Writers Block

It's been a few months since I finished the first book in a new series I'm doing, got sidetracked revising with my editor on a couple of books, so I'd been out of the zone. Last weekend I decided it was time to get started on the second book in the series. Yeah okay. The first chapter I banged out in a couple of hours - for the last three days - zip - nadda. Oh I've gone back and done some tightening - made the scene more suspenseful, but now I'm stuck.

There are basically two writing styles. Some writers carefully plan out their story. They do an outline, do a bio of each character, and go from there. Other writers are by-the-seat-of-their-pants writers. They have an idea, that's usually been rolling around in their head for months, they have a good idea of the characteristics of their main characters, and they go from there.

I'm the latter. I never plan. If anything I have a short outline of how I think I want the story to write out, but inevitably, it never turns out the way I planned it. The reason being (I think) is as the characters start to develop, like we do in real life, they evolve.

Now usually after about five or six chapters I have a good idea of who my characters are and what makes them tick. So I'll do a sketch or brief outline of them - what they look like, their histories etc. I do this because a lot of the time I get interrupted (I have to do a revising on another project or something) and have to set the story aside. When I pick it up again, if I have a sketch, it's easier to start where I left off. In other words I don't have to go back and read the whole manuscript.Anyway, having been working on three books at once for months, now that I'm starting from scratch I find myself stumped. I know the creative juices will start to flow eventually, but the impatient soul that I am, it's aggravating.

Okay I'm done ranting. I hope all is well. Susan, I hope you are enjoying your sunny weather. Glad to hear you solved your water problems and can get that spa filled. Sarah, I hope things are going better for you. Keep your chin up girl and remember I'm only a phone call away! Larry, sounds like we're on for a trip to Honduras. Cool! I'm looking forward to it. Hope Walter and Ester will be there, it'll be great to see them again.

Y'all have a great weekend!!!