Thursday 11 October 2007

And Breathe

Well it's been a long time since I blogged here but I thought that as this week I delivered novels to both my U.K and U.S publishers I'd take a moment to pause and breathe and have a little think.

It's been a pretty crazy wonderful year so far. Four books published, three in this country and one in the U.S.A and three books written, two for children and one for adults - a combined total of 250,000 words!

I know what you might be thinking, you might be thinking she writes all those books in one year? She can't be a proper writer, surely it takes years to write one book and there has to be angst and crying and drafts and redrafts to be truly creative?

And the truth of it is that there all of those things, but writing is not only my passion and my joy - it's my job. And when you sit down from nine to five, five days a week to write and often work the weekends too, you can pack a lot of angst and creativity in to your working week. You can get a lot done and know that it's the very best work that you can do.

Because if I have one rule about writing its that I always give it my one hundred percent very best effort, that I never turn anything in that I haven't laboured to make as perfect as I possibly can. Of course it never is perfect, there's always more to be done and discovered in a bid to write that perfect book. But that's what writing's all about isn't it?

10 comments:

NoviceNovelist said...

Hi Rowan - WOW comes to mind - what a fantastic writing year you've had - really glad I stopped by as you've inspired me to remember the 'lost' hours I could find in the week for writing. I have a full-time job but there are still a lot of hours left over for writing. Fantastic achievement!

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

WOW is exactly what I was goig to say too. Well done. Interesting to see the overlaps between your post and this week's 'coffee break' post over at the Novel Racers, too. Thanks for the inspiration!

Zinnia Cyclamen said...

Going. Aarrgghh.

Cathy said...

Very impressive output, Rowan! I'm struggling to find even a fraction of that motivation and dedication.

Caroline said...

Very impresssed honey - you're clearly a do-er! Writing is one big journey and one big exploration of creativity. I thought that I was doing well with one novel a year, but I tip my hat to you and wish you every success.
x

Unknown said...

Fantastic focus and what an inspiration to others!!! Hope your are going to blog more frequently now :-)

Helen Shearer said...

Hi Rowan. I was browsing through my local bookstore last night, clutching my Starbuck's, looking for something to snuggle up with on the first really cold night of fall. I happened to glance up at a display of girly reads and the first book my eye caught was a book called River Deep by...guess who! Needless to say, I snatched it up immediately and started it as soon as I got home. I'm only about fifteen pages in but I'm enjoying it immensely already.

Your output is amazing. I wish I could spend forty hours a week writing. I get about two hours a day in, but I've just cancelled my subscription to cable TV so I'm sure I'll write a whole lot more now.

Chris Stovell said...

Brilliant - I'm going to take a lesson from you. Congratulations on your achievements.

Helen said...

Great work. You've inspired me to sign up to nanowrimo to get cracking with a book idea I've had in my head for some time but thought I couldn't have two on the go. But why not?!

Brilliant...thanks!

Fiona Mackenzie. Writer said...

You are an inspiration! Well done.