S. W. Raine

I don’t change my long-term plans very often. When I do, it’s usually because I’ve learned something that makes me stop and say, “Well… that changes everything.”

That’s exactly what happened over the past couple of months.

It actually started in a Facebook group for authors. Another author asked a question that sounded remarkably similar to my own situation, and someone I respect gave an answer I’d seen him give before but had never really paid attention to. For some reason, though, this time it stuck with me. I started turning it over in my head, wondering if I’d been looking at my own books the wrong way.

Then, a couple of weeks later, I attended Inkers Con, an online conference for indie authors. During one of the courses, another successful author shared almost the exact same advice.

There’s a saying in the writing world when it comes to alpha and beta reader feedback: if one person points out a problem, you can take it or leave it. If multiple people point out the same problem, it’s definitely something that needs fixing.

Sometimes life has a funny way of repeating the lessons you need to learn. I heard this one twice within a matter of weeks. And that was more than enough to make me realize it was time to make a change.

The Assumption I Didn’t Know I Was Making

When I first started publishing, my plan seemed simple: I’d alternate between steampunk and contemporary fantasy. One book in this genre here. One book in that genre there. That way I’d get to spend time in both worlds, and my readers would come along for the ride.

After all, that’s exactly how I read. If I discover an author I love, I’ll happily buy whatever they write next, even if it’s a completely different genre.

I assumed most readers were like me.

The lesson I kept hearing was that many readers aren’t.

Readers don’t just instantly fall in love with an author—they fall in love with a book first. And if they love that book, they usually want more of the same world, the same characters, or the same kind of adventure before moving on to something completely different.

Only later do many of them start asking, “I wonder what else this author has written?”

The more I thought about it, the more everything clicked into place.

A Change of Course

I realized I’d been asking my readers to wait years before returning to the worlds they loved. And once I understood that, my next decision became surprisingly clear: for the foreseeable future, I’ll be focusing on my steampunk series.

That doesn’t mean the Elementals trilogy is being abandoned. Far from it.

I already know how the trilogy ends, and I fully intend to finish telling that story. Right now, though, I’m letting it rest while I spend time building out the world so many readers first fell in love with. Instead of bouncing between genres, I’m going to spend time expanding my steampunk series and the Techno Mage universe.

What’s Next?

If you’ve been waiting for more adventures in the Techno Mage universe, I have good news.

Keenan’s story is continuing in book 2 of the Adventures of Captain Keenan series. I’m also planning interactive short story adventures set in the same world between novel releases. Beyond that, I have ideas for stories centered on the rogues, the military, and other corners of this universe that have been living in my imagination for years.

The more I think about it, the more excited I get.

Looking back, I think those two conversations gave me exactly the nudge I needed. Sometimes changing your mind isn’t admitting you were wrong. It’s recognizing you’ve learned something new.

And sometimes, one small change in direction opens the door to a whole new adventure.

I can’t wait to see where this next adventure takes us.

What’s a fictional world you’ve never gotten tired of visiting? I’d love to hear which one keeps calling you back.

Raine