Writing is hard. It’s gut-wrenching and maddening, but it keeps me sane. The blank page is the altar on which I craft my magick.

But there is another part to writing that can’t be fully expressed until you experience it. I call it the “three-ring circus”. Right now, I’m center ring under the big top. Let me explain:

There will come a point when everything is about to happen; you stand on the threshold of a wider world. Soon you will transition from being a writer to being an author. It’s thrilling and terrifying all at once. But that’s only the opening act, and the three rings await. A good circus is never just one act; it’s a parade of feats, sometimes encompassing all three rings, and that’s where the “fun” begins.

In my case, I have a debut novel – The Tree House – going through a final pass before publication; I also just wrapped the first draft of my second book and that will soon move to editing. But I’m a writer, and it doesn’t end there. I also have a third book in the works and I’m hip-deep in foundational world-building: history, politics, religion, calendar, cities, maps, and to top it off – my own constructed language.

Here’s where the circus come into its own. All three books are vitally important to me, and all of them require my attention to reach their full potential. For those of you who understand self-publishing, know that launching your writing career isn’t as simple as sending your manuscript to Amazon KDP or Ingram Spark. There’s a full program of events, side shows, and entertainments to complete along the way: a publishing company, copyrights, ISBNs, blurbs, a website, keywords, SEO, cover design, layout, social media, marketing, and the list goes on and on.

Standing in the center ring, I’m the one tasked with the juggling act, keeping all of the flaming torches in the air without getting burned. Have you ever tried juggling before? You can’t focus on any one object or it all falls apart. Being a writer means you craft your stories; being an author means you struggle to keep everything aloft and spinning while also writing. It’s hard.

The core creation of world-building is so much fun, making all of the pieces fit together for your characters to inhabit. But the other books won’t edit themselves. The task of digging through the ugly mess of a first draft can hold all the allure of scooping piles of elephant poo. And you still have to put the finishing touches on your debut work before it goes out into the world.

So what do you choose? Where do you focus? How many flaming torches are there? Welcome to the three-ring circus.

Everyone gather under the big top, the show is about to begin!

(Circus tent featured image copyright Kenmark, Inc.)