by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I was running errands recently and ran into a mom I haven’t seen for a while.
“Have you had any books come out lately?” she asked.
I’ve had four this year. Two were traditionally published, two I released myself through e-publishing. My friend asked if the writing just got easier and easier.
In some ways, that’s true. The mechanical stuff, the organizing of a book, just knowing you can do it—that gets easier.
But each of those books had a story of its own behind it—completely separate from the story I was telling. It wasn’t always smooth going, either.
Finger Lickin’ Dead was a breeze to write. I laughed all the way through it and wrote it in no time flat. Easy.
Hickory Smoked Homicide was a book that I nearly deleted off my computer 1/3 of the way through because I lost direction. I was so frustrated and panicked when I knew my deadline was looming. I talked to a friend who happened to be an expert in the area I was struggling in, found my direction again, and the rest went smoothly.
Progressive Dinner Deadly was a book that I wrote in 2009. It was easily tidied up and released. Took me about two weeks to edit. I e-published it, myself.
A Dyeing Shame was a backlist book that I wrote circa 2002. It took me longer to clean up that book than it took me to write Finger Lickin’ Dead. I finally got it to the point where I was pleased with it….and it’s a completely different book. Only the killer is the same. I even changed some of the character names. I finally released it last week.
The point of these reflections is to remind me not to get discouraged while writing. It all works out in the end. And not to experience hubris when writing goes really well (e.g. Finger Lickin’ Dead.)
I learn something from every book I write. I think I learn more when I struggle through it than when it comes really easily to me.
Have you found that every book has its own personality? How do you stay encouraged through the process?
Elizabeth – Thanks for sharing what it was like to go through those different experiences. You are so right that each book is different. I’ve had the same kind of thing happen to me. With my first book, the process of writing wasn’t hard, but putting the pieces of the novel was. The second was much easier (although still work enough!. My third took a lot longer. I think it’s because I added a complication to the plot. I think as writers when we push ourselves to add a layer or a complication, it does take longer to finish a book.
I agree – I’m still early on in this process, but each one has its own flavour as well as its own ups and downs :)
Well, not yet, but I spent most of NaNoWriMo hoping to get back on my main project.
Boy, you said it! Every book is very different.
Sometimes it’s the book, and sometimes it’s you, though. You may have learned something that makes it go easier, or you may have learned so much that you are trying something a little more difficult this time.
Plus life itself varies. Subtle changes in your life can take up extra time or energy… or release that time back to you.
But the more you write, I think, the less each of these changes flummoxes you.
I think my two books are a little different. The second one has more humor and is lighter in nature.
I would definitely say this is true! It’s sort of surprising to me on these series–my first was pretty easy, the second was hard (even though I had my ideas all mapped out) and so far this 3rd is a little easier. The other books, it really depends on how long it’s stewed, and how many details I am combining. If I have a really clear picture, it sometimes still doesn’t go that way, and if I love the new way better, it’s easier, but sometimes something just isn’t quite how I want it.
Congratulations on e-publishing two books so far, Elizabeth! Plus traditionally publishing two others. That’s really amazing. I don’t know how you do it all!
Margot–Complications make things complicated, for sure! I was trying some new stuff for Hickory Smoked and it almost tripped me up.
C0–Good luck with it!
Alex–And maybe that had to do with being more relaxed?
Hart–So true! Sometimes you think it’s going to be easy to write and it’s tough!
Laura–Thanks! It’s not too bad. I don’t do any marathon writing sessions or anything. I think maybe it goes faster when you write a series…you already know the main characters, the setting, etc.
Jemi–Almost like their own personalities!
The Daring Novelist–Hmm. I didn’t think of it that way. Maybe trying more difficult material and creating challenges for ourselves creates…well…challenges!
I hope. I sure don’t want to end up all panicky like I was that day with “Hickory Smoked!”
Love the look into your process. All of my books are still hard, but it’s nice to know someone is laughing through their writing.
I totally agree with you, Elizabeth. I decided to e-publish 4 backlist mysteries and one new suspense book this year. These were my first indie efforts, but I found that much of the revision and editing I did on the books to get them ready for new titles and a new audience was more work than learning how to start an indie endeavor. Whew!