A New Beginning…

Just dropping in on this cold, snowy evening to confirm that book number nine is at last underway.  There’s been a lot going on at home at the moment which has to some extent delayed its start.  The biggest thing is my OH redecorating our bedroom which is right next door to the office where I write.  Usually he’s in the garage under the bonnet of his beloved MGB but the beginning of the New Year saw a plan to completely overhaul our room, redecorating and replacing furniture. In this case it’s short term inconvenience in exchange for a great new look.  The radio is on and he sings…badly.  As a consequence I’ve completely rescheduled my writing life.  During the time he’s got his decorating hat on, I sort out my social media, read, write reviews or take myself off to the kitchen to cook. Then in the evening when everything is quiet once more, I’m up here when hopefully the muse will be with me and the words will flow.

New books are always difficult.  By the time a novel is finished, characters are old friends.  Embarking on another project is like walking into a room full of strangers and not all of them are smiling at you.  As I think I mentioned before I’m setting the new book on the south coast of Cornwall.  Not saying too much at this stage but I’ve settled into the location quite well, now it’s all about getting my head around the characters.  I did have them sorted out, names, jobs, relationships, bios completed but as I began to write I could see there were some who weren’t going to be needed after all.  That’s the trouble with my writing, I have an idea and I begin.  I know the ending but everything else is, in parts, a bit of a journey of discovery. Names are changed and sometimes I even find myself modifying the role a certain character has in the story or even, as above, cutting them out altogether. There are probably writers who are holding up their hands in horror at the fact my planning is fairly loose, but hey! it works for me and I feel comfortable with it.

I soon began to realise that my starting point, those first few paragraphs which are so crucial when someone picks up a book and begins to read, weren’t working.  As is always the case, one of the best times of day for any positive creativity comes first thing each morning when I wake.  I think it’s all about the mind being clear then. Once you’re out of bed it’s all about what’s happening on that particular day and the things you need to do.  In those first quiet moments of each morning, writing is all I think about and for me it’s when the most inspirational stuff hits.  So now I’m 4,000 words in; a few steps forward in a new and exciting writing journey.  Wish me luck!