Yes, I’m now on to my next book – another psychodrama/historical novel, and am about a quarter of the way through the first draft. It’s very different this time round – I’m giving myself more time, waiting less for inspiration. That was absorbed by working up the shape and outline of the novel. This is more of a slow plod - a marathon, not a race. Besides, I’m more relaxed this time round, I expect because I know I can do it – less to prove, more room to breathe the book into life and delve into the characters. More room to think about making every word count.
I expect, too, that I’m now a whole lot more aware about the ‘craft’ of writing. Whether this is a help or hindrance I’m not sure, but it’s true that practise makes a big difference - showing, not telling, making decisions about tenses and constructs, about interior and external dialogue, about what to leave out or in, decisions which seem to come more naturally. I’ll leave the graft, like the trickier research, for later, when the first draft is completed, when the words are on paper.
And then I’ll call on support and opinion, and engage with writing groups and other fellow writers. I’ll go by the rules and this time round aim for agent-ready copy. If it was about cookery, I guess I'd have to say oven-ready.....
And when I come up against the occasional block I'll turn to the other book I have on the go – a fun companion work just for myself. Who knows – it might turn out to be The One. In the meantime I find the one feeds off the other – good to know.
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