I should have known this would happen. Just as I’m deep into my other projects—each at a critical stage—my brain has decided it’s the perfect time to start something new. The idea for a novella, The Right Her, has crept in, and now it’s taking up mental space when I should be focusing on finishing my existing stories.
So, let’s talk about how this keeps happening. There’s something irresistible about new ideas. They sparkle with potential, untainted by the complications of plotting, pacing, or character arcs. Right now, The Right Her is like a bright, shiny object, and my creative mind wants to dive headfirst into its world. But... here’s the catch—I have a couple of big projects waiting for their well-deserved endings, not to mention books that are nearly ready to tie up their arcs.
The Right Her is calling, but so are the concluding chapters of the Mistlefield Murder Series, and the final installment of Neuromundus. These aren’t just stories, they’re years of work, world-building, and character development—each demanding the attention they deserve.
So how do I manage it? How do I calm the excitement of the new idea enough to finish the current ones? This might be the hardest part of being a writer—controlling that storm of creativity. The trick (or so I keep telling myself) is to jot down the essentials of The Right Her without letting it dominate. I’ll let it simmer in the background, feeding it bits and pieces when I have spare time, but not so much that it derails the big projects.
Because as fun as it is to start something new, there’s a special magic in finishing a story. Whether it’s solving mysteries in Mistlefield or exploring the complexities of a neurodivergent future in Hyperion, these worlds need their endings. And that’s where I’m going to focus—bringing closure to my characters, wrapping up their arcs in ways that do them justice, and, eventually, celebrating their completion.
But don’t worry, The Right Her will have its day. The story’s waiting patiently, knowing that once my brain is a little less cluttered, I’ll return to it with the same energy and excitement I’m giving the other ones.
For now, though, it’s time to stay on track, calm my mind, and get these other stories finished!
Wish me luck—because we all know how hard it is to ignore that shiny new idea!