Picking Up Creative Momentum On "Book II"
When I last talked about the second book in the Barbarians of the Storm series, I explained why my break between finishing Dan the Destructor and its sequel was a mistake.
I’m glad to say that after I published that post, last week, a switch flipped in my brain and the issues I was having in creating the first chapter, over two very different drafts, seemed to fade away. This is probably another benefit to chronicling my creative process on these books, because it allows me to work through these issues and move on.
The first chapter of the second book centers around a surprising conversation and is a bit dialogue heavy. While it’s not initially how I wanted the book to start, it’s necessary. Plus, a line within that conversation gave me the idea for the book’s title, which I think is pretty badass. I won’t reveal the title name until the book is about ready to come out and the cover art is complete.
I found some inspiration and drive with the title, though, and it helped me gain some creative momentum and I’m really happy with how the story is shaping up now. Well, at least the foundation for the story, which needs to be strong.
With all of that, I also know how I’m going to work in the elements from the first draft that I want to keep.
The first three-to-four chapters are pretty much solidified in my mind and I’ve just got to spend the next week or so getting them on paper. Once I have the plot and the heroes’ new quest rolling, I think the rest will be fairly easy from there and I’ll be able to have an idea of a realistic timeline to reach the end.
This book will also be capped off by the second of three Foolpuddle short stories, so that’s something I need to map out while taking breaks between writing the main story.