Now that TINY is out in the world, I’m looking ahead to what’s next.
It’s been a long time since I’ve been in novel-writing mode. All 3 of my published books were written before 2017. I had my daughter in October 2017 and, since then, I’ve been adjusting to motherhood, working full-time (at an ad agency), and recovering from about a billion daycare-borne illnesses. I’ve also been working on a short story collection, which is shaping up nicely, but I’ve missed being immersed in a novel.
When my daughter hit the 18-month mark, I started to feel ready to dive into a new novel. I’ve had an idea in my head for the last couple years, an idea I kept putting on the back burner. I kept telling myself, “I’ll start that when I have more time.” Well, I’ve realized I’m not going to have more time, magically. I have to JUST START.
I’ve gone into this new project with a clear plan in place, which hasn’t been my approach in the past. My plan is to write 5,000 words per week. If they happen all in one day, great. If they are spread throughout the week, great. I don’t always know when I’ll have the opportunity to write. Sometimes, my daughter wakes up at 5am, and my writing time is gone; sometimes, she sleeps until 7:30am and I get in 1,000 words. For the most part, I get my 5,000 words done between Monday and Friday, usually in the morning, sometimes in the evenings. I don’t write on weekends (so I can sleep in and maximize family time). My daughter is not a great napper (last weekend, I drove her around for 2 hours to get her to nap–fun!) so I don’t get nap-time writing sessions. Even with restrictions, the plan is working so far.
Generally, my books are somewhere around 90,000 words, so if I keep to the plan, I should have a first draft done by late October, in time for my 40th birthday! It’s all coming together, people! If you’re thinking this sounds very methodical, IT IS. I don’t think I’ll always write this way, but it’s what works for now.
Oh, and the elephant in the room: What is the new novel about? I am terrible at explaining stories when I’m in the thick of them. What I can tell you is that it’s a story involving multiple perspectives (similar to TINY). There’s a little bit of mystery, a lot of drama, some doses of humor. How’s that for a vague answer?
Lastly, thanks to everyone who has read TINY. I’ve received some great messages from readers. They really make my day. Thank you!