Who's going to read this?

I got back the edits to "Fateplay" from Lara Milton, my personal editor. She does a very thorough job. I've been lucky from the start that she's willing to do my books.

Normally, I'd just accept her edits, then add whatever changes I've made, but this time I've made so many changes that I'll have to add her edits one by one to my version. Which is going to be a long process--probably take at least one full day, maybe two.

When I'm done with that, I'm pretty much done. There was a bit more editing I'd hoped Lara could do, but she's out of town for a few weeks, so I'll just have to do the best I can on my own.

I'm pretty good, actually. I don't make all that many mistakes, but then...typos are almost impossible to avoid.

So...I'll have another book done.

I feel like I'm slowing down, and then I realize that I've written a couple of books that are only now finished and ready to go, and the "slow down" is obviously relative.

I'm 15K words into "New Brave World," but I'm purposely not pushing it.

Frankly, I think I've worn out my faithful readers who are simply not responding to my new stuff. I hope the publishers will stick with me. They are supporting me by doing covers and editing, and I'm hoping my sales are enough to reward them.

I've made writing central to my life and I don't think that is going to change. There isn't really all that much I want to change--the constant tinkering with process is the big thing.

And, though I always go off in whatever direction appeals to me at the time, maybe I should be doing a little more thinking in advance.

I've never been strategic in my writing choices--it's always been "write what I want to write when I want to write it." Hard to argue with that.

Though sometimes I finish a book and realize it is probably so quirky that "who's going to read this?"

I don't think anyone can out think the market. You just have to hope that whatever you write is appealing.