Dixie-Lee Campbell
asked
Susan Mallery:
I tried reading more than 1 book at a time & just became disorganized & sometimes emotionally it is hard disconnect with characters Now I try to do 1 series at a time & in sequence ( logistically sometimes can't. I get the impression authors have more than one book on the go. & different series ... How do you manage to do it & stay connected with diffferent plots, characters, feelings, etc.?
Susan Mallery
Hi, Dixie-lee! Thanks for taking the time to ask a question. In some ways, I work on one book at a time, and in other ways, I work on multiple books at a time. It depends on how you look at it. For example, right now, I'm working on the second Mischief Bay novel. That's where my focus is. But I just got back from a plot group trip, during which I brainstormed story ideas for next year's Fool's Gold books. I also did final edits on Marry Me at Christmas last week, a Fool's Gold romance that will be out this October.
I guess the trick is that I stay focused on the story I'm working on while I'm working on it, but because of my writing schedule, there will be days where I need to put one book aside in order to do edits on another. Think about the TV shows you like to watch. You get one episode of each series per week. While you're watching that show, you're completely into the characters. Then the hour is up and you start watching the next show, and you're completely into those characters. You don't get them mixed up because they're completely different shows. That's how it is for me when I'm writing and editing different books and in different series.
I guess the trick is that I stay focused on the story I'm working on while I'm working on it, but because of my writing schedule, there will be days where I need to put one book aside in order to do edits on another. Think about the TV shows you like to watch. You get one episode of each series per week. While you're watching that show, you're completely into the characters. Then the hour is up and you start watching the next show, and you're completely into those characters. You don't get them mixed up because they're completely different shows. That's how it is for me when I'm writing and editing different books and in different series.
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