Russell Kirkpatrick's Journal
Posted At : 4:55 PM
| Posted By : Russell
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Russells' Daily Grind
Mood: Exhausted
Now reading: Absolutely nuffin.
Spent time today looking over the last five years and planning the next. It's been an interesting exercise.
Five years ago I was a newly-published non-fiction author and still had ambitions of creating a bright, shiny academic career. I was only forty and had plenty of energy.
Now I have three separate careers. My non-fiction atlas production has turned into a business employing myself and two others. I continue half-time at University. And I'm writing fantasy novels.
So where to? The problem is I don't have time - or energy - to give to all three.
I have plans for four more atlases in the next five years, including a complete rebuild of my New Zealand atlas, one of Australia and a World atlas. Two of those will be done 'on spec' - i.e. not commissioned by a publisher. But I expect to sell them.
I'm a third through a fantasy trilogy. Plans are well advanced for a standalone sci-fi novel, which i imagine I'll have difficulty placing with a publisher. I don't care; I'm writing it because I damn well want to. I'd also like to write fantasy in a completely new world, on a scale and with characters not seen in the genre. And - why not? - I dearly want to do a space opera.
Five years is probably optimistic.
Now, where does that leave University? My plans are so wide-ranging I find it hard to concentrate on the academic journals.
Here's the equation bothering me. Readership for fantasy novels: 60,000. Readership for atlases: 300,000. Readership for academic articles: 100 if you're lucky.
Russell has a decision to make. I will struggle with it for a few more months and then make it. You'll hear about it first.
You CANNOT stop writing fantasy!
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/2/06 7:43 PM
Only 60,000? Come on, where's your optimism?
You've only written one trilogy (soon to be 2), you can't quit now.
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/3/06 9:12 AM
I doubt I will stop writing. To put it plainly, it would make most sense to leave University. But my current trilogy will definitely be the last in the Falthan world.
Posted By russell / Posted At 7/3/06 9:19 AM
How come? You did all that work on the Falthan world!
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/3/06 10:00 AM
Yes, but it was a world I made 20 years ago, when I didn't know as much as I do now. I really want to try to make something that reflects the way I'm thinking now.
Posted By russell / Posted At 7/3/06 10:16 AM
It sad....but i guess that's fair enough.....will you make another epic world like faltha or just a quick map with the important this and focus on the story?
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/3/06 11:18 AM
It'll be much bigger and more detailed than Faltha. Much.
Posted By russell / Posted At 7/3/06 1:03 PM
So is it going to take another few years to create this new world? And does that mean we'll have to wait ages for the next trilogy (after the Husk). And have you already got ideas for this new world? Have you started any part of it?
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/3/06 2:44 PM
So many questions! I'll begin mapping and writing at the same time, so readers won't have to wait for years.
Posted By russell / Posted At 7/4/06 7:20 AM
Yeah.....sorry, i'm just curious
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/4/06 8:33 AM
You are too organised for words! I should take a leaf out of your book ...
Space opera rocks. Go for it!
what's space opera?
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/4/06 6:06 PM
There's a good definition on Wikipedia.
Posted By russell / Posted At 7/4/06 6:29 PM
It's not fair - why can't we do it all!! or things we only want to!!! Though as decisions go it's not a bad place to be in!
Posted By kylie seluka / Posted At 7/4/06 7:51 PM
Isn't everything sfx writers create space opera to some degree?
Posted By Fuzzy Goblin / Posted At 7/4/06 8:57 PM
With your atlases (especially the World Atlas) you plan to make, will there be topographic maps like the ones you have of Faltha?
Posted By Aaron / Posted At 7/8/06 3:49 PM
So the new map is going to be bigger? Ten metres by ten metres?
I hope you don't have to drop the uni side. It's isn't the 100 readers of a cademic articles in question, it's the students. You are an outstanding teacher and a lot of people would lose out. Maybe not 300,000, but good teaching is rare and special and important.
Posted By
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