Last month I wrote that I was off and running with my writing goals for 2022. Somewhere along the way that run turned into more of a stroll. I’m a little closer to finishing Book 2 in the Edgemont series, but it’s not ready for the editing process yet, as I had hoped.
So how did I get derailed from my plan? I do have somewhat of a writing schedule, but I always find it challenging to factor in the unexpected. For instance, sometimes a character decides to go in a different direction than what I was thinking, or I get an idea for a new plot twist that is much more interesting. These detours might require me to go back and rewrite a scene or two or a whole chapter. When this happens, I follow my instincts (and my characters) and trust that these changes will lead to an even better book in the end, even if it takes longer to get to THE END.
Sometimes the words just aren’t ready to be written. This usually means I need to go and do something else for a while—play with the dog, read other books, watch a good TV show … laundry. The words come eventually. Sometimes they just need to percolate.
Of course, life itself sometimes slows me down, too. I just try to take it all in stride—the ups and the downs—and do the best I can. That’s really all any of us can ask of ourselves. I hope you remember to be kind to yourself when you don’t hit a deadline or things don’t go as planned.
On another note, in honor of Black History Month, I thought I’d list a few of my favorite African-American authors—Maya Angelou, Octavia E. Butler, Ralph Ellison, Alex Haley, Zora Neale Hurston, Beverly Jenkins, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker. Their works range in genre from science fiction to romance, from historical fiction to poetry, and from literary fiction to biography. Who are some of your favorites?
Take care!