Plotting

I've been trying to get going on a new book-- series actually. Anyway, this series idea has been kicking around in my head for the better part of ten years, and I'm finally ready to write it. Initially, it was going to be a single novel, but after studying successful books and looking really hard at this idea, I came to two conclusions.

First, most really successful books are a series, short or long-- it doesn't seem to matter, but publishers don't spend a whole lot of money marketing single books. If they are going to spend the cash marketing a book, they want more payoff, which comes from the rest of the series.

Secondly, I can't put this whole idea into a single novel.

So, I decided on a three-book series (and no, I'm not going to add a fourth later to make more money, like certain dragon and vampire books have done). Anyway, I've always been concerned that I'd never be able to come up with enough plot conflicts to fill three whole books. So, yesterday I started mapping out the first book. I had a great time developing the character flaws for one guy. He'll be fun to write. Anyway, I could see how the whole book would shape up, and it was completely different from how I'd originally planned. Then lying in bed last night, I started thinking about other characters, who were supposed to star in book one, but sort of got ousted. I'm drifting off to sleep, and scenes are running through my head. So, this morning I wake up and I realize-- OH MY GOSH, I have the whole plot for book two, and actually, most of book three because book three is the original story I planned years ago.

I realize that this probably makes no sense to most of you, but trust me, it was exciting. So exciting that I told Mazie she absolutely had to watch a movie so I could scribble all my notes before I lost the ideas.

Like everything else I've written, this may never be published, but I love this idea and I have to write it. I simply cannot explain the writing need in me. Off I go, and my house will be a wreck for the next six months for sure!