Timing is Everything

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     After working on my vampire series for a little more than three years now, I am still only about 60% done with the first book in the series.  The story is done, but it still needs a good amount of editing before it is anywhere near ready for publishing.  The second book is only half written and I have about a quarter of the third book written.  But after all this time, I'm starting to feel like I might have missed the window of opportunity where this series was relevant.

     With the frenzy generated by the Twilight saga now over, are readers over the latest

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vampire fad?  The thing with fads, you need to catch the wave at just the right time or you're sunk.  Did I miss my wave?  Or is it possible that if I work hard to get these books written, edited and published, that I will be just in time to hop on at the start of the next wave?  Or even be the catalyst that creates the next wave?  Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, because I don't want my series being viewed through the Twilight microscope.

     I also have to consider the fact that this is not a classic series.  It is not something that will stand the test of time.  So when the time comes that I am ready to finally publish, I have to make sure that references to technology are up to date so that it doesn't feel old when it is hot off the press.  I need to make sure that the story is still relevant.

     Then there is my other series.  A coming of age series that compares growing up with one of nature's transformation processes; think along the lines of the ugly ducky becomes

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swan, only I'm not writing about a "swan".  The idea for this was conceived long before the vampire series but for some reason I had difficulty getting started.  This series is much more classic, focusing more on experiences and feelings that readers of any generation should be able to relate to in some form or fashion.  A month or two ago, ideas for the series were beginning to become something of a whisper in the wind.  Now, they are practically screaming at me, thundering in my head so loud that I can't ignore them.  Whether I like it or not, my focus has now shifted to this series.

     I'm following the advice I have heard time and again and just getting the writing done, whatever it may be.  Instead of fighting to stay focused on the vampire series, I am doing the work for which inspiration has struck.  So many times, we look to our muses for inspiration, so how can I ignore it when it comes just because it wasn't quite the inspiration I was looking for?

     My fear with all of this jumping around is that I will never complete a project.  How many novels will I start but never finish?  How many will I write that are left unpublished due to lack of editing and polishing?