30-Apr-2008
When all the i's have been dotted, the t's have been crossed, and all the en-dashes fixed in your manuscript, what then? You've read the book so many times that the words now blur into the page. Is it ready to mail to your agent or your publisher? Probably not, but the urge to send your creation out into the world is almost uncontrollable.
The first full draft of Murder Off the Books was 30,000 words too long. We spent weeks editing it and the final product was a much tighter, more focused story. We'd learned our lesson by the time Murder Takes the Cake was finished. We didn't have to edit for length and could spend our flagging energy working on polishing the plot and checking the clues.
But what comes next? Disciplined writers would start the next book immediately. Maybe dash off a few short stories. Schedule some library talks or bookstore visits. Instead we find ourselves doing the myriad of household chores that were pushed to the side in our three-month sprint to complete Murder Takes the Cake. We're visiting family and friends who have forgotten what we look like. We're taking some time to read. Both halves of Evelyn David find it almost impossible to read other people's mysteries when we're in the middle of writing our own. This lull between novels is a great time to remember the joy of being lost in a story.
We're recharging our creative batteries before plunging into An Outlet for Murder, the third Mac Sullivan-Rachel Brenner adventure. Here are some tips to help you get your groove back.
1. Step Away from the Computer. Most of us have become attached to our keyboards, suffering withdrawal pains if we're not tapping away. But you need a break to focus on the world around you. Pay attention to your non-writing life.
2. Read and Learn. Make time to read and enjoy other people's writing. Besides being fun, it also shows you how other writers handle pov issues, pacing, plotting, etc.
3. Plant Some Flowers (literally or figuratively). Ground yourself in the real world. Follow the news, watch or play sports, start or revisit a hobby that you once loved. That's where you'll find ideas for your next story. Look around and ask yourself: what if -
4. Don't Go Cold Turkey. On the other hand, continue to write something. Maybe just jot down cool character names that you suddenly imagine; or research a setting that strikes your fancy; or clip a news story that might be the foundation for a future mystery. Taking time off doesn't mean abandoning your writing career. It does mean cutting back from the 24/7 feverish activity that accompanies those final chapters.
Evelyn David
