In Rotation

Last week I talked about Running the Gauntlet, a writing exercise where I run through many of my files adding little bits. Now I want to talk about what happens after the gauntlet – In Rotation.



I wasn’t always so organized or ‘strict’ about writing. I was always a little loose about it, writing on projects here and there. Before, I’d work on things at random until one came into focus. Things started changing after the last time I’d run the gauntlet of stories. For a while, I was writing and releasing work back to back, but then I hit a point where there were two books in the pipeline (Agent Phoenix, Loose Lipped Secrets and Twinkling Lights) but nothing else really to be focused on.



I’d run the gauntlet again but had a couple of ideas I had just come up with. I’d initially put them on the backburner thinking I wasn’t ready to do them. I’ll often put things off if I don’t feel I’m good enough for them yet. But then I thought, why not, and jumped in headfirst. I started working on two projects: a horror novel for my publisher Supposed Crimes and a zombie book. At this point I wasn’t adding little bits to the stories but focused going back and forth between the two.



They were keeping up with each other for a while, but then I got another bee in my bonnet and added a third – a vampire story that had been started in different formats but now I was trying to make it into a novel. I now had 3 in rotation. The gauntlet was behind me and I was focusing on the three. I’d write a certain amount and then rotate to the next.



My wife and I had been kicking around a Christian murder mystery for some time. We’d created the setting and characters and story options but I hadn’t really gone into it. She suggested I start on it. I said, “I’ve already got three in rotation.” “Add a fourth.” She shrugged. I sat down and started it. I then had four in rotation and it’s been this way since late last year.



When I had started the rotation writing process it was August of 2019. It’s currently May 2020 and the first one is finished and with my publisher. My zombie book (book 2) is done but undergoing extensive rewrites, which is driving me bananas. The vampire book (No. 3) has had a drastic change to its original style and is finally coming together. The Christian mystery, the fourth in rotation, is rolling along smoothly.



I haven’t been back to the gauntlet in almost a year as I’ve had these four novels in rotation. When they’re ready I’ll go over the creation of each one. The process for the four is different for each one but there are similarities. The first two books were written closer together. I’d write three chapters on the first, rotate and write a section of the second, equaling to roughly the same page count. The third and forth books share a similar trait in how they will be shaped.



I’ve been pretty strict about the rotation. The lengths of writing time differ, however, but I’ll always have a stopping point. Sometimes the time to switch may seem premature but it’s for the best. The space of time between the books have helped the ideas flow as well as gives you a break when you get frustrated on a project. Although, I will say, writing four novels is burning me out. I’ve taken a couple of breaks, long weekends. But, damn, is it wearing on me. Still, I’m dedicated to getting the four done, and when they’re done, I will be taking a month off from writing ANYTHING. I can see that month in the distance. But for now, I’m getting back to work. I just finished over a month of writing on the Christian mystery and now I’m back to the beginning to the finished second book, only to chop it up. I rather like the rotation process but I don’t think I’ll be doing four novels together again. It’s a bit taxing.



I hope you all are staying safe.



Keep writing.