I'm in a lull after having finally finished The Longshores Rising; I want to write the second book (which is already like 30% done) but need something to kick-start me back into gear. I got a bit burned out from life/writing/epublishing/getting a cover/promoting ... So I have a few projects I want to work on to help me get that done. I'm curious as to what other authors might feel would be the most effective, most interesting, or just gut feeling best choice would be.
Options:
1) I have a short story, about 15000 words that I wrote a while back called The ordinary man. I could clean it up and try to expand it to actual book length or just polish it up and release it for free to drum up interest in TLR.
2) A video game instruction manual, about 80% complete. I've been rewriting it for friends since like 1998; it's basically a 'how to' for first person shooters. I actually had a little stint where I got very good, ranked, almost went pro, etc. So I've got a good foundation in that but couldn't put the time into it to make anything of it. I could, however, finish a book on it
3) A martial arts instruction manual. Specifically, Filipino stick and knife/machete (aka Arnis/escrima). I am/was an instructor in the Kombatan school under Ernesto Presas and have been doing martial arts since I was 12 (over 18 years). I have a pretty nearly complete book that is in need of rework + some pictures.
4) Write a crime/suspense/drama book I've been cooking up in my head for several years now. I've got a suitably good plot twist ready as well as a different method of portraying it to provide a little extra 'oomph' to the interest level for the reader.
5) Just get to work on the second book already and stop making excuses/him-hawing. Approximately 50-70% of the readers who have read it have asked me when the second one is coming out, so it's encouraging though difficult considering the amount of prep that has to go into the project.
What do you think?