It's All Coming Together

I’d say that the first week of ROW80 (Round 3) has been relatively productive, as I’ve made a few breakthroughs in previous story-ideas, and I've added a new hero and story-arc to my list of potential works.  So far, within my “sword & sorcery” story-world, I have sixteen different story-ideas that I’ve been working on, each with their own unique characters and conflicts.  Some of these story-ideas are more developed than others, having obvious plot progression and climax resolution, while others are nothing more than scene-ideas or story-fragments; partial aspects of a grander story, possibly with epic trilogy potential.  Within these story-ideas, I have developed over twenty-seven main characters and nearly twenty villains, each with unique personalities based on various heroic (and villainous) archetypes.  The possibilities, thus far, have been endless, which has been both a blessing and burden.  I am thankful to my Muse for these story-ideas and characters, yet pairing the correct character with the correct story has been quite a challenge.  I’m constantly evaluating whether or not the character I have in one story might be better suited for a different story, and vice versa.  And thus, the aforementioned breakthrough.  I had been struggling with a few of my stories because my characters were mismatched for the story I wanted to tell.  By swapping two main characters and splitting-off a third into a new character type, I was able to pair them all up correctly to their proper stories.  Now, these stories feel right.  You may be thinking, “Sixteen stories?  C’mon man, pick a story and write it already.  Focus, dude!”  Yeah, I know, my Inner-Editor says the same thing all the time.  I wish it were that easy.  These stories are still in their discovery phase, meaning all of the “What If” scenarios have yet to be fully explored.  I may eventually combine many of these characters and plots, so I don’t want to commit to any one of them fully right now.  Instead, I will develop these story-threads separately, treating them as character-studies within simple plot-structures that may be woven into a larger story someday.  I’ll have to see where these stories take me.  Some may be origin stories for some of my legendary characters, so I’m also trying to keep that in mind as I write.  For instance, some of the story-ideas have epic trilogy potential.  Those are the ones that I want to develop further.  A few of my characters will reach legendary status within my story-world, accomplishing heroic feats and eventually mentoring some of the future heroes that are yet to follow in their footsteps.  For these legendary characters, I plan on developing their complete character-arcs over three books, showing their skill progression from novice to adept to mastery.  Exciting stuff!  It’s all coming together, albeit, at a slow and steady pace.  So far, I’m happy with the progress.  Each step in my writing journey takes me closer to my authorship destination.

Conan did not see what she cast upon the fire, but the wolf whimpered in his dreams, and a green smoke gathered and billowed up into the hut.  And as he watched, the walls and ceilings of the hut seemed to widen, to grow remote and vanish, merging with infinite immensities; the smoke rolled about him, blotting out everything.  And in it, forms moved and faded and stood out in startling clarity.
— (Excerpt from The Hour of the Dragon, by Robert E. Howard)

That’s all for now.  Keep the Fire Burning!
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