The Write Project at the Write Time

I write books. It’s what I like to do. I’ve got one book published, Mattson Academy, but I don’t plan on stopping there. Mattson Academy 2 (still working on a darn title) is officially going to be published this September. Those aren’t the only two books I’ve written. Mattson Academy was the first book I wrote, but I wrote several before Mattson ever got published (including Mattson 2). There are several more books that I started writing and never finished, and several more that I’ve got notes written down for or even just ideas bouncing around in my head. The challenge then, is figuring out which one to write when.

Now that used to not be so much of a problem. I had no obligations to anyone. I was just writing for fun, so I could write whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. The funny thing was, after writing Mattson Academy, I wanted to try out other genres and other age groups. Adult vampire horror. Weird West. Murder Mystery. Queer Romantasy. I knew I wanted to publish Mattson, and I didn’t want to get too far ahead in the series before I had an editor, knowing things might change down the line, so I experimented with anything but the Mattson series. It wasn’t a problem if things went unfinished or got paused as a newer, shinier idea took hold since it was all for personal enjoyment.

I want to be very clear, I have no intention of NOT finishing Mattson Academy. This series is my baby and it’s what made me want to write. Those books are happening.

Mattson 2 comes out this Fall, and fortunately, it’s finished. Just needs editing. Mattson 3 is about half-written. I’ve got the 4th and final book roughly plotted out. So that’s where things get fuzzy.

See, I’ve got a little time on my hands. I could be working on book 3, and trying to get ahead, but I recently read Legends and Lattes, by Travis Baldree, and I fell in love. The cozy fantasy bug bit me bad, and suddenly, that’s what I wanted to write. So, while I’m waiting on edits for Book 2, I started writing out a story called Mirthless Manor, which is like a high-fantasy Scooby Doo a la Legends and Lattes. The trappings of a DnD style fantasy adventure, with the cozy, more chill vibes of a Saturday morning cartoon.

I had a blast coming up with the characters and I like the idea, but I’m not sure I’ll get to finish it. Not right now anyway. With an actual publication deadline for Mattson 2, those edits will take priority as soon as I get them, and I don’t really want to fall too far behind on the rest of the series. As much fun as Mirthless Manor is to write, I think it would be weird to write two books in a series, work on something completely unrelated, and then finish the series. I feel like the momentum is key both from a publishing perspective and a writing perspective.

For now, I’m going to work on it when I can, and when it’s time to get back into Mattson world, I’ll be ready to do that, too. Who knows? Maybe I’ve just happened upon my next series.