This week I celebrated turning in the third book in my Great War Series. I did so with mixed emotions, as I always seem to do. This is, in all likelihood, the last book I’ll do with a war setting, particularly the First World War. It’s my fifth. I’ve done American settings, European settings, the beginning, middle and now the end of this war, which pretty much covers the areas I was most interested in. And even though I can honestly say my fascination for the period is still there, I’m finding myself increasingly eager to move on to something else.
But I’m still in the “withdrawal” phase. I’ve said goodbye to all of the characters, given each of them what I believe to be their appropriately satisfying endings. I won’t be haunted by any of them, telling me to resurrect them for a future book (as happened with Josef in my first Inspirational, Pieces of Silver). All of the characters in this book, titled Springtime of the Spirit, are contained and finished. So I’m withdrawing from that first-draft phase, ready to think of other things and knowing by the time my editor comes back with suggestions for improvement I’ll have a fresher eye and be excited about working on it again. That’ll start in a few weeks.
I’d like to say I’m on a vacation from writing, that I’m giving attention to things that have been neglected – like doing some creative cooking, or revisiting an old hobby (painting ceramics), or visiting with friends I’ve been too busy to spend much time with. Well, I have spent some time with friends, but no luck on the cooking or hobby things.
Mainly, I’m already thinking about what project I’d like to tackle next. I’m actually very excited about this, because whatever I write will have such a different feel from what I’ve been writing for the past couple of years. Which means I’m in the investigation phase. Reading quite a bit, both fiction for inspiration and non-fiction for … well, inspiration there, too. I’m planning to stick with historicals for a while, but I’d like to do something set here in America again. So many plot ideas are just waiting to be discovered in history books, all they need is to be connected to characters who can make the most of whatever setting they seem destined for.
This is the phase where I most feel like a writer, which is why I’ve labeled this post a day in the writing life. A lot of writing is work; certainly the promotion period is work, but so is part of the actual writing, the phase following this initial period of inspiration and excitement. The first draft can be quite a challenge at times. But this part of it — dreaming up characters in strange and challenging settings — is perhaps the most fun for me. It’s when I feel like I’m wired for this, when I see pieces of things coming together for the first time.
It reminds me of my oldest sister, who has an eye for antiques. She can spot something in its most degraded state and see the beauty underneath. That’s a gift. I’m sure some people think reading a bunch of history books would be a chore, but not me. I’m looking for puzzle pieces of my next book, spotting things that will fit together.
So if you see me sitting on a park bench or walking the dog these days, I’ll probably have a silly smile on my face. Don’t worry, I’m not crazy. I’m just seeing new characters acting out plotlines in my head.
Join Me!