inverarity: (Default)
inverarity ([personal profile] inverarity) wrote2015-12-21 11:52 am

AQATWA: I have no words, but I do have drawings

Looking at my archive of AQ images, I am inspired by how many talented people have drawn fan art for my stories. And despite the long hiatus in my writing, people are still creating new fan works for me.

[livejournal.com profile] rikchik came up with a currency symbol for Confederation Lions. It is much cooler than what I envisioned (which was basically just a stylized "L" with a hash mark or something).

WCL

Sajirah tumblr drew a picture of an older Alex.

Alex by Sajirah Tumblr

And [livejournal.com profile] agogobell wrote a short story: Anna Chu and the World Away.

So what about your writing?



A few people suggested I try writing something else, and I did take a stab at that. I began a new (original fiction) novel, but did not get very far. I still like the idea very much, and will pursue it later, but I just don't think I do very well working on multiple projects at once.

In the keep-your-fingers crossed department, after finding little interest with agents for my SF novel, I sent it off to the few publishers that still accept unagented manuscripts and forgot about it. And about six months later, one publisher - a fairly well known one - informed me that my manuscript had been selected from the slush pile for "further consideration."

Eight months on, and I am still waiting to hear from them. This publisher is rather notoriously slow about such things, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's a year or two from now before I finally get a rejection or acceptance. I am not going to get my hopes too high - I was told by someone familiar with said publisher's slush pile that I am already about one in a thousand by getting this far, but the odds of actually getting all the way to a thumbs up and a publishing contract are still probably at least ten to one. But it's cool.

I am mustering my energies, gathering my resolve, making New Year's resolutions, and all that stuff. I have a number of things I need to do in the coming year, not the least of which is getting back to writing. I'm not making any more promises or giving ETAs, but I have taken a long enough hiatus, I am missing the writing, and with a little work on time management and reassignment of priorities, I would like to get back to it.

I'll keep you posted. And thanks, as always, for your patience, and for those of you who haven't given up on seeing the AQ series completed.

[identity profile] rikchik.livejournal.com 2015-12-21 06:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Hang in there, and good luck with the publisher!

[identity profile] tealterror0.livejournal.com 2015-12-22 01:26 am (UTC)(link)
Hey, it's been a while. In a fit of procrastination I re-read some of my old comments on AQ4, and was reminded again of how much I enjoy the series. I hope you and everyone are doing OK, and that 2016 treats all of us well. :)

Best of luck on getting back to the writing! As always, I'll be happy to beta AQ5 whenever you get it done.

Sometimes the best advice is the most unwelcome.

[identity profile] luke warhurst (from livejournal.com) 2015-12-23 12:24 am (UTC)(link)
You've had a good run with the AQ novels, and the last one was a definite high point for the series, but it seems to me that your passion for writing more of them has gone. There's no shame in this: you have entertained so many people *for free*, given so much of your time and energies to us and, ultimately created work that can proudly stand alongside the Harry Potter novels as their equal, so you can walk away with your head held high.

Find something that you are passionate about again and do that. You don't owe us anything. And who knows, someone else might feel inspired enough to complete the series with fan faction fan fiction.

This is my advice. It's the best that I can give, and it's probably not what you or anyone else here wants to hear, but I sincerely think that you'll be happier and more fulfilled if you follow it.

[identity profile] sajirah.livejournal.com 2016-01-04 03:41 am (UTC)(link)
Ah! I'm so happy to see an update about AQ! And you posted my picture! I'm so glad you liked it by the way. I was recently thinking of drawing something else too but the holidays haven't given me all that much time to do so. Hopefully now that it's January I can get on that at some point.

Also that publishing thing sounds exciting, even if it might be a while before you get any more news on it.