I’m in that stage in writing a book where I’m completely obsessed. It’s all I think about. While I’m doing the dishes, I think about how to tweak lines of dialogue. While I’m eating dinner with my husband, I’m planning what to write next. While I’m trying to have a nice little coffee date with a friend, I’m giggling about the scenes I wrote. While I’m walking the dog, I’m working out new paragraphs (and, if I am good and have remembered, speaking them into my voice recorder).
A lot of people emailed me the other day about the Harper Collins reorganization. I read the news on Publisher’s Marketplace and Gawker, but honestly, I’ve been so consumed by my book that I only heard about this late Tuesday afternoon when my critique partner IMed me about it. This is my second publisher in three months to experience a similar shuffle, with publishers leaving, imprints being dismantled, etc. When it happened to Random House in December, I was especially shocked, as I’d literally just returned from seeing my editor in New York. I am so sorry for those who have lost their jobs, editors, or imprints as a result of this reorganization.
As an author, there is little one can do in such a situation other than keep writing. My new book for Harper is still due in a few months. Tap & Gown is still being released in May. My secret project is barrelling along. I’ve got a new secret story coming out at the end of the week. This is a dual-pronged attack. The only way I can materially affect whether or not I have a book coming out is to write a book. Everything else — if a publisher buys it and releases it — is sadly out of my hands. Also, if I’m writing, I get into this absent-minded professor mode, where I really can’t think of anything else but this book.
I will be honest: this was not advice I followed in December. Rather, I wallowed but good. Didn’t write for ages. Grew a bit pessimistic about my future in this career. I haven’t spoken about this, but it was pretty pathetic. And all the encouragement, and — when that failed — friendly slaps across the face from friends really didn’t do much to snap me out of my funk. My battle against my own latent pessimism is an ongoing project. Writing helps. Being really, really excited about my writing helps a lot.
Cuddling Rio is also highly beneficial.
February 12th, 2009 at 9:35 am
[...] about Gawker as of February 12, 2009 Writing Writing Writing – dianapeterfreund.com 02/12/2009 I’m in that stage in writing a book where I’m completely [...]
February 12th, 2009 at 10:25 am
Sorry you were in a funk in December. But I think you have the “write” attitude now, lol. So few things in life that we can control — makes sense to focus on those, rather than worry about the things we can’t.
Glad to hear your “secret project” is moving along so well — can’t wait ’till you announce what it is you’re working on now.
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February 12th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I think December is a tough month with holidays and such anyway. I went running around looking for someone to slap me out of it in late November. The slap worked and I stopped whining and feeling bad, but didn’t really do anything until late January.
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February 12th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Funny, mine is here now. I’ve had the hardest time working on my book.
Really glad to hear you’re out of yours and writing again.
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February 12th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
I’m sorry that you were in a writing slump in December, but it helps to know that it happens to published writers as well. Like you, when I am working on a book, I’m obsessed and think about my chracters and scenes constantly. If I’m not working, it’s what I want to be doing. It’s always on my mind, and new stories are brewing as well.
Right now though, for the first time in four years, I have no desire to write, and I’m sad about it. I don’t know if it is the month of February, the many bleak blog posts by agents talking about the current state of publishing and how it is now even more difficult for first time authors to get a deal, that I am too busy preparing for a half-marathon, that my kids and family are keeping me busy, or simply the fact that I am reading like a maniac. All I know is that for right now, I just …can’t do it. Can’t drag myself out of it. It makes me sad, but I do think it will pass, and like I said, it’s encouraging to know that others get in the slump.
Thanks for this post!
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February 13th, 2009 at 12:39 am
Next time I will slap you harder!
Congrats on having a fabulous new project!
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