Plans change again

They aways change. I should never plan anything, because it never happens! 

Anyway, so remember I said I was writing on Ben's second book? Well, I was. Got into it, figured this fit more with the first book, continued writing... and ended it. Not where I'd planned on ending it, but where long before. So I was there with 13K words... and now it's become chapter ten to thirteen of More Than Friends. 

This means Ben's first book is done at 46K! \o/ 

As for the ending I had planned... I think I'll make that into a little holiday novelette. And change POV between two different characters, as important stuff happens to them on holiday. 

First though, now I'm done with MTF, I'm going to go through More Than Anything. Before I can start More Than Life, Glenn's book, I need to go through More Than Words. This because I need to get into Glenn's head, so I have to be clear on exactly how he acted through that book. 

Before I start writing this, however, I shall finish Wounded Souls. I've got edits for it, some new scenes I need to write, and I think I'm ready for it now. After that, time to rewrite Lost Souls to fit with the new canon of WS. I'm so ready to be done with those two books now. They've been WIPs since autumn 2014! I know, mental right? They're getting done now, no matter what! 

Oh! And also... I think I've changed my mind about the More series. See that cover there? Yeah, I think it's going to say MTA 4 instead. Because I'm also thinking about putting both of Leo's novella together into one novel, so that'll make MTA 3. Maybe the shorter side-stories will have the title of the novels they're from, instead. Such as No Right Words having MTW for a series title. Hmmm. Pondering this. I'll get back to this in a future post. 

It's like pulling teeth

Writing, that is. These past few days have been exactly like that. I've had to drag every single word out and it sucks. I don't think I'm loosing it again (being able to write, that is, like that past few months...), because I've got lots of ideas and I want to write. 

For the last few days I've been at my mum's. There's always people around (my mum, my little sister, or my grandparents come over every single day...), so it's impossible to get some peace and quiet. Thus, I'm not able to write as much. 

I've also been sick. Throat hurting, cough, maybe even fever... so that hasn't helped. My head's been all heavy. 

I've also gone back and forth with myself about Ben's second story. Maybe I should've just added the 7K words I have on his second story to the first and end it. Or maybe I should do as planned and write it out, end with the holiday I'd originally planned to end it with. OR I could make the holiday its own little novella and exchange POVs between Ben and Leo. 

I don't know. Right now I'm writing this as Ben's second novella. We'll see where it takes me. I'm 7K into it right now. I'm going back home tonight, so I hope to get back to writing properly then. 

Tomorrow I'm signing the contract of my new flat, so the rest of the week will be spent packing and cleaning my old one. And writing, obviously! Next weekend, I'm moving, and I hope to make myself a nice little office in my new flat. It has an extra room that can't be used as a bedroom since there's no window. But it'll be perfect as an office! 

I'm looking forward to it. One week to go! 

Plans change

Two posts ago, I wrote that after Ben's book I'd start Glenn's. Well, I'm one little scene from ending Ben's book... and it doesn't end how I'd originally planned. There's months to go in the story until the original ending I had planned. 

Guess what that means? I have to write Ben's second book before Glenn's first. And then Ben's third book after Glenn (which was supposed to be his second!). 

The timeline's all muddled between the books by now, which is why the new books only end up as novellas instead of novels. I don't plan my books much, so a lot of things happen during them that has an impact on future events and characters, so I have to write in order. 

More Than Anything starts before all other books, and ends after all of them. More Than Words ends half a year before MTA. More Than Enough takes place after MTW, as does Not Close Enough. But both of these happen before the end of MTA. This is also the case with More Than Friends. It follows after NCE, but also ends before MTA. Glenn's book will start after the end of MTA, but I need stuff to happen to Ben before that. 

So he gets his second novella right after I finish the first. And Glenn, he's just got to wait a little bit more. 

I've got three novellas written now (well, almost. Just that one scene to go from Ben's POV to finish off the third!). I'm all out of cover models. What to do for the new novella featuring Ben? I haven't got another stock photo of the same guy, nor do I have one for Tarjei. Arrrgh. Got to think of something. 

A new pen name? Or two? Or three?

I've ben thinking lately about separating my regular romance contemporaries, my erotica shorts, and my fantasy. That means two other pen names. The regular romance contemporaries would be kept under this name, obviously. Those are what I want to be known for. The More series, the Souls series, the Arctic Love series, and Protection. Those are the kinds of stories I love to write. 

Then, sometimes, I write something else. Like erotica shorts and fantasy. 

I used to think no way will I separate my stories into different pen names, but I've been contemplating it lately. The romance contemporaries are books I want friends and family to read if they're interested (which no one in my family is since it's in English and gay, and I don't mention my writing much to friends). The erotica however is something I definitely do not want family and friends to read. And the fantasy... well. I think about my Legend & Lore series as YA. Something maybe my sister can read when she learns English properly. 

So three pen names. Should I do it? I know some authors who do have separate pen names, some who keep everything under one. Pros and cons? 

Please comment with your views on this. I'm conflicted here! 

Finished!

I finished Not Close Enough (More Than Enough 2) yesterday! It ended up a little under the goal of 30K, but it ended in a nice place at 27K. I'm happy with it. This means that in a month, I've written almost 60K of Leo and Thomas. It's been fun, but now I'm ready to move onto a new couple. 

Today I'm starting More Than Friends, which will feature Ben. He's always been in love with BFF Nik, but has been shagging Nik's brother Tarjei for years. This'll be a much 67 into a black abyss. He's not an easy character, and I hadn't planned on getting into his head until the last book in the series, but the timeline took on a life of it's own. So now it's Ben's turn. 

The next character out, after Ben's book, will be Glenn. Remember him from More Than Words? Arsehole BFF of Andreas, who's got a shitload of issues? Yep. He's going to be a difficult character to get a handle on too--but yesterday I figured it out. At the same time I figured out Ben. 

These two couples (not telling who Ben and Glenn will end up with!), will also have at least two novellas each, like Leo and Thomas. Originally, there was going to be an m/f short between their two novellas, and there might still be, I just have to write it. 

Right now though, I'm focusing on Ben. I need to get Ben's story down. 

It starts today!

I did something stupid

Yes, I did. I listened to the playlist for Troubled Souls (Souls #7) and now I've got ideas. But this is a good thing, isn't it? No! Not when I'm writing another story. Why, oh why, did I put that playlist on?!

Maybe because I never made one for More Than Enough? Quite likely. It doesn't have a playlist. It's no good. Music inspires me - but I don't like to listen to music when I write. I like quiet then, but music gives me inspiration. It gives me ideas. And listening to songs meant for other books means I start thinking about them and the ideas appear and now I want to write that book. 

Dammit. 

But no time for that. I'm halfway into Not Close Enough. I'm not quite sure where to go from now. Should I time jump a little? Or should the next day be a part of the story? Does it need to be there. Maybe. Would I hate it if I skipped this part? Maybe. 

So I'll go write that now. 

And not listen to any other playlists meant for other books.