Writing: the Process

Honestly, this blog isn't really about the writing process. It's more about how I feel about writing, which sometimes sort of involves the process, but ultimately I'm just going to write what I want to write right now... which is also what I'm doing with this new book I just started writing.

I really like my Lake Caywood characters, you know? But I worry that people are bored with them and so I've tried to write some things that take place elsewhere, and with new characters -- because I really and truly do have other characters that live in my head! There are the Bay sisters out in Radio Park... There are Ollie and Reese in Flickerwood... There are the Wrong Writers in Moonglow... Some of these characters have books that are already written and not published; others are partially written and need to be finished. But while I am nearly always writing a novel on my laptop, I am also always writing a novel in my head... and lately the novel I've been writing in my head takes place in Lake Caywood.

I started the new book today, and while I've been struggling with A Heavy Sky for weeks -- just picking away at chapters and trying to write a few paragraphs each day -- I busted out three pages in 45 minutes on this new one. It has a working title (my friend Kathy T. gave it to me, although I doubt she knows that unless she's right now reading this blog) and some of the characters are familiar while others are totally new. Plus, the format's a little different. I won't tell you why, but know that Ray Bradbury inspired me.

Anyhow.

The reason I'm writing this particular blog is because I'm super excited to be writing this new book. It's the excitement I've been waiting for!!! I was forcing myself to make art there for a while and I wanted to be writing, and then when I finally had time to write, it felt forced too. But now? Now I've figured out the book I need to write, and the characters I need to be spending time with, and I am, like, SO amped up right now and ready to go.

I'll show you the first line because I'm feeling generous, but that's all you're getting: