Writing

While I am not yet a famous, successful author I am very much enjoying the support from my friends and family, and indeed THEIR friends, surrounding my first book. With little to no money to put into any kind of advertising I am very much relying on spamming Facebook and word of mouth from those who have already bought and read it.

I am working on my next book though, which is also very exciting because I feel like I have learned a lot from my first attempt and I feel I can comfortably bring that knowledge over to this book. I am going for a crime/thriller this time around and I hope to have it the length of a full, proper novel. I am happy with its direction so far, but I always worry I wont meet the word count.

Reading other books in similar genres is of course incredibly useful since I can learn what sort of things work as filler, and extra content for the book, without waffling on about something completely irrelevant to the main plot. Ideas for twists and turns, side plots and sequels! I feel I have a good story, I just have to hope I can put it all into words, and not leave anything left unanswered by a huge plot hole.

I'm pleased with how my reading journey has blossomed since the passion came back a little while ago. I've got books on my bookshelf, audible and a Kindle again now! Soon my bookshelf will indeed be just that, not just a shelf covered in dust and tat. I often wonder though if BUYING books and actually READING them are two separate hobbies. I just desperately want to fill up my shelf, but I try to hold back and actually read the ones I have first, sometimes unsuccessfully though. But reading, and just having the passion for books again, is definitely helping with the writing, naturally.

It's an undertaking for sure, but I enjoy my quiet writing time by myself, letting the characters write the story, I just type it out. I often get so carried away with their life that I forget I'm in fact the author and can indeed make decisions on where this story is going to go. But, I let them lead me, take me where they want to go, because it is their story after all.