by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I usually just jump right into new projects without thinking a lot about it. I follow my outlines and I write what I’ve told myself to write each day. The big advantage is that these are long-running series and I’m writing another installment. I know the characters better than I know some family members. I would recognize my settings if I happened to drive through them on a road trip.
But starting a completely new and different project is different. For one, it’s not guaranteed to be a success, which makes it risky. I know if I write another Southern Quilting mystery or another Myrtle Clover mystery that I will receive X amount of income from it. With a new project, it could completely bomb.
Starting a new project is also different because it’s so time consuming. When you write series, you already have developed characters and a well-established story world. It takes half the time to write. When you’re writing something new, everything is new.Continue reading