There are three main stories that I am currently working on:
#1 Destiny's story (currently titled "Destiny Dawn")
My daily routine is to alternate between the stories and continue riding the wave of motivation that belongs to whichever story hits me in each moment. While brainstorming and noodling around with some ideas, I made a discovery. These stories belong to the same universe!
It occurred to me to consider intently making this whole thing an anthology. The main characters from each are all connected by the town of Symphony Rock and the lake that resides beside. It sort of fell together organically as I was adjusting the outlines a few weeks ago.
The only drawback I can see from here is anthologies from "new" authors are a hard sell. You almost have to be fully established with several published books before any publisher (or agent) would have a desire to even skim anthology stories. Besides a self-published poetry book for children (that I made unavailable last year) and a couple of magazine articles over a decade ago, I am not considered a published author yet. So, I think the best decision is to market them as individual books, and hope readers will catch on. In my mind, I can envision these works being considered part of the Symphony Rock anthology, or the Symphony Rock canon.
One day!! 🤞
Until then, I will keep writing. I believe this new discovery will help unlock and ignite my passion to keep pushing forward. In 2024, I resolve to publish my first book! I have something like 350 days remaining if that is to become a reality. I'm working diligently (not necessarily as stubbornly as Destiny!) to get these prepared to start marketing, querying, or whichever method I choose.
Happy New Year, and I hope yours is better than the one before!
I’m sure my comments are only touching the surface. All I can can offer, as a mere hobbyist, is to push onward and forward towards your… (you know what I’m going to say, but I’ll do so all the same)… Destiny. There’s stories only you can tell—and they need to be. A wise person once told me the saddest thing is the [idea, story, or maybe even a… photograph] which was never shared, written, nor… taken.
I think you know what I mean.
—a friend
My stories became connected too, through no plan of my own, and now I'm happily writing about people I started writing in my early twenties. It's a trip.