Serial Story: What's next? (also) VLOG (questions needed)!!!

Before you get too excited, I'm starting with the first half of the title...After last Friday and I finished my serial story, I realised something. I was stuck.

I had no clue what I was going to be doing next.

And now, after much thought, I am excited to tell you... *drum roll*

I'm still stuck.

Ahem. Yes. Or maybe I'm not so excited to tell you that.

I've massively enjoyed writing these serial stories, and they've been great practice. But SS+S finished almost unexpectedly and I was suddenly swamped with 'what is next???'

So naturally, I grabbed out my notebooks and pinterest and looked around for the handiest story idea.

Problem being that there were none that would quite work out.

Either a) they were going to be too -ahem- descriptive (we'll just put it like that...cough cough) for my few younger readers. Or b) I liked them too much to release them into the wild, plotless desert of choose-your-own-adventure.

Wherefore I have a problem. No story. There are some options I've thought of so far (because we all know how much I like having 'options').

#1: I could hang around until I get a good idea.

#2: I could undertake to write two serial stories at once.

Number two is a bit daunting to think of really. Writing two serial stories as well as a novel. Big commitment. But the thing is that I want to keep doing these serial stories. And I don't want to make the younger readers have to stop reading because it goes beyond the G(ish)-rated level.

So yes, I don't have any straight answer to all the 'what next' questions, but now you know my thinking.

BUT WAIT! There is another option. I don't know how it will work or anything, and how I'll go about it (so no change, basically). But I have a question for my not-young readers. If you are at all interested, there is a possibility that I could just do one story that would hopefully suit all. Or more, one continuing bunch of shorter stories. I've mentioned Lando Erif before, I'm pretty sure. And I think it's about time he got back on track with another couple of stories.

If you hop over to my writings page you can check out the general synopsis for the stories. Basically: dragons, vegemite sandwiches, jokes, evil fairies, fire-breathing main characters, pizza that totally can knock out a wharfie. Also probably a fair bit of Australian slang that I didn't even know I used. (Definition of a wharfie: a person who works at a wharf. Big, strong. This particular one happens to be Lando's dad and is pretty fun to write the few times he comes into the story.)

Basically what I would do is post on maybe half a short story every week (unless I finally get that idea for a longer Lando story that I've been hoping to get for aggges) and at the end of each story, you guys could give me random ideas for another story. And trust me, this can be very random. For example:

Me: hey guys, I think I'm going to write another Lando story. How should it start?
Dad: *had been reading the back of a chocolate packet* How about...a cocoa bean jumped onto the road?
Beginning of said story now:

   The cocoa bean jumped onto the road.

“Er, do cocoa beans generally do that?” Titus asked with a frown.

   The bean jumped again, bouncing along the black gravel surface.

Thomas straightened his tie. “I dunno,” he said. “But not as far as I’ve heard.”

As I said, THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE RANDOMNESS.

So there we are. Wait for inspiration, double story, or Lando Erif. Tell me your thoughts.



I know, I know. Now we're getting to the part you're probably all screaming for. I mentioned the word 'vlog' in the title. Why? 'Cause I'm doing a special end-of-year one for you guys.

YES. I repeat. Jane Maree is doing a vlog.

*nervous laughter*

Several people have said I should, and I've been thinking about it for a while. And I had a test run so it wouldn't be my first time attempting a video. Trust me. It was hopelessly insane. I started off trying to pronounce 'vlog' without an American accent. It's actually surprisingly hard. I slipped into so many random voices that don't belong to me, that I'm totally not guaranteeing that the actual thing will even tell you what my voice sounds like. It was...an interesting first experience in front of a camera.

I'm planning for a Q+A so what I need is for you to tap out some questions you want to see me answer. Or...try answer...or...fall off the lounge laughing because I can't even think of anything to say. (and at this stage in my brainstorming, you'll probably get to see my sister Clare in front of the camera too, but that's still in planning)

But whatever happens, it's guaranteed to be awkward. And funny. Well, hopefully funny. Definitely awkward, and hopefully funny. No actually, we all know I'm hilarious.

SO. Before I get more distracted and add another thousand words to this monstrously rambling post...jump over and dump all the random questions you've got for me into this google form! Which will hopefully work. Hopefully.



I can't wait to see all the questions you guys come out with!!! This is going to be heaps of fun. Like...just imagining some of the questions I might end up with makes me laugh. I mean...if the examples are anything like the actual things... cough cough. It'll be good fun.

Oh! And I almost forgot to say when this vlog was going to be posted... *thinks up date off the top of my head* If all goes well, it'll be up on the 30 of December!!!

So what do you think of my serial story thoughts? 
(if you haven't already forgotten about what I said in the first half of the post. any suggestions or ideas or just random thoughts would be realllly helpful)
Is there something particular you'd like to see me do in my vlog? 
(yeah, I know, you already probably said that in the form but...anyway)