Okay, y’all. It’s time to face facts. I am officially in that odd period right after the release of a new book. I’ve totally lost my writing groove.
The last month or so leading up to publication of a new book is nuts and very intense. I spend that time thinking of nothing but the book and trying to get it ready for readers’ eyes. I spend hours pouring over edits and getting things as right as I can. Usually I’m on a fairly tight timeline. Self-imposed – yes, I know – but if I didn’t give myself deadlines like that, my books would never see the light of day.
Then, all of a sudden, that phase is done. The book is out. I go through the next intense phase of marketing the book. Announcements, setting up book tours, wrapping up my month-long contest, etc. This phase is intense for only a few weeks.
Once all of that is done, it’s time to get back into writing. But that 4-6 week break means that I’m out of my groove. At the moment, I’m trying to get into a roll on Black Orchid – the last of the Svatura series of books. I have it all storyboarded. I have the first 20 pages or so written. But most of that was written before I hit the intense phases with Crimson Dahlia.
I’m trying to get back to my regular habit. I try to always write about three pages a night. That’s my minimum. I often end up writing more once I really get moving. But right now, I’m lucky if I get a single paragraph on paper. Ugh! So dang frustrating. My Mom says I should just take a break. But I feel like I have been – from writing at least – for the last six weeks. And if I want to release in February, I gotta get a move on.
So here’s hoping I find that grove soon! I know it’ll come. Just gotta push through this block.
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