As promised in my Welcome post, I'm here to talk about my writing. You won't see many flashy images or videos on this blog, at least not unless those who know far more about what's good for me than I do convince me otherwise. Check out my Facebook page or TikTok for that. But if you're interested in how a writer writes, or at least how this writer writes, read on!
I delayed starting on the sequel to Imprints of the Past until I had this first book locked and loaded and ready to go. More or less; there is still much to be done. But as 2023 swept in (like a bull in a china shop, but let's not get distracted), I decided it was high time I take up the reins of the story once again. I wasn't always sure that there would be a sequel. I decided to write one story and let the characters tell me if they had more to say. And they do, so here I am. I'll defer giving so much as a hint about the plot until you've all had a chance to read the first book, but I can talk here about how I'm writing it.
First and foremost, routine is essential. I work full time and I have interests outside of reading and writing. Although my children are grown and out of the nest, they haven't disappeared from my life, and my wife and I spend us much quality time together as we can. Then there are our two cats, our two high-maintenance, mutually-incompatible bundles of furry and fluffy chaos. I'm rarely bored. Trying to snatch time to write amidst all of this is challenging to say the least, and I found I struggled to produce anything of consequence unless I could shut myself away for 45 minutes or, better yet, an hour. Maybe others can do it, but I cannot. So, since I'm an early riser - my alarm goes off at 06:00 on weekdays, and I tend to precede my wife out of bed by at least an hour on weekends - I have set aside the quiet of the morning in which to write. Sometimes I start at 06:30, sometimes at 07:00, but I write for a solid hour free from distraction. At least, that is how this last week went. As a result, I'm most of the way through the first chapter of Book 2 and finding my feet. And my voice, and my excitement at spending time with characters who have become friends.
The cover photo of my Facebook page has a picture of me in my study, in front of my laptop while Nelly (my ginger cat) sits next to it in silent judgment. I do write in my study sometimes. But this week, in those early mornings before and as the sun rises, I have been writing from my sunroom. I love to take meals out here, including breakfast, and enjoy the occasional distraction of chatty birds and rampaging squirrels on our patio, or my other cat Sasha demanding cuddles. It's peaceful. I expect I'll still write occasionally in my study, but you can expect most of Book 2 to be written with a wide view of the natural world in my backyard. And given what my characters often have to face inside and away from nature, that can be a great escape...
Comments