After spending months in production and promotion mode, I am finally beginning my second novel. It’s great to get back into it, but will I do things differently?
The story is outlined. I never write without one. I need that road map because I hate asking for directions. 😉 My research is done. I’ve been living and breathing the subject of my next novel for so long that it’s second nature to me now. That’s the great benefit of writing anything: I get to learn so much about interesting things, whether they are about gang life or wildlife.
One thing I am changing is using Google Maps to build my world first, before I write. When I did this with Tied, I did it late in the process and had to take it into account in subsequent drafts. It really delayed progress. Knowing the world going into the writing at the beginning helps me see the scenes clearer.
I took a cut in hours at my day job in order to be able to come home and write for a couple of hours. That’s something I didn’t do with Tied. So far it’s been working because it keeps my head in the story from day to day. Plus any ideas I get during the day, I can deal with as soon as I get home. With Tied, I wrote on the weekends and had to reacquaint myself after the work week was finished. It was harder.
I’m anxiously awaiting the Scrivener iOS app, which is apparently in beta right now! I’d love to use it to write this novel. I hope it’s released soon.
