Work in Progress... Thursday?

I know, I know, I said I was going to spend February reading.

I did read Hush, Hush, and Evermore (and the Hunger Games and half of Catching Fire again), and I started a number of other books. I just haven't finished them yet. I even read a good chunk of Percy Jackson 4 yesterday on the streetcar. It's pretty good, just like the others, and the stakes are higher this time around.

The thing is, I just haven't been compelled to devour a book in a while. (Apparently, Suzanne Collins has ruined me for all other books. ;D )

Not to mention that I keep having these ideas, hearing these voices, thinking of plot revisions. First it was for my urban fantasy, which I just finished a third draft of.

Now it's EVANGELINE. Based on some recent feedback I was mulling over, last night I finally came up with a way to bring some of the elements into play earlier. It's going to be LEGEND... wait for it... DARY! LOL.

Most importantly, my passion for a story I was about to give up on has been rekindled. Which is a good thing, right? Eh, I don't really know anymore!


After I finished grad school, during which period I barely read for pleasure at all unless a new Harry Potter just came out, I promised myself all I'd do was read books. I went through a period where I rabidly caught up with series I loved or books I'd heard great things about. Then one day I had an idea. And I started writing. That idea didn't wind up going anywhere--not yet, anyway--but it got me back on the path. That's how I know I'm a writer. Though books were my first love, writing is my true love.

Sure, keeping yourself well-read is important, but if the muse strikes, is it more important to listen to her? I mean, this is why I started writing in the first place--yeah, I've read good books, but I've also read a lot that frustrated me or let me down in the end. I want my books to be someone's favorites someday. The kind of books that inspired others to become writers. Not that I want a fandom, or anything (although reading fan-fic would be kind of awesome). I just want to bring great stories to life and have others enjoy them. So I'm juggling three works in progress right now, hoping that one of them will be the first I share with the world.

Which is why my tbr pile comprises an entire shelf in a huge bookcase. Those stories aren't my "babies". I'll neglect them as long as I need to in order to care for my own. And when my babies start giving me headaches again, or I'm at a point where I can't work on any of them yet, my tbr pile won't have gone anywhere.

I made a promise to myself to read more books this year, but getting my novels ready to query has always been my first priority. And frankly, I find working on three works in progress to be less draining than investing hours in a book I wind up wanting to throw across the room.

What say you, world?