I need to come to a decision and I figured it would be easier to do that by writing a few words about my reasoning. Here’s the thing: I’m writing a novel, it’s been outlined (more or less) for the past three years or so. The story interconnects with other stories, which I intend to write as well (have already started, actually), and the sole reason I started writing the novel in the first place was to get off my ass.

You might say I started in the middle, in medias res, of the larger picture. It seemed a good idea at the time.

Problem is, as a part of my ebook experimenting I quickly revisited one of the other stories, which is 30% done and occurs before the new novel in the timeline. I had thought to finish up said story after I had a first draft of the novel, but now I wonder if that’s such idea, if it makes more sense to wrap up the other story first. Chronologically it makes sense, but it would mean that I’d have to pause the novel for a time, shy of half-way to a first draft.

Both projects are meant to be published by yours truly as ebooks, there is no publisher attached nor will I look for one.

For the reader, I think either order would make sense, the stories are written that way, but it might be hard to sell such a chronology.

For me, I need to decide and I need to do it sooner rather than later. I already paused the work on the novel to make a proper outline for the last few parts of the previous story, which incidentally consists of short stories linked together.

To pause and step away from a project doesn’t sound ideal, but maybe it makes more sense. Either way, I have a hard time resuming either of these stories now thanks to my indecision.

And no, writing this post didn’t help, but there you go.