Stopping work to write my book.

Last month I realised that I was in my 6^th year of writing my book. I was not overwhelmed with this news, I was appalled and embarrassed, especially when certain friends would ask me, ‘Are you still writing your book?’ Um, yes. 

The most humiliating of these queries came from the novelist David Nicholls, of ‘One Day’ fame. I had met him a few times at literary salons and book readings and when I went to a recent book signing, he remembered me and asked how my book was coming along. I was absolutely mortified and sort of stuttered out an answer of being too busy; probably the worst thing I could have said, judging by the look of disappointment on his face.

Time is the enemy of a novice writer. When I first thought about writing a work of fiction I thought I had plenty of time. I planned to write on my one day off each week (Mondays), I could write every weekend and I could write on holiday. Very quickly, I knew this approach wasn’t going to work. By the time I’d re-read what I’d written the previous Monday and got my head back into the story, my day was almost over. The weekends didn’t work either as one or other social event always trumped the writing, but when I took a week off, staying on my own in Wales or the Lake District, I would immerse myself fully with no distractions. Having that chunk of time made me focus. I churned out chapter after chapter on those breaks, only to return to my freelance design work and put the book to one side again.

So when I was made redundant at the end of September and decided to go away to Greece for a month, I knew this was the perfect chance to really get back into my book. I quickly got into a great routine, writing straight after breakfast and not finishing till early afternoon. I started falling back in love with my characters and I felt incredibly happy. Thinking about returning to England and beginning the job search again, filled me with despair. Design studios always get a bit quiet during October, November and December, so the prospect of finding work wasn’t good. Did I really need to put myself under all that stress and pressure or should I just take my time?

I gave it some proper thought over the last few days of my holiday. The redundancy could be a gift because, for the first time in my life, I was being presented with the perfect opportunity to write. Lockdown was looming so I would be pretty much housebound with very few distractions, the weather would be pretty appalling so staying inside wouldn’t be a problem, and most importantly, I was solvent enough to take 3 months off work.

So here I am in my new routine. I wake up around 7, meditate and do some sun salutations before breakfast, I then listen to the news. I start writing at 9 and keep going until at least 3pm, sometimes 4pm, yesterday it was 5pm. I have no breaks apart from loo breaks and I turn all social media, phone calls and messages off. I used to think my brain functioned better in the afternoons but oh no, my brain is pretty much mush later in the day. When I finally stop writing I go for a walk, usually in the woods, mostly alone. Getting out in nature has saved me during the pandemic. It also revitalises me. 

Since writing every day I have also found myself having conversations when I walk. Not with myself but between my characters. I don’t know whether it’s the space or not having a computer screen in front of me but I’ve come up with pages of dialogue and have to stop and record them on my mobile phone. I was doing this very thing a few days ago when a man on a bike rode passed and said, ‘I talk to myself in the woods too.’ He hadn't seen my phone but I didn’t correct him. I’ve found that as soon as you say the words, ‘I’m writing a book,’ the next questions is, ‘Oh, what’s it about?’. And then I’m stuck for 10 minutes giving a synopsis. I also used to think I would jinx myself if I told people the story before it was actually finished. But not anymore because I've come up with a short answer. 

My book is called Connie and Sam. Connie and Sam is a bittersweet comedy about love and friendship between two lost souls, and the series of coincidences that bring them together.