When I begin a new story, the possibilities are wide open. New scenes, new ideas, new mysteries, and new characters that could lead me anywhere. Early momentum makes me feel like I will finish in record time.
But actually finishing a book requires something different. I have to find those loose ends and tie them up. I have to make life and death decisions. I have to keep pushing through even when I feel like the book is terrible and I should start over.
The third Sylas Sterling book, Sylas Sterling and the Whispers with Shadows, has been a difficult one to write. I thought after finishing the first two books in the series, this should have been easy, but it wasn't.
At the beginning, the mystery opens up, but the ending is where I have to keep the promises. I am nearing the finish line. There is light at the end of the tunnel, along with any other cliche about getting to the end. Even so, I have to stay dedicated and committed to the writing and editing process.
That is the challenge of Book Three right now. I know where the story is going, but the hard part is getting there in a way that feels right and logical. So that is where I am, working toward the finish line.
Thanks for following along,
J. Allen Tucker