So, I’ve been a little bit quiet, but rest assured, I’m beavering away.
It doesn’t matter if its novel number one, or novel fourteen, I’m learning they’re all going to be a labour of love.
In all of this, I’m acutely aware, the latest is never finished… until its finished. Citing word counts here is pointless, although this one is looking quite healthy. I’m humble enough to admit this, because you can never quite tell until you’re looking down at the “finished” final, first draft.
So, the takeaways, so far from 2024.
- 1. Took a break after releasing four novels at the tail-end of 2023. This wasn’t the intended plan, but I was pretty knackered after finishing four (which I guess is understandable). My intention was to resume writing straightaway in January, but I needed to consolidate, and prioritise ideas.
- 2. Sifted my way through 5/6 ideas, and eventually launched out with Shelly Clover 3 anyway, with some story arcs I liked and stoked me quite a lot, but the truth was that the core idea – the piece de resistance – wasn’t quite forming. This was the keystone holding the arch in place. All the other bricks? I had most of them. However, the pivotal slab was slow in delivery… so I reluctantly pushed the novel to one side.
- 3. The Children at the River’s End was selling… the Shelly clover series, not so much. This was interesting. It was very encouraging on one hand, but disappointing on another (because I worked so hard on the sequel to Shelly Clover). It’s not to say it won’t happen in the future – not by any stretch of the imagination – but it gives me food-for-thought going forwards.
- 4. Started out on a separate idea around March, that had a ton of promise, but stopped a mere 1,000 words in. It didn’t feel right. The initial joy and excitement waned very, very quickly. I followed my gut, and said, ‘No.’ The contrast between the moments before I got into it, and the moments after I terminated, were brutal. Not even sure, I’ll resurrect it in the future.
- 5. I was in a great deal of physical pain. Not being able to walk in April/May was quite traumatic, and I’m still wrestling with all of this. When I plucked up enough courage to leave the house and walk, I ended up hobbling behind people with canes. Added to all this: the inexplicably cancelled X-ray appointments (I cannot fathom that it’s possible to be writing this), and a GP who – on eventually receiving the X-rays – only got a brief write-up with (no actual imagery), and was far keener on getting me out of the surgery at 5:15 so he could start his trip to the South of France. (I genuinely wish NONE of this was true.) Felt crestfallen as I stumbled home.
6. Later in March, I had a dream. Weird, disturbing stuff. It was a criminal case so strange, when I awoke, I thought: I have the guy who can solve this; a character who has been at the back of my mind for years. So, within a week, the idea I’d just discarded was immediately replaced. Here, on October 1st I’m driving on this thing. It’s horror. It’s psychology. It’s mystery. It’s a crime-thriller, etc. And above all these things…
It’s a LABOUR OF LOVE. X
Enjoy the Halloween season.
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