At the beginning of 2019, I decided to structure my literary aspirations by setting an ambitious goal: to write ten science fiction novels in five years. Back then, I couldn't quite picture pulling this off. But I took things one book at a time. One chapter at a time. Now I've finished novel number nine and 2022 isn't even over yet.
Client work hasn't really interfered with this process. To the contrary, I feel like it's kept me sharp and motivated. I'd of course love to be able to focus on personal projects full time without needing to rely on other people's jobs for money. Maybe next year.
One thing that surprised me about writing this latest book were some of the sentiments that it brought to the surface. I'd been saying for a while that society tilted fully into dystopia in 2020. This idea turned out not to be just some passing notion. The writing process revealed that I now relate to this idea as a solid fact. I'm still working out what all that might imply.
What is the title of the new novel? Right now, I'm leaning towards The Brockton Exodus, but other possibilities include Observation Device Revolution and Archie and the Outcast Five. Definitely comment if you have an opinion about the title.
Today at the coffee shop, sitting outside in the summer heat, I told a couple of friends about finishing the latest novel. Neither asked what the title was and I didn't ask them what to call it. One friend said he'd buy two copies when it comes out in paperback. It'll be a couple of months before that happens.
From here, I've got editing and formatting to do. I've also got to come up with cover art, though AI has made that easy. After ordering a printed proof, the work will get passed to my editor. With final editing complete, I'll list the work on Amazon, the Google Play Store, and probably Objkt.com as a Tezos NFT. My last novel, Small Gods of Time Travel, is exclusively a web book associated with a Tezos NFT collection. For the current work, I'm thinking of simply minting a pdf.
To be honest, after doing NFT books on both Polygon and Tezos, I'm not entirely sold on book NFTs. Either the book's contents must be given away for free or the book's publication must be platform-specific. Neither option is great. I'm sure this situation will improve in the next couple of years as the tech evolves.
Overall, I'm feeling contented to have reached this literary milestone. My currently untitled science fiction novel was a lot of work to write, but it was the fun kind of work. And now, I get to start a whole new book. I might even make it a sequel, since I'm still a little stuck in the story I've just finished.
(Feature image from Pixabay.)
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