Toe dipping in the steady pool

Much against the agreement I have made I had an urge to write today so I did. Unlike what I feared it actually went quite well and there are the first signs of some bones to this whole “sequel” affair!

My opening chapter has been something I have written more than once when coming up with various ideas for stories over the years. It’s a scene I have probably gone over a hundred times and today I re-wrote it for the first time (yes that makes sense to me). It was nice to write again and although what I have written is completely the bare bones I need to flesh out it seemed to flow nicely.

I have been worried about writing to be totally honest, I don’t know whether I should write if there isn’t a massive audience and then again I think there IS an audience and therefore if I have the idea and the story that isn’t forced then I should let myself have some escape and fun.

The story is going to be linked but independent of Footprints offering new characters along with a whole host of returning faces. I am also deciding to play around with my own rules a little too and change a few things I have fallen foul of – give a few twists that would surprise me. I have the basic story in place in my head, the over-arching aspect is there but there is most certainly a way to go to get the finer points and the meat on the bones as they say. But we all have to start somewhere.

My way of writing normally goes with me focussing on bit by bit unless I get on a roll and then I’ll storm through a theme or event in the story to its conclusion. At the moment I am finding my feet again which is terribly disconcerting in a way as I see myself self critiquing as I go through the initial draft. It’s hard and delicate at the moment as I suppose my ego is in the balance – am I any good at this? Is this just me making a fool of myself? Do people really want to know what happens to Jack James?

I have to say this is a very turbulent ride – from one day to the next you find yourself questioning yourself but the fact that locally I am being asked if people can by copies of Footprints from me direct it still means there is interest. Of course those who have read the book have asked me if there’s more coming and who am I to say no? I do have an idea that I think does the characters justice and also I think the story is a good one if I do say so myself.

Well aside from the fact in this blog post alone I have self scorned, self criticised, self praised and self doubted maybe now you see why my wife gets very concerned when I start writing it throws me all akilter a little.

Stick with me if you dare….hopefully by the time I actually write this (and it won’t be a short journey I know tat much) then you never know Footprints may have become a best seller and I’ll have a bigger fan base.

Although having a fan base no matter how small is better than having none at all, and I have some so yay!