Transition

I’d be interested to know how authors cope with moving on from the book they’ve written to the next one they want to write.

My fiction writing thoughts have already moved on from Jiddy Vardy. My ideas now are about Harris and Dee, not Jiddy and Jonas. My eureka moments are set in Formentera and Hawksmoor, not Robin Hood’s Bay and Whitby.

And yet I am looking forward to going to Robin Hood’s Bay and recording some videos showing the sea and cliffs and talking about Jiddy. I’m excited about striding out into the waves and showing Jonas’ fear of the sea. I’m so, so excited about seeing the book in print and discussing it with anyone who deigns to read it.

And on the other hand, I’m excited about The Monster Belt. My brain is working out my characters’ journeys. I am awakening in a different landscape and time.

What is taking me away from cocooning myself into the next book is having to talk and market the previous one. How do authors do this???? For months and months afterwards. This is the dilemma. Managing the two at the same time. I love Jiddy. I love talking about her, but she doesn’t belong in the world I’m now writing about. And she is fading if I don’t talk about her. But Dee and Harris can’t appear unless I let her go! Aghhh!!!!! And on top of this, there’s the day job!!!

I guess I’m lucky to be surrounded by such interesting people and if I think deeply about it, I want them all along for the ride.