Roadblock

I’m a bit stuck, Gentle Reader.

I am in the middle of writing three novels, and now, I’m stuck on two of them (the third is on hold, as it’s a sequel, and we’re shopping the first book). I believe in writing every morning (it works for me, so it’s my practice), so here I am, writing on the blog because I don’t know where to go next in these two novels.

For one, I’ve been stuck for a few months. I need to go back and read through it and see if I missed something. As I’ve said before, I don’t write from outlines. I just sit and write, and rewrite, and rewrite. Sometimes I write fast and dirty: an entire draft in a month or so. And then I revise for three or four years. Sometimes, I write a page or two a day, my current practice, and let the story evolve as I’m writing. The problem with that is highlighted by today’s panic: I don’t know where to go next.

I almost started a new novel. That’s usually my way, to start something new so I’m still writing every day. But today I looked at the blank page and felt sadness at it, rather than hope. That’s when I knew it was time to step back for a day or two, let it marinate in the back of my mind, and come back to it fresh. I’ll use the blog as a place to develop writing, to keep myself sharp, until I can get back to the novels.

Thanks for listening, Friend.

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