round 2, but I’m still only 7,500 words into my second book, same as a month ago. My real-job is taking up all my working time and the children have insisted on a majority share of the remainder, leaving a little time in the evenings to unwind, sleep and do it all again the following day. On my current workload, I’ll be very busy up until the end of Sept, so for now the book will have to wait I’m afraid.
I’m determined to make some time in my next schedule to do at least three or four thousand words a week, hopefully even more.
This week I’ve been thinking on how to get a book started. So far I haven’t had too many issues in getting my story and plots together (I’ve already outlined the story for my first three books to my agents) I also haven’t had a problem in keeping it going once the story has begun; one plot event leads to the next and so on, until the dénouement.
It’s the getting started I’m struggling with. The first chapter has to be good or people will stop reading. I’ve ignored this issue with book two by just starting to write, getting into the story through some mediocre event, which got me into the flow. It’s like going swimming in a fast flowing river, the initial wading from the edge isn’t pretty but it gets you to where you need to be for the flow to take over.
Book 2’s opening chapter will definitely be revisited on completion of the first draft and is unlikely to survive a swingeing first edit.
Maybe this is why so many books start with a prologue. In this way we can write something exciting, which could almost be plucked from the body of the main text, without any real reference to the plot or time line or a long introduction of the characters. But also, maybe then the first ‘real chapter’ doesn’t need to shine quite so brightly. Or am I underselling the merits of the prologue?
TF.80
Current Reading: Harlan Coben – Caught
Malcom Gladwell – The Tipping Point
Current Listening: Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
The Gaslight Anthem – American Slang
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