When I started working on revisions for the novel back in the Spring, I knew I was going to have to make some adjustments in my schedule.

Before I started ARGENTUM, I often worked on a contract basis, which meant that someone handed me a contract and I said, “Okay, I’ll write for you.” Then, however many days later, I’d hand in an assignment that would hopefully get published. Sometimes I’d offer an outline; sometimes my editor and I would work together on an outline. Sometimes I’d even get invited to write some new short stories, so I’d find myself working on those.

Writing ARGENTUM doesn’t work like that, because this is a project that I don’t have a contract for. (No contract equals no deadline and no money.)

When I started Violetwar.com, I was so horrified by the idea I’d be the only one who’d read this story, I thought of a way “around it.” Initially, I imagined that Violetwar.com was going to be a grand experiment, where I’d have the freedom to do whatever I wanted with my first draft. I was so full of excitement, caffeine and LOVE for this urban fantasy story, that I ended up spending more time promoting it than I did writing it. Then, when I got the momentum going for the story, my readers (maybe even some of you) said that it wasn’t enough! They wanted more, more and more! That’s about the same time I realized that I should try to take more of a professional angle to this project, since other people had already approached me saying they were interested in it.

Let me fast forward a bit…

Now that I’m working on the final draft, I find that I still love this story and I’m still excited about it. I love it so much I want to write more stories like this, which means I have to be more selective about what I write in my spare time. Like many other authors, I have a day job, too. Like many other authors, I understand the reality that my book may (or may not) sell. But I’m not writing this novel because I want to win the proverbial publishing house lottery. I’m writing it because I have to. I need to breathe life into this story because it has taken hold of me and it won’t let me go.

You can see my dilemma, can’t you? Writers need to eat, but at the same time…we all need to write whether we get paid to or not.

The good news is that I now have a very realistic idea of how long it would take me to write a novel within my time constraints, and I now know what I need to do to ensure I balance everything equally in my life. Even though I am a pretty prolific writer, I’m still a human being with silly things like cats and a love life. I also feel very good about taking a more professional approach to this process. (You should see my uber-planned schedule!) Violetwar.com is no longer an experiment, this novel is a commitment that I’ve turned into an unpaid, part-time job that I love, love, love.

So why are the revisions taking so long? Because I’m pretty new at writing novels! Even though I’ve written novellas (TWIN DESIGNS) before, writing a novel is not as easy as it looks. Admittedly, I did get sidetracked when I got approached for a possible game, but when it comes to ARGENTUM, the story must come first.

The best part about all of this? Even though I’ve made mistakes, I’m learning from them. (Hence my zombie chapters that I couldn’t leave alone, until I figured out what was wrong with it!)

So thanks for sticking with me, and I’m so happy you’re along for the ride. Have more revisions to do tonight!