At the moment I'm spending most of my time writing a short comedy I'm hoping to get out by Christmas and doing background work for a trilogy set in the same world as Bane of Souls and Journey to Altmortis (come to think of it I should be spending some more time promoting Journey to Altmortis...).
The comedy's proving very different to write than a serious book, and a bit more challenging than I'd expected. Whilst a serious book can have scenes that work in various ways (drama, amusement, tragedy etc) comedy has to be funny, and if it isn't then everything else doesn't matter. As well as the obvious challenge of writing stuff that others hopefully find amusing there's an issue regarding repetitiveness.
The first chapter was relatively easy to write, but it's proved more difficult than I'd imagined to avoid repetitiveness when it comes to humour and at the same time maintain a consistent and credible (in a fantasy-based context) lead character. Sir Edric's a bit of a sexist womaniser, and as much of the book is spent laughing at him as with him, but I want to avoid him becoming a one note gong.
The book's very much written from his perspective (although not first person), as he proceeds on a mission that could optimistically be described as suicidal.
Unlike my previous books this one is being helped by the kind assistance of several beta readers, who already (presently written perhaps a quarter to a third of it) have significantly improved the writing with their suggestions.
Another unexpected feature of comedy is that it's usually either very easy or very hard to write, and I've both written more in a day and had more writer's block than I would with serious stuff.
After it's done (still no working title but for these blog posts I'll use the Hornska tag) I'll definitely be working on Kingdom Asunder, the preliminary title of the first book of the trilogy, but whether I jump straight into part 2 or return to a second short comedy with Sir Edric will depend largely on the response to the first comedy.
I'm also planning to try and publish the comedy in physical format, which would be a first for me.
Thaddeus
The comedy's proving very different to write than a serious book, and a bit more challenging than I'd expected. Whilst a serious book can have scenes that work in various ways (drama, amusement, tragedy etc) comedy has to be funny, and if it isn't then everything else doesn't matter. As well as the obvious challenge of writing stuff that others hopefully find amusing there's an issue regarding repetitiveness.
The first chapter was relatively easy to write, but it's proved more difficult than I'd imagined to avoid repetitiveness when it comes to humour and at the same time maintain a consistent and credible (in a fantasy-based context) lead character. Sir Edric's a bit of a sexist womaniser, and as much of the book is spent laughing at him as with him, but I want to avoid him becoming a one note gong.
The book's very much written from his perspective (although not first person), as he proceeds on a mission that could optimistically be described as suicidal.
Unlike my previous books this one is being helped by the kind assistance of several beta readers, who already (presently written perhaps a quarter to a third of it) have significantly improved the writing with their suggestions.
Another unexpected feature of comedy is that it's usually either very easy or very hard to write, and I've both written more in a day and had more writer's block than I would with serious stuff.
After it's done (still no working title but for these blog posts I'll use the Hornska tag) I'll definitely be working on Kingdom Asunder, the preliminary title of the first book of the trilogy, but whether I jump straight into part 2 or return to a second short comedy with Sir Edric will depend largely on the response to the first comedy.
I'm also planning to try and publish the comedy in physical format, which would be a first for me.
Thaddeus
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