Why I Rewrote Spirit of the Bayonet

I’ve been a sci-fi nerd for as long as I can remember. I love it in every format—novels, comic books, movies, whatever. Science fiction is both fun and thought-provoking, and it still makes up about half of my fiction reading.

So, after publishing Spirit Mission, I guess it was inevitable that I’d try writing a sci-fi series. A big, hairy, multi-book, headlong dive into the future. I spent a couple of years hammering away at the first book. It was a blast—like, a lot of fun. But I made every possible mistake. Here are just the biggest ones:

1. Just Start Writing—Unburdened by a Plan

I didn’t think about the architecture of the series or the story arc of the book. I’ve since reflected on why, and I think I know the answer. Spirit Mission was such an important story to me I agonized over every aspect of it. It was a labor of the heart—heavy on the labor. But when I jumped into sci-fi, the stakes felt lower. I just let it rip. And rip. And rip…

2. Throw It All In

Everything I’d ever loved about sci-fi ended up in the book. Powered battle suits, derelict spacecraft, evil corporations, sexy robots—you name it. It also became a place to explore my excitements and misgivings about AI and military ethics. My teenage obsessions and my mediocre philosophy major found their way into the text in a way that lacked restraint.

3. Make It Too Long

The book ended up being almost two books' worth of content. Now, some people like long books—I know I do—but by not exerting discipline over the first book’s structure, I undermined the structure of the entire series.

4. Call It a Trilogy… Because Trilogies Are Cool

Not because the story was actually going to fit neatly into three books, but because I thought trilogies were cool. I am such a jackass.

5. Kill Any Momentum by Taking a Break

Spirit of the Bayonet got a warm reception for an un-marketed, indie-published book. I got messages from readers expressing enthusiasm and asking when Book II was coming. So, like a genius, after Spirit of the Bayonet was published, I immediately dove into writing Duty’s Cost. Creatively, it was the right move—I’m really proud of that book—but it killed whatever small momentum the Spirit of the Bayonet universe had.

So, Why Rewrite It?

When I came back to it and took a hard look at Spirit of the Bayonet, I knew it needed work. Here’s why:

• Story First: That first attempt didn’t accomplish what I wanted. As a writer, I want to construct a multi-book arc that grips the reader all the way to the end. My original version didn’t set that up well.
• Character Evolution: My vision for the characters had evolved, and the long arc of the story had become clearer.
• Because I Can: The joy of being an indie author is having the freedom to be creative however I want (or need) to be.

So, I dove in, ripped it in two, rewrote much of it, and added about 30% more content.

Then I dove into the next book.

Book III is now with the editor, and I’m working with my cover guy on designs. This phase always involves waiting and then surging to the finish, so I’m using the time to start outlining Book IV. I think this series will end up being six or seven books by the time the last page is written—but we’ll see.

My goal is to drop all three books at once in May. I’ll keep you posted and hope to have covers to share soon.

TR