New Book

After working on the same subject for four years, the New Book feels so uncharted and fun and new and so, so... unwritten. New Book is another historical fiction--this time twentieth century--lots of new history to learn. I now see the infinite merits of writing another book set in the same period. But that ship has sailed. New Book is set in a period buzzing with innovation, communication, better records, photographs, shorter hemlines, living descendants, existing locations, telephones, telegrams, radio programs, ships, trains, planes, films, ferries and many, many books--yikes.

I am doing my timeline--my very big timeline. My timeline is taking me awhile and I can clearly see that I am fully capable of eating up the time I have allotted to write the book with just writing my timeline. No bueno.

I wanted to wait until the characters started to chatter in my head. But I think the characters, in real Pirandello style, are waiting for me to give them some lines. I think I will never feel fully prepared, or feel ready or sure about when to stop researching and when to start writing. I know from the first one that I will research my whole way through the writing process. I will still be researching in the editing process. I will be editing in the writing process. It will be a mess most days. Ok. The start whistle will never blow. The book fairy isn't going to leave it under my pillow. The only traffic light that will turn green is the one I build and set up in my mental intersection. Green light. Time to start.