I’ve given considerable thought to the sequel for a novel that, itself, remains unpublished as of this writing. That creates an interesting conundrum: How much effort and thought time do I invest in such an endeavor before the first one finds a publisher that will take it on?
This is where I could allow negativity to cloud my forward thinking on the matter. The questions are like buzzing mosquitoes around my ears. I keep swatting them away, but they keep coming back: What if the first one is never published? Will I have wasted weeks and months? Will a sequel be the equivalent of pouring good time after bad?
No matter how upbeat and positive one may be, I think it’s impossible to prevent such questions from assaulting the creative process, maybe even stopping it altogether.
I once heard a wonderful line by an Italian actor in a ‘70s vintage movie called “The Gumball Rally”. He was sitting in the passenger side of a sports car and offering instructions to the driver on how to win. As he spoke, the driver began adjusting the rearview mirror. The Italian fellow abruptly stopped talking and broke the rearview mirror from its bracket and tossed it out of the car. He then said, “You wanta to winna the race? Then you no worry what is behind you.”
I believe this to be perfectly applicable to writing novels. If the desire to write something is strong enough to consume ample thought time, then all the negative thoughts in the world shouldn’t matter. Just do it!
You want to win? Then don’t look back. Forge ahead. The quality of your work will be evident when you act on the fire within you to write it and not cave to pessimistic perceptions that may or may not be valid.
This is as much to reinforce my own resolve as it is advice.
Daniel (Danny) Lance Wright
Author of
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/2009
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/2007
"The Last Radiant Heart"/Virtual Tales/August 2010
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ ebook available now 2010
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX
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