BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING
Starting a book is sometimes the easiest part of the whole process.
I have plenty of energy and expectation. I have an idea of things that might happen and what predicaments my characters might find themselves in. Writing a series, I have a good idea of what each character is capable of; they might not know it yet, might be unaware of their capabilities until pushed into a position where they have no option but to act, but I have a good sense of how they might react.
THE END DETERMINES THE BEGINNING
When I begin, I need to know where I left the characters at the end of the last book in the series. I only ever plot each book in turn, rather than having an overall storyline, and am always amazed that I’ve left it in such a place that the beginning of the next is inevitable.
That’s had a huge impact on how I worked out what the characters would be dealing with in the yet-to-be-titled Dockyard Girls book 4. One small line or two that didn’t appear to have much significance in book 3 turned out to be pivotal. I love it when that happens. It takes me off on a whole different tangent, and that’s exciting for me as a writer.
If you’ve read Silver Linings for the Seaside Girls, you’ll perhaps have a good idea of where I’m going to begin Seaside Girls book 6!
A BUCKET OF IDEAS
I make a huge amount of notes before I start at chapter 1. This is the way I build my story – by laying down a raft of possibilities – and always way more than I need.
Then I bring them to some kind of order, discarding ones that I don’t believe are needed. I don’t delete them, simply save them to another document. They might very well come in useful as I begin to tell the story, chapter by chapter. I don’t know what I’ll need until I need it.
After that I’m looking for a strong enough starting point, and a sense of an ending. Once I have them, off I go.
I make huge progress until I get to about 30,000 words, when the wheels begin to fall off. I lose momentum, I lose confidence, and I start to doubt myself. At times like this, it’s good to have friends who understand what you are going through, who can give you a kick up the btm and tell you to push on. My friend, author Helen Baggott, is my go-to pal in these circumstances.
THE HEAVY LIFTING
I think the hardest part of any book is finishing it. It’s definitely a ‘keep right on to the end of the road’ situation, and I do what I can to turn up at my desk every day and lay down more words. It doesn’t matter if it’s one page, one paragraph or one line. The most important thing is to turn up, sit down and try. Something always comes, and I tell myself I can edit the wrong words. I can simply delete them and try and save enough good ones to tell the story.
You need stamina to write a book. It’s mentally tiring, and some days I work long hours, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. It’s not mining coal or toiling at the rock face; it’s not facing the heavy seas as fishermen do, or working long hours braiding nets.
I’m (mostly) cosy and warm in my office with an endless supply of tea and biscuits and a whole world of imaginary people to spend my time with. What’s not to like!
The Dockyard Girls book 4 is already up for preorder on Amazon and wherever you get your books.