The idle musings of a former military man, former computer geek, medically retired pastor and now full-time writer. Contents guaranteed to offend the politically correct and anal-retentive from time to time. My approach to life is that it should be taken with a large helping of laughter, and sufficient firepower to keep it tamed!
Monday, September 8, 2014
It's no good trying to rush it
I've been trying very hard to get Maxwell Volume 4 ready for publication this month, but what with moving house last month, plus my truck problems, plus normal domestic chores, I just can't get there from here. On re-reading my latest work this morning, I was so unhappy with it I deleted the lot. I'll start that chapter over again later today.
The thing is, I want each of my books to be better than the one before. I don't want to just churn out 'pot-boilers' hoping that readers who enjoyed past books will fork out their hard-earned money for a new volume. That's the best way I know to alienate readers, who'll remember an author who took them for granted and likely never buy another of his books. No way. I'm not going down that road. I'd rather take it more slowly, and put in the effort required to make each book worthwhile.
That means I'm going to postpone publication of Maxwell Volume 4 until late October or early November. That, in turn, will probably push Laredo Volume 2 out until January 2015. I apologize to those of you waiting for the new books, but I hope you understand where I'm coming from; and I hope I'm right in betting that you'd rather wait a little longer for a good book rather than have to put up with something that's just "OK, I guess . . . "
Thanks for understanding. Watch these pages for progress reports.
Peter
Since we can read them faster than you can write them...
ReplyDeleteI'm just grateful that you are writing them. To the extent readers have a right to expect anything from "their" authors, it's that the authors will be conscientious artisans who strive to stay interested in their work.
And if the Muses are gracious, we get to read actual art.
Smart man, this is why I pretty much quit reading Clive Cussler's books.
ReplyDeleteThey had his name on the front but had gotten to the point they were poorly written ghost authors cranking out a formula with different surroundings and locations.
A real shame because Cussler had gotten real good and it was easy to see he wasn't doing the actual writing.
Take your time. I am always amazed when you and Miss D. are up at my place, how much writing you can do in a short period of time, quality writing.
ReplyDeleteWe myself, I have to be in a certain mood, and then it comes, why book number two may be a year out (or not, depending on sales of book 1 :-)
All that you have created is good, and we will wait, for it's your book not ours, as readers.
I understand but at the same time you're killin' me man. I need my fix.
ReplyDeleteDoing the right thing... Happy to wait!
ReplyDeleteBetter late than never. Better never than wrong. I can wait. Really I can. I know I can. How long did you say? Oh my.
ReplyDeleteIt's cool, man. I think that while we'd all love to have it right now, we'd rather wait until it's ready. I've read some books that really felt like the author rushed them out to meet a deadline, and that's not a good thing...
ReplyDeleteQuality is worth waiting for.
ReplyDelete