New Story Idea! (High Concept)

I never thought I'd say this. I have a new story idea, and it's not science fiction or fantasy. It still falls into the realm of speculative fiction (I think), but it's more of a psychological mystery.

It's actually a high-concept premise and, for that reason, I'm going to keep the plot to myself for now. Suffice it to say, I am obsessed with this idea. 

For the past couple of weeks, I've been trying to decide between three or four other story ideas I had. Let's just say none of them were blowing my skirt up, and none of them had very original plots or settings. I've been quite depressed as a result. Here I was thinking my writing spark had finally returned, only to be let down by, frankly, unoriginal, lackluster story ideas. I had started to believe my writing days were behind me, and I honestly can't imagine a more lonely, empty future for myself. 

It came to me as I was waking from a catnap yesterday, an entire premise that immediately lit that spark again. I bolted upright in bed and jotted the idea down in my phone, and it's been just oozing out of me ever since. Don't you love that feeling?

Here's my one concern: I don't read contemporary psychological fiction. Like, ever.  Well, I've read a few Stephen King books that probably fall into this category (the Mr. Mercedes trilogy springs to mind), but that's it. I'm a little worried I don't have a good understanding of genre conventions, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. When I read something I really love, I tend to get stuck in the concept of that story, and originality flies out the window. Maybe it's better to write at least an outline in a vacuum before dipping my toe into the genre. I can tweak as needed after that. 

This is the first story idea I've ever had that feels "grown up," if that makes any sense. I know I already said this, but I'm incredibly excited. I think this book could be amazing, if I can pull it off, which I'll admit up front won't be easy. One major pitfall I could find myself in would be writing an unsympathetic protagonist. Did you ever see the movie Message in a Bottle? I thought Robin Wright's character was creepy and inappropriate to the max, and I'm really hoping my character doesn't read that way. 

 Quick update on my upcoming release: Den of Thorns is FINISHED. I ordered my cover which should be delivered some time in July. I expect to publish in August, possibly September.  

I hope your writing project is going well. Summer is often a very productive writing season for me. Here's hoping it's the same for you. I'd love to know what you're writing, so please please please leave a comment on this blog post.

 

Your reanimated genre writer,

BCM 

I Finished My Major Revisions!

 Greetings, writer friends!

 As the title suggests, I recently delved into a massive revision and restructuring project on my book (Project: Astral). I honestly thought it would take most of May, but I finished by 10am Saturday morning. Then promptly celebrated with an ice cream and a new book, of course.

Now, bear in mind, although this took less than a month to complete, I was pulling 12-15 hour days on weekends, and working all evening after work on work days. Every day. And, before you scold me about toxic productivity, you should know I absolutely thrive on this sort of project. I literally can't walk away from it until it's done. And my mood is so high during this process, even when I struggle with the work itself. 

I ordered my proof copy from Amazon KDP yesterday. I'm really excited about the cover I made for this book. I think it looks professional and genre-relevant. Of course, I can't promise it won't change again prior to publication, which is why I won't be sharing it until the book is published. 

The purpose of ordering the proof copy is to do what I hope will be a final line-level edit, as well as to make sure the cover is properly aligned. But, oh, I'm excited about this book. 

I'm going to be trying a new marketing tactic as well (ugh, back to TikTok). This method is typically used for contemporary romance books but I'm hoping it also works on dark fantasy with a romantic side-plot. Cross your fingers for me please!

I hope your writing project is going well and that you're able to stay motivated. 

I'm thinking about adding writing craft entries to this blog, so keep an eye out for that. 

 Your jubilant genre writer,

BCM

Next Book Update + Future Writing Plans

 Writers, it's been too long. How are you all? Let me know in the comments.

So, where have I been? The sad truth is, I got sidetracked by a new hobby: oil painting. My personality is what can best be described as obsessive, and when I get interested in something, I go all in. But in all that time I was ignoring my writing and focused on painting, a fear niggled at the back of my mind: what if I never go back to writing? 

I always believed writing would be a life-long endeavor. It was 90% of my identity. I sacrificed for it, nurtured it. Could it really be over, just like that?

I'm not sure what exactly prompted me to click on a writing youtube video a couple weeks ago, but it was the magic I needed to remind me how important writing is to me. 

I pulled out my unfinished manuscript, applied critique partner feedback, and dived into a massive restructuring effort. All this was completed in just over two weeks, along with a ton of research into using KDP to self-publish, marketing strategies, and formatting manuscripts properly. It has been a whirlwind and I have been slamming out 12+-hour consecutive days for over two weeks now. 

Am I tired? Yes! Don't be like me. Obsessive, remember?

Still, I'm very proud of what I've accomplished, and I've finally managed to fix a few glaring issues with this book that have been nagging at me since its early inception in 2018/2019. 

