A Break from the Routine

Today's my first day back working on the latest novel after a week off. I didn't go away on holiday but I managed some time to myself and also time spent with friends I haven't seen in a while which was lovely.

I hadn't realised quite how much I needed some time off. Doing something I love doing as a job is great and it's easy to take a few hours off here and there when I need to do other things but it's been a long time since I took a complete break from it. It is work, at the end of the day (even though when people ask me about returning to an employed job they ask, "Are you working yet?) and we all need a break from the daily routine.

Just before I took the time off I made a few changes to CRIME & NOURISHMENT after reaching the halfway stage on the first draft. A couple of things weren't working but unfortunately the changes meant I was pretty much going to rewrite the whole thing again. I rewrote three chapters before I took the week off so now I'm raring to go to continue on with that.

I do find I like to test myself with each new novel. With NOTHING VENTURED I had to intertwine four stories to ensure they flowed well together. I think this latest one is an extension of that; coming up with a complicated plot to ensure no one can guess who the killer is until the end; while also trying to make the story easy to follow.

A crime novel needs a large cast of characters, whether they be suspects or just someone that helps the protagonist with the case and they need to be remembered by the reader. There's nothing worse than coming across a name and thinking, "Who was that again?"

One of the problems I found with my first draft was that I was halfway through before some of the suspects had even been mentioned, which I think was a mistake. I realised that I needed them there at the beginning with possible motives and perhaps, something else to hide. That's one of the main reasons why the whole thing needed adjusting.

While I've resurrected one character and brought in another murder from a previous idea, I've also changed Maggie, the protagonist. She's now running her own detective agency from an office above the café that she part owns but doesn't run. It makes more sense for her to be able to work on a case full time and this way, I can still keep the title.

So, it's nose to the grindstone time again. I'm also working on another writing project which I hope will generate some income but more on that as and when (or if) it takes off.

Right, chapter four...