Thursday, August 23, 2007

We have a Winner! (And new beginnings)

I'd like to announce that the winner of the ARC of Debrah Williamson's PAPER HEARTS is Marcy!

Marcy, when you read this, e-mail me at info @ maureenmcgowan.com (spaces removed of course) and we'll figure out how to get you your ARC. There may be a short delay in you receiving it due to an emergency on Debrah's end, but we'll make sure we get it to you one way or the other.

On other news... I'm starting a new project. Or to be more accurate, trying to decide between two (or more) projects I've bandied about for a while. I have two short listed right now... And I'm trying to flush one of them (the scarier/more challenging one) out to see if I really have a story I know how to tell.

I find this stage of the writing process both terrifying and fun. I think much of the terrifying part has to do with my commitment issues... partially revealed to the masses (the masses being the thirty or so people who read by other blog) on this post . While the commitment issues discussed in that post had to do with furniture, I think the same fear translates to writing.

But maybe it's not a fear of commitment. Maybe it's a fear of making a huge mistake. (Or are those the same thing???) I discovered doing my last project that I may not be as fast a writer as I thought I was. Although perhaps this new project will get me back on the fast-writing track. (She said hopefully.) Or at least out of the super-slow lane. So, because of this slow-writing thing, taking on a new project is a huge investment of time--time that may end up proving fruitless should the book never sell. Okay not fruitless. I don't need that lecture. But you know what I mean...

So, before I start actually writing pages for my next project I want to feel good about the story. I want to feel like I'm at least 60% sure it's actually going to work, (I don't think I'd be challenging myself if I picked something I was 100% sure about), and I want to feel like it might have a chance of being marketable, too. (And I don't even want to think about the will-it-be-a-good-follow-up-to-either-of-the-projects-my-agent-already-has should-either-of-them-sell question.)

So, scary times for Maureen...

Do you like starting new projects? I have a few writer friends and CP's who seem to do four books a year and I am so, so jealous of this.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Maureen,

Thank you for sharing your angst over your next project. My problem is pushing on to the end and getting that novel done. It helps to hear what other writers go through during the process and how they overcome obstacles.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with your new project Maureen. It's an exciting time so enjoy the process!

Nancy

Molly O'Keefe said...

I do like the beginning - the key is just letting go and writing instead of second guessing every scene turn or change -- and that's hard.

Maureen McGowan said...

Samara

My problems are usually at the beginning and somewhere in the middle where I start to think it's all fallen apart and question the project's worthiness again.

Once I push past that, I can normally finish. Now, I do have completion issues for most other things in my life. LOL.

Anonymous said...

Oh, darling...
I know the solution to your fear of making a big mistake,
ya gotta make a HUGE mistake,
so huge that all else pales in comparison,
then you'll never have that fear again.

And yes, I'm talking from experience. LOL
In hindsight, best thing that ever happened to me.
So freeing.

Anonymous said...

I love the beginnings.. it's the middle that's the hard part for me.

But the angst is universal..

Marcy said...

Yippee! I won? Can't wait to get my hands on this book. It sounds fabulous.

Maureen, I sent you an email with my info.

Marcy (very, very happy!)

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