I’m reaching the end of a season of intense writing. It’s been so good because 14 months ago, I thought my writing days might be over. Then the floodgates opened and I’ve written four books under contract in less than a year. It’s been intense y’all!
It’s also been really fun.
But it’s meant I’ve had to pull out all of my tricks to make it work.
This current book I’m writing will be drafted from 0 words to 55,000 in three weeks…with everything else happening in life. The main way that is happening is because I have an incredibly detailed outline. I haven’t written this way in awhile, and I’d honestly forgotten how easy it makes life. I get to spend my time now making the scenes come to life and thinking about how it all flows rather than wondering what comes next.
It also means the discovery piece happened a couple months ago when I was getting ready to do the first macro edit of my prior book. If that sounds a little out of order, it’s because it is. My prior novel is the first in this next legal romantic suspense series and releases next May from Kregel publisher. This book I’m writing now is the prequel and will release in August (yes, this August) with a loose collection of books with other amazing romantic suspense authors. So this book comes first, but I’m writing it second.
That’s why I broke my more recent style and wrote an eight page outline — I had to know more of this story before I could attempt the macroedit for the next book. And now I’ll fix a few more things in that story based on what I’ve discovered writing this one.
I’ve also got spin off ideas churning in my mind based on a character who’s raised his hand in this novel. It could be a lot of fun to give him his own book. When my husband and I went out of town for a quick overnight last month, I got a three book idea, and this could be a bridge to that as well. I love it when my mind starts spinning with creative ideas that layer together like that.
So this is the fun and the intense work of writing. 10 days and 34,000 words. Now to squeeze 20,000 more words out in the next four. Wish me luck!
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Can’t wait to read all of them! My head is spinning just thinking about all that you’ve got going on. But God is good and will see you through it!
It’s a lot, but He is so good!
Wow, Cara! You’re amazing. I am such a slow writer I can’t even fathom writing 55,000 words in 3 weeks. I’m so glad you’ve found a set of stories to get you excited and get those words flowing. I know they’ll be great!
It’s been fun to have them flow and think they’re good. We’ll see what my editor says LOL — but the detailed outline has been an absolute gamechanger.
Ack! I need to be writing fast but not that fast. But here goes my attempt. Signing off the Internet and getting to work!
As soon as this is behind me, Robin, you and I will talk!
Oh my my! Sounds like you may need to go out of town more often!! I do this too and often find loads of inspiration in NYC. Funny how different towns/cities can have that effect of you. My problem is that I’ve never actually started any of the books that have been stirring in my heart. Not really sure where to begin or how to do it, I suppose. Can’t wait to read what you’ve been working on! So happy you pushed through and found the drive to carry these out! How fascinating!