So now that I've given the background on Marcus, it's time to get into the current pressing questions.
Since scrapping the series and starting fresh, I've been much happier with it and much more excited about where it's going. I have been able to flesh out my real world experiences in the context of the series - taking what I know and making it an aspect of Marcus while also keeping my experiences mine and keeping the series from being too autobiographical; the last thing I want is for Marcus Wainright, my main character, to become me in disguise.
To start, I decided that I did not even want to get into outlining events in the series until I had finally figured out what the world of Marcus is and had come to understand the basic mechanics of simple things like powers, magic, enemies, allies, characters, cliches to avoid and so on and so forth. I know where in the main characters' lives the series begins, how long a time span it will stretch, where in the main characters' lives the series ends, and the kind of note on which the plot ends. However, I've known these details for two years and will keep them in the back of my mind for when they become relevant.
I purchased the notebooks pictured above, the label maker, the colored sticky tabs that will probably be pictured in a future post, and flowy pens that feel pleasant to use. It's a delight.
Thus began the planning process. Since then, I've filled half of Marcus Notebook 1 with details of magic alone, and I'm not done planning magic out. I knew I would need the three notebooks, but I realize now that I may need more than those three. I have researched things like cliches in fantasy (discussed in an earlier post), how other fantasy authors have approached magic, what kind of monsters exist in fantasy and folklore, and ancient tales from cultures around the world. The Marcus world is more fleshed out than it has ever been before; I'm nowhere near done. These three notebooks may become devoted to world building alone.
This new-found way of doing things has influenced all of my writing. I am in the process of planning another standalone project, a novella entitled The Bike Thief, that is about a naive man who lives in Astoria. As I stated before, I have visited Astoria numerous times and I love the place. However what I have is a tourist's understanding of the neighborhood, and I am in the process of researching every aspect of it, from common hotspots, to the Euromarket, to cemeteries and offices that might be there. I even plan to interview my sister on what life is like there (Julie, ye be warned). I have another notebook that is devoted to planning out that and taking notes on Astoria.
It will help Marcus further, given a large chunk of the series takes place in the City.
On the surface this seems to me like a grand plan. I can understand the universe that I am building better and better, and what I have to offer my readers is a rich world that interests them (and hopefully you) and well establishes an immersive story. I will even know things that readers will never know, because it will never actually be discussed in the series!
Nagging worries have arisen too. Will I spend so much time building the world that I never get to planning, let alone writing, the series? Am I going too far with this note taking, or am I just doing what's necessary to get this world established? Am I doing the necessary footwork, or am I finding excuses to avoid actually writing this series, or does this count as actually writing the series? Am I finding a healthy outlet for a before now "health devoted" OCD, or am I enabling unhealthy anal-retentiveness? Not all of these are worries, per se, but I am wondering.
Or am I simply being OCD about how OCD I am with this series?
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