kristaphillips I opened up book 2 this evening after the kiddos were in bed (and after I had humiliated myself by doing my ‘slim down’ exercise video… OUCH!), and I couldn’t write even a word.
I am slightly worried that this is what they call ‘writer’s block’ which is something I didn’t really experience with the first book.
But I think I know my problem. First, I have a good idea about what is going to happen in book 2, but I don’t have it outlined, or on paper. I know myself, I know I’ll think of new angles and new ideas as I go, and the whole thing will be a work in progress, but I think I will have a better goal to work towards if I know exactly how I want it to end a few key points in between.
With my first book, I did this by creating ‘sections’. Those sections just happened to be by location, as she spent the first 1/3 of the book in North Carolina, then second 1/3 in Tennessee, and the last 1/3 back at home with the final climax and resolution. I knew those three, but I hadn’t decided yet how she would get to TN, what would happen in TN, and what would happen in NC when she got home.
I haven’t created those sections in my latest book. All I have is a basic story line. I think I need to develop the flow on paper so I can visualize it, and have a goal to work towards if that makes any sense. I’ll work on that.
But more than all of this, I think my issue is that it is not my time to work on the second book. I am going to attend a mentoring/critique conference in May, and I am really excited about. I think it is a mini weekend, but I have never been to one before and I think this will be a good ‘testing’ of the waters if you will.
So therefore, I am putting book 2 aside again until after the conference. I really do need to focus on the perfecting book 1 as much as I can, and getting it ready for when that wonderfully smart editor/publisher/agent realize what a gem they have found! (I am SO not conceited, I know!)