I'm shooting for publication by the end of May (that doesn't seem like very long, but when I consider how fast I ripped through my revisions, I think it's certainly doable, even without the 12-hour days. 

What comes after that? I'm not entirely sure. 

The original plan was to turn this book into a long, serialized series. I honestly have no other stories burning to be told except ones involving this new, beautiful cast of characters. I am in love with these imaginary people.  

Then there's option B: start writing to market. No, I don't consider it selling out, since I read these books and enjoy them. (Lowly genre writer, remember? That goes for reading, too). It would simply be a shift away from my original plan. 

The fact is, I'm tired of working on a book and giving it all I've got, only to find I've missed the boat on that genre/trope's popularity spike. YA dystopian romance? That's so 2010. A fantasy inspired by Peaky Blinders? Old news.

So the wise strategy seems to be choosing a more evergreen genre. 

Turns out, when I don't have any major life events monopolizing my time, I'm actually a pretty fast writer. If I pushed, I could probably get out 2-3 books a year (I won't sacrifice quality for quantity, have no fear). How amazing would it be to actually make enough money from a book to afford a real editor for the next? A professional book cover?

Well, enough of my rambling. 

The new book will be out late spring/early summer 2025. It is an adult dark fantasy with a murder mystery and an excruciatingly slow-burn romantic side plot. Think Tommy Shelby meets Alex Stern. 

If you've made it this far in the blog, leave me a comment! I can see a handful of people are reading my posts and it would mean everything to hear from you. 

I wish you all the best in your own writing endeavors!

 

Your revitalized genre fiction writer,

BCM

Many, Many Updates

So much has happened since I last blogged!

1. Foundling and its sequel, Blackbird, are both self-published in ebook and paperback formats. Both are available online at most book retailers. After more than two decades working intermittently on this project, it's surreal to be able to call it done. Of course, there's always that spark of an idea for a third book... ;)

2. I resurrected a previously unfinished manuscript and completed the first draft. And the second. And the third and fourth.

3. I've got a critique partner now! He's a gem and he's helping me so much. I can't believe I didn't do this sooner. If you haven't heard of websites like critiquematch.com and critiquecircle.com, you must check them out. (I personally prefer critiquematch.)

4. I've sold a whopping ten books! This might not seem like much, but I honestly never expected to sell more than maybe five copies, so I'm not complaining. If you're interested, search my name Bonny C. Moore on any major online book retailers including Amazon and Barnes & Noble. (Wink, wink.)

That's all the updating I have time for just now. Keep writing, friends! I'm rooting for you. 

 

Your officially self-published genre fiction writer,

BCM

Quarter 3 Writing Goals + NaNoWriMo 2023

 Happy July 1st! Ya girl has a four-day weekend, so let's talk about goals for the month and beyond.

First, a quick update. My proof copy of Foundling (book 1 in the series) arrived this week, and that meant it was time to bust out all those pretty pastel highlighters I've been dying to use. I can't lie; it was difficult to mark up a book, but the pretty colors helped some.

I'm starting off with basic line edits and then keeping a list of other changes/continuity issues I need to address. I've already completed five chapters plus the prologue. I'm a little scared because I'm really enjoying the book! I feel like I might be biased toward it because it's mine. Anybody else read back your own work and think, yeah, I'd pay for this?

So, for my first goal: Finish this editing round on Foundling in the month of July. 

For the first time since learning about NaNoWriMo many moons ago, the stars have aligned, and I have a project to work on for the month. In the past, I've either not been writing at all, or was just not at a good place in my current project to set that kind of goal when the competition came around. So, yay for that! 

Looking beyond July, I suppose it's time I began considering soliciting beta readers. Here's the thing about that. For those who don't already know, I've been working on some iteration of this story for over twenty years. Yes, really. Each time I finished drafting it--or, more than likely, before I finished--I would come up with some massive changes and basically start from scratch, saving only a handful of scenes to reuse. 

I turned 37 last November, and for the first time ever, I felt my inner clock start ticking. I realized I couldn't keep dinking around with these books if I ever hoped to finish them, much less give myself permission to work on any other books without inevitably being pulled back to Foundling. So this year, I named the book, re-outlined it, played with the outline for a month or so until I was happy with it, then hammered it out. 

In short, I've lived, and fallen in and out of love, with this story for more than half my life. A large part of me does not want to make any further changes to it. And that might mean I don't solicit any feedback on the book. I'm very seriously considering just publishing it without any beta readers. If I do hire betas, it will only be to identify areas of the story that don't flow well, make sense, or maintain continuity. I may yet do that. But I gotta tell you folks, I think it would destroy me if I had to do any further developmental edits in either Foundling or its sequel, Blackbird. I just need them to be done. Can anyone relate?

I know you're probably saying, that's all beta readers do anyway. Yes, true. But... I'm on the fence. 

Second goal: *Consider* beta readers.

