I started my second novel on 1st January 2019. It’s now finally in a shape that it can go to beta readers, ready for them to tear it apart. I’m at the point with it that it says all the things it needs to in terms of the story being cohesive but I’ve had my head in the thing for 9 months and I need another pair of eyes and some distance.
Will that book go anywhere? Christ only knows. It’ll take a lot more work but I think after some time away and some (possibly, hopefully) positive comments, I’ll get another lease of life and whip it into shape.
I finished that draft on Friday and delivered it to beta readers on Monday. Ever since Friday afternoon, when I openly cheered in a public place having finished the draft, I’ve felt pretty flat. Perhaps it’s a bit of creative exhaustion. I’m not sure. I’ve spent so long inside one book, now I’ve left it, I feel like I don’t know what to do next.
I’ve edited a couple of short stories that I finished at the back end of last year and aim to whip them into shape. I’m not short of ideas, but trying to settle on one has been difficult.
The point of this is post is just to vent. To say that although I don’t have a project on the go right now, one will come along. In the meantime, maybe it’s OK to step away from the keys for a day or two, read a book and recharge. Maybe I should have a browse through my ideas and be selective.
In short, I’ve kept my foot down for 9 months and completed a book of over 95k words in that time. That’s a great achievement, considering I’ve pretty much written it twice in that time. I’m proud of finishing it. Maybe now, I can take a little bit of time to get my head together and choose what I do next.
That said. I can hear Round Here, (the book I wrote last year) calling me home for another sitting. Perhaps that’s where my heart lies? Time to recharge, refocus and refuel by cracking the spine of a few great books. In the meantime, I’ll do hat I can not to beat myself up for a 0 word count day. Wish me luck.