This month’s blog provides an update on my writing progress and a few tips for handling the dreaded ‘Writer’s Block’ which was threatening me earlier this year.
I am officially half way through DI Joanne Christie book number 5 and have made a commitment to write a chapter per week so that it will be completed before the end of October and published later in the year. I mentioned on an earlier blog that the novel comes from a short story that I wrote, that was due to be published in an anthology, before the publishers decided to close their business. I was really proud of the story, a locked room mystery set in Ireland and had been thinking of an alternative way of getting it out.
I had considered changing it to a DI Christie short story and publishing it separately, however, when I rediscovered the story, I started to think about other elements that I could add to the story involving the other characters in the DI Christie series. As these thoughts began to evolve, I knew I had the main thread of the 5th book. I’m quite structured in my length planning, so I usually know how long a book will be and how many chapters it will contain before I start. Hence, I know that I am half way there and now starting the descent of the novel writing mountain.
Part of this planning helps my own writing process, which certainly took a bump earlier in the year following a difficult period. Sometimes, other things are more important than writing and it took me a while to get back into this novel. In recent months I have managed that and have set myself a specific goal to aid that. I’m not sure if it was Writer’s Block exactly, but my tried and tested methods helped me get back on track. As such, I wanted to share how I plan a novel to help me get through the process and perhaps help others who are suffering during their own process.
1 – HAVE A GOOD OUTLINE
Before you start, have a good outline for your novel. Some authors take this to the extremes and have tens, if not hundreds of pages of notes. I’ve not always done this as much as I do now. When I wrote Five Against One, I had no idea who the killer was until I was nearly finished. I like to leave some room for creativity, as sometimes the best ideas happen during the process. More often than not nowadays, I know who the killer is at the start, as it helps with planning red herrings and leaving breadcrumbs for the reader.
2 – BREAK THE NOVEL DOWN TO CHAPTERS AND SCENES
As part of the planning process, I know how many chapters I will write and how long each chapter is roughly. With this word count in mind, I know that each chapter is made up of one very long scene, a couple of longer scenes or a series of shorter scenes. When I am writing my novel, I have two sections that I keep at the bottom of the manuscript document. One is ‘Plot Outline’ where I keep notes of the general plot and add to this as the novel progresses and ‘Next Scenes’ where I note what scenes are coming up. I find this second section helps eliminate Writer’s Block as if I’m not sure where a story is going, I just focus on the next scene. For example, I may have written that the autopsy results are due at a certain time or a particular witness or suspect needs to be interviewed. Having a few future scenes planned helps you move the story forward and, as you write these scenes, others will form in your mind or arise through the story.
3 – TAKE A BREAK
Sometimes a scene just will not progress, regardless of how much you try and force it. If you find yourself staring at the flashing cursor for longer than is healthy, then it’s time for a break. Grab yourself a coffee, go for a walk or just leave it until the next time you plan to write. When taking that break, think what you want to achieve in the scene, or how it can link up to the next scene. Alternatively, think of something major that could happen that will shock the reader. Raymond Chandler’s advice was “when in doubt, have a man come through a door with a gun in his hand”.
4 – HAVE A TEST READER
I’ve spoken often about my writing brother and test reader, Craig ‘Brodie’ Simpson. Since my debut novel, Alive, was being written, I have shared my WIP with him during the writing process. I don’t tend to change my novels much from the first draft and he makes sure the story makes sense. I generally polish the manuscript during revisions, but the main story tends to stay the same (unless I make a major error, which hasn’t happened yet – to my knowledge!). I do this by sending him the manuscript at the end of every second chapter. This also helps in the process for two main reasons. Firstly, he is waiting patiently for the update and secondly, his positive feedback motivates me to press on. Of course, this may backfire if at any time in the future if he thinks what I am writing sucks.
5 – ENJOY THE PROCESS
Not many of us are fortunate enough to write as their full time jobs. As such, most of us do this for the enjoyment of writing, or that buzz you get when you sell some books, or someone leaves a kind review. For me, just having the opportunity to talk to readers, who have read one of my novels, about the story, gives me a great sense of pride and achievement. If you are struggling, remember you are here to enjoy it. Don’t be afraid to leave a WIP and start something different, or take an extended break from it. Try writing a short story with a different set of characters or even in a different genre. If the story is right, you’ll come back to it – usually with some new and improved ideas.
Thanks again for reading this blog. Hopefully it has been insightful and helpful if you do dabble in the joys of writing. Please remember to subscribe to the blogs, so you get notified each time I post. The DI Christie novels are available via the Books tab as usual.
Ross Alexander Writer 