Samhain Publishing

I’m closing in on finishing a book. Now each book has its own unique process. But nevertheless I do think a writer often develops recognizable patterns in their writing of a book.

This can be helpful. For example, when you’re two-thirds of the way through a book and you realize that you’re absolutely stuck and don’t see how you’re going to continue, let alone reach the end and…well, what if you actually can’t write an ending? And the last few months of writing has all been for naught?

But then you recall that these fears and this being stuck at two-thirds has happened with at least the previous three books you’ve written. And you think, phew. Of course, you also still wonder how the heck you’re going to get to the end, but at least you think you will.

Eventually you, that is I, wrote the end of the current wip. But the last third is now thin and frantic and low quality and needs massive work. But, yeah, that’s how I usually write first drafts of my endings. So, phew. Now I’m working on making it better, and this feeling that I won’t be able to finish the book is, thankfully, gone.

So, in my process, endings are hard hard hard. Which means by the time I’m finishing a book, I am more than ready to start the next one. Because, generally, I love writing openings, and middles are fun. As long as allow myself to write rolling first drafts.

If all goes as planned, I should have a new book out in the fall. It’s a cat shifter book, my first, and I had a lot of fun with it. In fact, I think I may write more of them, without entirely giving up my werewolves.