I’ve been in a bit of a blog lull this week. This usually happens to me after I’ve finished a big writing project – it’s as though my mind needs a few days to rest before it can get back to the business of working with words again.
I think it’s entirely natural, really. You can’t keep producing work without taking time, every so often, to re-set everything. When you’re inhabiting a particular fictional world for a few weeks, you need to withdraw from it briefly before diving headfirst into the next instalment. You can’t breathe out without first breathing in.
I’ve had a few people ask me already when book three in my Ambeth Chronicles will be out. They’ve already read books one and two (wow!) and are keen for more. This thrills me immensely. 🙂
In answer to their question, book three is already written. It also has a title, Hills and Valleys, and I’m now starting on the structural edit. And before you think that I’m some sort of crazy writing machine, I had written four of my Ambeth books before I published the first one – it just worked out that way, the story pouring out of me over a two year period. I’ve also written the very last line in the sixth and final book, and know just how the story ends. Which is fun, as it means I can add clues into the earlier books that will lead to events in the later books.
A tangle of plotlines…
I’ve stated before that I’m a Pantser when it comes to writing – it’s the method that works for me, despite efforts to plan things out. I’ve also likened writing to weaving, bringing threads of different storylines together to make a pattern. And now I can see where threads need to be pulled and rearranged, appearing earlier in the pattern than I had originally thought. Which is where the structural edit comes in.
Finally, a little update on my marketing experiment. Since I ran my free promotion, I’ve had six new ratings on Goodreads (all positive, thank goodness), plus my KENP count is continuing to rise. I’m hoping to see an uptake in sales over the next few weeks, but we’ll see. However, early figures seem to indicate that I’ve definitely increased my reading audience already, which was the aim of my promotion.
And that’s my Friday 🙂 Happy weekend, everyone! Hope it’s a good one.
Helen Glynn Jones 
Four books in 2 years! Wow. I can barely agree on one book in over a year… I just can’t stop myself from editing and changing plots and twists and I’m going madder by the minute… 😀
Your rest is fully deserved and much needed. Enjoy it just like I’m enjoying mine (albeit with a little guilt!) xx
Oh, it was a bit fast, believe me. I wasn’t blogging then, nor was I working much, and it pretty much took over all my spare time. I couldn’t stop the words coming out, which was great, and there wasn’t really any planning. But interestingly, as I go back over it I’m seeing deeper connections come out between the stories, though they require a lot of editing as you can imagine! I do think there comes a point where you have to step away and try and look at the story objectively, or else you could tweak it forever. Publishing is a good way to do that! 😀 And I hope you’re enjoying your time away, and that I see you at the Blogger’s Bash next year (or even before, if you’re around for a coffee one day) x
I think you are definitely doing it the right way around. If I could change anything, it would be to not release any books from a series until the last one had been written… for exactly all those reasons you mentioned.
Thanks Ali – I didn’t plan it, but I am pleased it worked out that way. Will have to do the same on any other series I write 🙂
All in all, a good week then. Great to hear a plan is coming together…
Thanks Graeme 🙂 I have a lot of blogs to catch up on this week though, plus I seem to still be in a writing lull – still, I’m sure it will pass.
glad to hear your promo went well, and you really are a machine getting that many out that fast! think I’ll have to bend your ear about editing though, I’m dreading it!
Thanks, lovely 🙂 And yes, please feel free to bend my ear anytime! Editing can be a drag but is soooo worth it!
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