I Can Write

I am writing! It's happening! I go to the library and sit at a table in a little room, and I write! Phew. I was definitely struggling a bit for a while, but finally I called my editor. Or had her call me. I think that's left over from the days of expensive long distance calls. Remember those? I don't normally do this during the initial writing process. I tend to plow through, get a few revisions in, and then I send the manuscript on in beautiful shape. But this new book has had me stuck for a while. I wouldn't say I had writer's block; I don't think I get that. I could write, but what I wrote wasn't going to magically meld itself into a cohesive story. So the call. It was incredibly helpful, and it was also really fun to hear Liz (the glorious editor of all five of my novels) respond to the ideas that I had about the book. It gave me all sorts of confidence that I didn't have just writing by myself. Is that why people work with writers groups? I'm not ready for that, but I can see now how getting some help along the way can be beneficial. Now it's just a matter of writing the dang thing. I get approximately two hours per day to work on the book; some days that is actually one hour and forty-five minutes when I write in my car as Romy's in preschool. Some days, it's less when I can't get to the library in time for my booked space. And sometimes, well, I just can't get myself into the writing mode immediately when the bell rings and I am forced to use that tiny amount of time to BE CREATIVE. It will be interesting to see how this book turns out. But who cares about this next book? Have a Nice Day comes out in ONE WEEK! I hope someone out there is excited!