I’ve been feeling a bit empty, words-wise, these last couple of days. It’s always how I feel when I finish a book, even if I have other ideas on the go. I welcome the feeling though, for it’s how I can tell that I’ve completed the story.
I finished book three, Hills and Valleys, and sent it off to the editor today. And now I’m waiting. It’s like the old Zen philosophy, that the cup needs to be emptied before it can be filled. Now that I have emptied my cup of one story, I’ll wait for the Muses to decide when it will be refilled.
I’ve already written book four, by the way. Books five and six are well underway. I have another book, unrelated, which is about 95% finished, plus a few other ideas banging around in my mind. I don’t think this is special or anything – I think it’s just how writing works.
But for now my cup of words is empty, other than these few for my blog post. And I’m content. For I know it will fill again – with what, remains to be seen.
Helen Glynn Jones 
It’s always odd to finish a project and figure out what comes next.
Yes it is – I know what k need to work on, but I’m just waiting to see which direction I’m going in…
I dig that zen statement. Thanks for sharing it.
Me, too!
You’re very welcome – glad you enjoyed it 🙂
They will come. They always do. Xxx
I know. I’m content to wait for now 🙂 I can feel them coming, galloping towards me. Thanks for the reassurance xx
It’s just simmering. Sitting back and enjoying that is a skill.
Thank you. Yes, enjoying it is exactly what we need to do, because before you know it you’re back in the story again 🙂
Congrats on finishing book 4! Love the empty cup metaphor – it works so well to sum up what it’s like to finish a project :). That feeling when you know the story’s told, and there’s no lingering regret because you’ve done what you need to do with the characters. And the picture’s beautiful, too 🙂 x
Thank you, Fay. I’d written the first four books before I published the first one, but subsequent new plot threads have meant substantial edits on all of them since. And yes, that’s it completely – you’ve done all you can with the characters and so the story is done. Glad you like the photo – I took it ages ago and it seemed to fit the theme. Hope all is well with you xx
The refill will be with you shortly madam. Chef is just having a break!
Why thank you, Geoff – I feel most reassured! 🙂
It’s all part of the Great Cycle of Writing. Excitement, drive, frustration, pushing, then completion and emptiness, before the excitement comes again. I have to say that the photo of the cup with the flowers is GORGEOUS, and doesn’t look empty at all. That’s your muse telling you that the refill is already on its way.
Thanks Celia – you’re so right 🙂 And perhaps that’s why I chose to use that photo – my subconscious was telling me the next thing is on its way…
Put some wine in that cup!
Haha yes, perfect!
Congratulations! That’s so much writing you’ve done—you work so hard, no wonder your cup is empty! Fingers crossed for Book 3. (By the way, I’m still making my way through Book 1—I’m at least 70% there, and it’s a gorgeous story. It’s not that it’s hard to read, not at all, it’s just that I have so many things taking me away from it.)
Oh, thanks, Louise – that’s really nice to hear. It means a lot to me that you’re enjoying the story so far.
I know it probably sounds as though I’m some sort of writing machine, but I had the first four books essentially written before I published the first one, so the six months in between each one is mostly editing. Still, as you say, it’s hard work, so I’m enjoying a few days as the words gallop towards me, so I’ll be ready to catch them again when they arrive. And I am woefully behind on my blog comments too – meant to get onto them this morning and then my internet went down! Think I might be getting a message to take it easy for a few days 😀 xx
Wow, what a beautiful philosophy I’d (somehow) never come across before. Thank you for introducing me to it and congratulations on turning the page (ha!) on book 3. You deserve some transitional rest.
Thanks, Elissaveta, that’s very kind of you 🙂 And I love the Zen stuff, I’m not an expert by any means, but I have a great book called Zen and the Martial Arts which I’d recommend to anyone, whether a martial artist or not. Oh, and the Tao of Pooh – I love that book! 🙂
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