Holding Pattern

I'm working on a new series. And I'm at critical mass. No, I'm not talking about my weight. I'm talking about plotting. You see, I can take the series I'm working on in two different directions. Option One blends certain elements of a stand-alone, single title that is in the queue--an action that would nuke the single title stand alone. Option Two keeps the stories totally separate. I'm conflicted. You see, I really, really like the stand-alone story idea and protagonist, but there are certain features of that book that don't lend themselves to a series format while other elements fit seamlessly within the series concept. So, I'm at a bit of a creative impasse here.

Yesterday in between laundry, errands and political phone calls regarding next week's primaries, I sat down and drafted informal plot lines for both stories. And I still can't make a final decision on whether to merge certain threads of the stand-alone into the series or not. As a result, yesterday was one of those 'two steps forward/three steps back' writing days. It happens.

But now I must make a decision one way or the other and move forward. Any brilliant suggestions on how to make that determination without second-guessing or regret?

On a much more positive note, I did get another request for materials from a third literary agency. Stay tuned.

~Bullet Hole~