I’m sort of hesitating about what to do next.
On the one hand, I’ve got some great ideas for my next book, which doesn’t have a title yet, but involves twins and ice cream. Scenes keep appearing in my head, and it’s itching in the back of my brain wanting me to begin.
I sort of mistakenly went to a coffee morning with my friend today, and met a very nice lady, who said, “You must be so disciplined to be a writer!”
“It’s the opposite,” I told her. “If I don’t have a story to think about, I’m sort of lost. I floated around yesterday with nothing to think about and ended up going to bed at 8.30. I need to start writing soon or else I’m most likely going to go bonkers.”
At the same time, I’m wary of beginning it: I’m not exactly sure yet whether I should write it in first person, third person, or multiple first person, so if I make the wrong decision, I’ll have to go back and rewrite. I had that dream last night, you know the one where you have to take an exam and you haven’t studied for it? In the dream I jumped in, writing the answer, and found out about halfway through that I’d written myself into a corner and had no idea how to end it. That’s telling me something. And yet, I usually can’t plan ahead unless I’m in a corner, so jumping in isn’t always a bad thing.
On the other hand, I’m waiting for revisions to Girl from Mars, and those are likely to need a quick turnaround when they turn up, so I’ll have to drop everything to do them. And what’s the point in starting something new when I just have to drop it?
Decisions, decisions. Maybe I should just procrastinate a bit more.
So know how you feel. Although I’m not published, I’ve just finished the rewrites of my last wip and am trying not to start something else for a while (promised myself some time off with new baby) but it’s DAMN hard and I feel very strange!
I know exactly what you mean. Finding the right jumping-off point can be so hard; and without it, you sometimes can’t get started.
When you think about the story, are the characters talking to you in first person, or are you narrating it for them in third? That’s how I decide, or try to anyway. Quite often I’ll think it ought to be one way, but then I find myself narrating it in my head, and it’s completely different.
And yes, I have that school dream too. Shudder.
I say start it. You might start it when the revision come in and when you do those, you might get ideas for the new book. Give it a go.
I’m so there right now. I finished a book a week ago and have ideas for one really big book and…I’m afraid to start it.
And yes I feel out of sorts too! So I can relate.
And the problem with going back and rewritng is…?
I realise this is going to come as a horrible revelation, but it’s what a writer I know does all the time.
Rachael, it’s very strange isn’t it? But time off is good (especially with new baby) and I bet you’ll figure out all kinds of plot points while you’re not writing.
Kate, the main character is talking to me in first person, but usually I need a good structural reason to choose first or third person, and I haven’t really got it yet. But intuition is very valuable, you’re right.
I have the jumping-off point; I have the first line of the book and the first few chapters sorted in my head. It’s just…I’m not quite ready to start. Not today.
Julie, you’re probably right that doing revisions will give me ideas for the next book too. So, then, should I start because I might get some insights in a few days…? Oh, it’s all excuses, isn’t it?
Karen, yes I think it’s fear. You are all right! I know you’ll get over yours and launch into the big, scary book.
Jan, I know people rewrite all the time but I had such a nightmare with the last book, having to scrap and agonise over so much of it, that I’d like to start from a position of a little bit more certainty this time. But yes you’re right…it’s fine to write crap because you can fix it. It’s fine to write crap because you can fix it.
It’s fine to write crap because you can fix it.
There.
Bless you. I have been going bonkers last couple of weeks, editing latest effort and agonising over next, which way should it go? AGH. Lovely to hear I am not alone. Don’t get the exam dream though, mine involve a bus which goes the wrong way!
Well if you start, you will have your answer.
And it is fine to write crap but I live in hope of writing sparkling prose…and therein lies the problem sometimes.
But I do think if you are starting to get scenes, you need to write them down/sketch them out. My trouble is that having done yet another round of revisions, I now need to focus on the single title again, and I have a great idea for another book…
My answer?
Go and do some research.
(Which is another way of saying, go and eat ice cream…)