Writer’s Dilemma to edit or to write?

Books

Never underestimate an old man in a business where men die young.

War is a young man’s game, and one where failure usually leads to your death. There’s a reason some people survive when others don’t—they’re faster, stronger, smarter, and usually luckier than everybody else—and you antagonize them at your own peril!

From knowing how to judge the intelligence data to understanding how to play “the long game,” or just having the experience from past operations to be able to tell when things are about to go wrong, these old men and women know what they’re doing… and woe betide the new recruits who don’t listen. Be careful, because that old timer sitting next to you—the one who doesn’t say much—may have a skill or maybe even a robot that’s going to kick your butt!

For, as the old-timers know, an ounce of experience is worth a pound of youthful exuberance!

More info →

So, I have just finished editing “The Return”. I have also finished writing the sequel “The Darkness” and I have planned out enough of the final book “New Empires”. After such a brutal round of editing I WANT to write, but I need to edit “The Darkness”. I’m also getting a little concerned about book length. Both of the books are over 100K and the goal was originally 80-90K. For an e-book this isn’t a big deal but for a printed book it can be. Every time I go back and edit, the book grows. More description, more details, etc. I’m not sure if that is a good thing.

Now when I read various articles about editing it recommends that you ‘put the book down’ for a bit before you edit it. Okay. But then I forget stuff, which complicates life when writing the sequel. Then there is the problem of motivation on writing the sequel. I want to, I have a lot of it planned, but I seem to be having a problem making the decision to start.

Of course there is also my other series, “The Incidental Elf” series that is begging for attention. I have finished books 1 “Aelfsward” and 2 “The UnderRealms” and have a really good start on book 3 – “The Dragon’s Mouth”. But that is not all! I am also working on a series for Military Science Fiction Writers and I still have some Airsoft Bible books to finish (almost done with Warrior Tactics, just need to edit it and add some graphics). Instead I’m here whining about it in my blog. Too much to do it seems. How to prioritize? If that is not enough I have several other novels that just need editing;

When Heaven Gets Full
Ghosts of the Republic
IE1: Aelfsward
IE2: The Under Realms
CS1: The Return (Finished except for the printed version)
CS2: The Darkness
Sister, Sister – Done, but kinda short
Way of the Warrior #1 (a series much, much later in the world of Aelfsward)
Way of the Warrior #2
Way of the Warrior #3

What to do. I’m sure I’ll figure it out eventually. Whatever is the most fun! It might be time to revisit Aelfsward. . . . I’m glad we had this talk. Thank you. Time to change gears from 3rd person to 1st.