Waiting for the Green Flag

Over half a year I’ve been writing on this blog. Over half a year I’ve been calling myself an ‘author’, though ‘writer’ or ‘novelist’ might have been better terms. Because, as of yet, I still have not published a single book.

In the past two years, I have written about 220,000 words, split over a bunch of different projects. I have completed drafts of two short stories, three novels, and have begun a couple of other projects. All of those words, and I’m still not including anything I have done on this blog. I didn’t want to add it all up. Why have I not published anything?Well, let me explain by demonstrating what I have:

My first two books are about a demon-posessed high-schooler that ends up hunting demons for the government. It has some pretty unique world-building, and a lack of character building throughout the first book. The first book is not good. The second is a sequel. I have (at least for now) abandoned these two projects, because either the first would have to be rewritten or the second would have to be un-sequelized.

The next book, Disbelief Suspended, has a good story, a bad name, and likely terrible prose. I have it going out to beta readers, but it is not ready for release yet. Depending on the feedback, I don’t know if it will ever be.

A Grimmer Fate, which is a short story that acts as a companion piece to Disbelief Suspended, is done. I like it. I’m not sure what to do with it, given the state of Disbelief Suspended. Assuming things do go well with the beta readers, this may be the first of many companion pieces.

The White Book, a standalone short story about a powerful book of summoning, has been submitted to an anthology. Waiting to hear back currently.

Godless is going well, but a book of its type requires lots of planning and thought. Slow going.

A new project, Lich, is going well and building quickly. Either this book or Godless might be a good way to jump into traditional publishing.

So, where will I begin the publishing game? I have a lot of routes that I can choose. But, quite frankly, I have no idea where this all will go.

I am waiting for the green flag.

At some point, a beta reader or writer with some experience in the worlds of publishing will say, “I think you should publish this,” or “This could use a little work, but it’s got publishing potential.” Something like that. Once I know I’ve struck gold (or maybe at least coal or oil), I’ll know what to do, and I’ll focus on that nugget until it is refined and readable by the public at large.

I’ve got a lot of drafts to work on and a lot of stories to tell. Each one will go out to others and be read, with the intent of working toward some type of publishing. Until I get the feedback that I need, I can’t rush things. I can’t publish something lackluster that will ruin my name as a writer.

I am waiting for the green flag.

See you around!

-Kyle Adams