I'm even more on the fence about hiring a professional proofreader. It will cost somewhere in the ballpark of $1,000.00 USD to get this done, and I'm not sure I'm prepared to spend that kind of money. On the other hand, I have a feeling I may regret not doing it. 

So, first things first. I'm no slouch when it comes to grammar, sentence structure, punctuation, etc. I've ordered myself the condensed Chicago Manual of Style. And the internet is full of tools to help with this sort of thing. I think I might go solo on this series and save myself the money. Not because I expect to make any money on the Foundling series. Honestly, I'd be flattered if I sold ten copies in my lifetime. But because, once again, I've poured my blood, sweat, and twenty years into this series, and I'm not sure I feel like forking over a grand to have a stranger spend a couple weeks on it. That could just as easily be an argument for having it done, I realize. So, once again, I'm still considering on this. 

Camp NaNoWriMo Goal: Complete first pass of edits on Foundling.

Remaining Q3 Goals: 

• Begin edits on Blackbird
• Hire beta readers (maybe)
• Hire a proofreader (maybe)

That's all for now. Baby needs a fresh cup of coffee. 

I hope you all have an amazing Camp this month. I'd love to hear about your progress, your struggles, or anything else you'd like to share. Take care, and keep writing!

Your milquetoast genre fiction writer,

BCM

No Writing Community

 Welcome!

Just a quick chat today on writing alone. That is, having few to no supporters of your writing endeavors. 

Let's get down to it. It hurts to know nobody cares about the world and the people you've brought to life. The countless hours that span months, years, or even decades, of work you've poured into your writing. Especially when those bodies belong to your closest friends and family members. The people who should be your loudest cheerleaders. 

To gush about a major breakthrough in your plot, or the tremendous progress I've made, only to be met with a distracted, "cool," is almost enough to make me throw in the towel sometimes.

That's why, as of this week, I've decided I'm just not going to seek validation, approval, or even a hint of support from people who obviously think what I'm doing is a waste of time. If they want an update, they'll ask. I'm still waiting. But I'm not holding my breath. See the difference?

Then comes the challenge of book dedications. I'm at the stage where I've had to start thinking about this. The first book's dedication was a no brainer. Gabe, my partner of 18+ years, has been nothing but supportive. He's helped me countless times to work through a story problem, rename a character, brainstorm, you name it. The first book is for him. The rest? 

Parents might seem the obvious choice. Therein lies the problem. My mother has been an avid supporter of all my creative endeavors. Dad, not so much. If there's no money to be made in it, he's not terribly interested. Once in a while he surprises me, but most of the time I get little more than a grunt. It's clear to me he thinks I should be focusing my time and energy elsewhere. 

But I'm not a child anymore. I'm approaching forty, and it's time to let that mess go. Hence, I have decided not update him, or anyone else who doesn't expressly ask, on any but my most profound book progress, despite the fact we talk multiple times every day. And, hence, I started this blog as an outlet to share my thoughts on my writing, track my progress, etc. Maybe nobody will ever read it, but it gives me the impression of having an audience, and that seems to satisfy. 

My point in all this rambling is simply that you may have to do this alone. If you do, just know you're not alone in that. I don't want you to quit just because your cheering section is silent. Write this book for you, and for that maybe one person out there whose life it's going to touch. They're out there. I know I'm far from the first person to give this advice, but I'm definitely one of the oldest, so you should take it! With age comes wisdom, and all that. 

So, know I'm rooting for you, even if you can't hear me, and know that what you're doing is not a waste of time, no matter how many people may try to convince you otherwise. 

All my best.

Your salty genre fiction writer,

BCM

What's Next?

You may or not be aware that the Foundling series started as a freestyle roleplaying game in an AOL chatroom back in the day. Foundling, in its current iteration, resembles the original story... well, not at all. For better or worse. (I think better.)

Here's the thing. The story is done. It has an ending. And yet... am I done? 

For several years now, I've been toying with the idea of turning this duology into a trilogy. Scenes have come to me. They expand the story, and explain what happens next. Is it necessary? Probably not. Do I desperately want to write this third book? Yes. Emory and Noor have so much more to say. So many consequences to deal with, wounds to heal, fences to mend. 

I should be drafting Project: Arcadia right now. I want to write a fantasy novel. I'm excited about this project. The book cover is done, and I love it. (I make DIY covers in Canva for inspiration.) And yet, my heart is pulling me back to Noor and Emory, begging me to expand their story and address the natural ramifications of the events in the duology. 

I'm thinking it might be a companion novella, rather than the third book of a trilogy. Hell, I'm thinking of writing a canon fan fiction! 

We'll see. I'm not opposed to working on more than one project at a time. As long as I'm writing consistently, I'm winning. 

Question of the Day (even if this post is over a year old by the time you read it): Do you make DIY book covers for your works in progress? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading!

Your Basic B. genre fiction writer,

BCM