Showing posts with label finishing a book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finishing a book. Show all posts

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Mixed Emotions

A few weeks ago, I made an announcement on Facebook: “I’m doing the dance of joy today because I finished my fifth Malone mystery, Marnie Malone.” Several readers and other authors left comments congratulating me, which I very much appreciated. But, a comment by author Evelyn Cullet got me thinking about what it feels like to finish a book. And I decided that depends on a lot of things.

Evelyn mentioned that she always feels “lost” when she’s finished writing one book and hasn’t yet started another. I completely understand what she meant because I’ve felt that way in the past and, to a lesser degree, I’m feeling that way now. After all, almost every day for many, many months, I’ve sat at my computer blocking out my “real” world and entering a world of my own creation. I’ve gotten to know and love my characters. After five books, they’ve become almost “real” to me. Like family. So I think it’s only natural that I would miss them when I finish a book.

However, my reply to Evelyn’s comment went something like this: “Actually, I feel as if a weight has been lifted. Like I can breathe again.” I wrote that because that’s exactly how I felt that day. Relief that I’d finally finished a book I started plotting well before the fourth Malone mystery, Mistaken Identity, was published in June of last year. Marnie Malone is a book I’ve been excited about and had been looking forward to writing for a long time. But several things got in the way.

I had written the first few chapters when my mother sold her house and, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus on the book with everything going on, I lost three months of writing time moving my mother and myself from her house into our own apartments. Packing, unpacking, rearranging. You know the drill. Finally, I was able to get back to my book and I had a few good months of writing before Mom fell and broke her right wrist. For about two months, I had to do almost everything for her. I still managed to write but my writing time was very limited.

I want to mention that I’m not complaining. Really. I’m very grateful to have my mother and I’d do just about anything in the world for her. But, like all writers, life sometimes gets in the way of writing. It took me such a long time to finish plotting, writing and editing Marnie Malone, which is why I was filled with relief as I typed “The End.”

A few days ago, after a final read through and more editing, I finally sent the manuscript to my publisher and, once again, I'm breathing a huge sigh of relief. Although there's a long way to go before I actually hold Marnie Malone in my hands, I'm enjoying a brief break before I start on my next writing adventure.

If you're a writer, how do you feel when you finish a book?   

Sunday, July 10, 2016

A Writer's Retreat



We writers live inside our own heads a good portion of the time. That’s how we create the stories we write and the characters who live those stories. To a non-writer, we may appear to be “present” but often we’re off in another world.

I’m a morning writer. That’s when my mind is fresh, free from all the thoughts and tasks the day will undoubtedly bring. When I’m in the midst of working on a book, especially when I’m close to finishing one as I am now, all I want to do every morning is focus on that.

Throughout the morning, I take an occasional break. In good weather, I enjoy sitting on my front porch with a cup of coffee, leaning back and letting the creative side of my brain do its thing. I’m basically living inside my head and I’m pretty much oblivious to what’s going on around me. I know cars are driving by and life is going on but I don’t really “see” any of it. I always take a legal pad and pen outside with me because I find that I come up with some of my best ideas at those times.
Unless someone interrupts me and brings me crashing back into the real world.

I’m fortunate to have some really nice neighbors and they all know I’m a writer. I enjoy talking with them from time to time but, sometimes (not every day), one of them stops by when I’m taking one of my morning “breaks.”
When that happens, I smile but what I’m thinking is please go away! I don’t want to be rude or to hurt their feelings so I listen to what they have to say, nod my head and make a brief comment or two. But I end the conversation as quickly as possible, explaining that I have to get back to my writing. It’s frustrating because it takes me awhile to get back into the world of my characters.

Those are the times I daydream of having a writer’s retreat, a place I could go to get away from everyone and everything until I finish my book.

The other day, I was thinking along those lines and two of my favorite movies came to mind. Most of you have probably seen Seems Like Old Times and Misery. Although one is a comedy and the other is far from it, the main character in both movies is a writer. A writer who takes refuge in a secluded mountain cabin/lodge to finish his novel.
Ah! That sounds like Heaven to me. I imagine myself at my computer all day long with only the sounds of the birds chirping outside my window. No responsibilities! No interruptions! No people!

And then I remember what happened to the writers in those movies.

Well, maybe I’ll think twice the next time I feel the urge to escape to a writer’s retreat. Or I’ll start drinking my morning coffee at the kitchen table. 
Until next week, happy reading and writing!