It’s been a while since I shared a blog post. That darn thing called life has been in the way, limiting how much time I could spend writing. Well, it’s a new year and I’m back. Let’s do this.
I began constructing the world of Issalia and Brock’s story almost three years ago. Now, I find myself writing the conclusion of the third and final book in the series. As Brock’s journey nears the end, I've found it an unexpected struggle to finish what I started so long ago. It’s not that I don’t want to complete the book. I’d love to get it done so I can share it with others as soon as possible. However, I found it a challenge to make it live up to my expectations.
Like many authors, I begin the writing process with an outline that identifies the major events and plot elements that I want to include. That outline is nothing more than a map, reminding me of the places that the plot needs to hit along the way. An outline does not define HOW I reach my final destination. In fact, HOW I navigate through the plot is often a surprise, coming to me organically as the words flow out. It is this “HOW” that eluded me when I entered the final chapters of the trilogy. I believe that I owe it to the readers and to myself to ensure that the conclusion to Brock’s journey lives up to the rest of the adventure. After all, I’m emotionally invested in these books and I hope that my readers feel the same way.
When I hit this veritable wall, I wanted to avoid the issue so badly that I shifted from writing new content to pouring through the existing chapters with a round of detailed edits. This bought me a month and then I was again forced to work on the ending. Who knew it would be so difficult?
I’m pleased to report that I had a breakthrough in the past week and the HOW came together, shaping nicely into something that makes me proud. With a new sense of momentum, I now have a clear path to completing this novel and plan to contact my editor next week so we can begin the next phase.
An Empire in Runes, which is the third book in The Runes of Issalia series, is set to release in April 2017. I’m excited to share it with you because I think you’ll love it.
