, which I left in August 2017 to start my own gaming entertainment site called AIR Entertainment. The AIR stands for Announcements, Interviews and Reviews. The other site was GameTyrant, which I left in November 2017 to focus solely on AIR Entertainment.

Also, due to Silent Hill: Betrayal and my contacts in AIR Entertainment and GameTyrant, I became involved with game writing. The first one was Antreya Chronicles by Antreya Studios, which is an epic fantasy MMORPG much like Elder Scrolls Online. I was involved in writing the first part of the game that players will get to experience when they obtain the game, and we are working on the rest of the game now. I am currently involved with writing the in-game dialogue for the non-playable characters, and also the text for the notes and in-game books that players will find. I was also involved in writing up some of the lore with the Writing team leader, such as the gods, factions and races. The writing team leader and I have also written and published a novel based on the game's story, and there will be more to come.

The other game I write for is Neon Sword by PeaHead Games. I am less involved with the actual game, but more with writing the fiction based on the lore of the game, which players will be able to read in the game itself and on the website soon. I have also been given permission to write my own novels based on the game.

When 2018 broke in, my company was running completely, and in April 2018 I made the brave decision to leave my day job at local government (that I had been enslaved at for 15 years and failing to get a promotion despite loyalty, experience and qualifications because of my race and this country's idea of employment equity) and run my business full time.


REASON FOR MY DECISION TO WRITE TWO NOVELS TOGETHER

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Image Source: Pixabay

While that gives an interesting tale for an intro, it by no means explains my insane decision to write two novels at the same time. You see, in all the rising success and achievements, my poor novels had been neglected. Other people's novels and game reviews and game writing became more important. And while that was essential for the running of my company, my own fans were tweeting me and commenting on Facebook, asking when Silent Hill: Obversion and Malum: Rise of the Deadly Sins were coming.

And then an idea hit me. NaNoWriMo was upon us. Why stick to the norm (which I hate doing anyway) and only focus on one novel. SHO and Malum had been developed and planned together. How awesome would it be if I not only also wrote them together, but also published them together!

And in that moment, the idea was born...


WHAT WRITING TWO NOVELS AT THE SAME TIME IS LIKE

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Image Source: Pixabay

I know it must seem unreal for me to say this, but writing two novels is easy for a person like me. The only real trouble I have is energy and feeling really tired for someone my age (38). But writing the two novels is not difficult for me because of the type of writer I am.

You see, I use OneNote for all my planning and development. I have one masterfile, and one of the sections in there holds all the books I have written, am writing and still want to write. I also have Sections for all my books, and Silent Hill: Obversion and Malum are Sections on their own.

Now each of them have pages within them, that deal with the following:

  • Act Development
  • Chapter Development
  • Plot Development
  • Key Characters
  • Character Relationships
  • Notable Characters
  • Items
  • Notes and Puzzles
  • Bestiary
  • Unique Concepts
  • Future Novel Plots In Series
  • Maps and Locations
  • Marketing Design Ideas
  • Alternative Endings
  • Quiz

Now, I won't go into what each of that entails, as that forms the basis of an upcoming book about writing, but you get the idea. My point is, with all these aspects already been developed over the last year or so, writing both novels at the same time is easy. I already have everything fleshed out, I know what must happen in each chapter. It's all there for me. All I have to do is write.

But I obviously can't write them both at the same time literally. One day I write Silent Hill, the next Malum. It's easier to switch focus that way. I handle it on a chapter by chapter basis. Before I start writing, I take about half an hour reading through all my notes and preparing for the chapter ahead. Once my mindspace is prepared, a-writing I go.

If not for all this preparation, I would be a royal mess right now.


WHERE I AM WITH EACH BOOK

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Those who have subscribed to the Silent Hill: Obversion Newsletter have already received the first official update. While I will not share all the juicy details that they have received, I am happy to let you know how far I have progressed. So far, the Prologue and Chapter 1 have been completed. I am hoping to complete Chapter 2 tomorrow.

Malum Poster.jpg

Those who have subscribed to the Malum: Rise of the Deadly Sins Newsletter will receive their first update tomorrow. Today was the first day I was able to write for this dark fantasy novel, and I have officially completed Chapter 1. With writing Silent Hill tomorrow, I anticipate completing Chapter 2 on Friday.


CONCLUSION

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Image Source: Pixabay

Writing one novel is hard enough for many. Writing two is more exciting for me. As a published author of five books, I remember how sometimes working on the same novel day after day become monotonous. Writing two at the same time seems to have killed that feeling. Also, the prospect of releasing both at the same time feels sort of magical to me. And I am excited to see which book fares better than the other at release.

Thank you for taking the time to read. Love all of you.


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Kind regards

Shaun M Jooste

Joint-Owner: AIR Entertainment (https://airentertainment.biz)
Director: Celenic Earth Publications (https://celenicearthpublications.wordpress.com)
Author, Screenwriter, Gamewriter, Journalist (https://celenicearth.wordpress.com)

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Congratulations on dual write, envious of people using the power of the pen and imagination @shadowolfdg

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