Years ago, when our son was little, my sister-in-law lived in Memphis. She invited us to visit and bring our son to a mall with a carousel inside. We had a nice visit and our young son loved the carousel. On the way out of the mall, a cute guy with long hair and an Italian accent tried to beckon us to his kiosk. “May I straight your hair?” He asked. My sister-in-law and I had spent hours putting curl into our straight hair and didn’t take him up on his offer.
But inspiration struck for a book. The man became a French artist instead of an Italian hair straightener. Because I took two years of French in high school to satisfy the foreign language credit to graduate. And the setting became Galveston since I married a Texan and I love the beach. At the time, I had half a dozen unpublished novels. I was busy studying writing and editing techniques, so I could revise the books I’d written into something publishable. I didn’t take time to write the new book.
Once I got my first contract five or six years later, my life turned into a calendar of deadlines with a publisher the French guy wouldn’t fit. But the six books I’d completed before I signed a contract weren’t publishable. I ended up rewriting four of them under contract. One of the others is romantic suspense, which I stink at. And one is longer length and needs polished before it can be submitted. I put my French guy on the back-burner of my mind. But he was always there beckoning me to write his story. In the midst of eleven back to back new books, I thought about him, mentally wrote his story, found time to type the synopsis, and promised him I’d write it one day.
Eight years and fifteen published books later, for the first time since I became published, I don’t have a contract. I really needed a brain rest and took advantage of it. But the time lengthened since my editor left. It took my publisher a while to find a new editor and when they did, she was inundated. I have a proposal in now, but I’m still waiting. In the meantime, I’ve done nothing.
Since 1999, when I decided I wanted to write a book, I haven’t gone over a month or two without writing. I wrote half a dozen novels with no contract and just a hope that they’d someday get published. But now, I can’t seem to bring myself to write a book that may never see the light of day without a contract. I can’t seem to get out of summer mode and back to writing every day. I’ve painted my office, sewn curtains, petted my cat, done laundry, cleaned my house, watched Hallmark movies, read books, and swam. Everything but write.
I’ve taught seminars at writing conferences about not doing what I’ve done this entire year – procrastinate. My French guy book is longer length. And since I’m not published in longer length, I have to finish it. Maybe I’m afraid I can’t write longer length. But I know I can since I have a completed 80,000 word manuscript. I’ve gone back and forth on whether to polish the one I already have or write the French guy. Usually, when I can’t decide what to write, one of my projects will start bothering me. Not this time. So this last week, I looked at my Pinterest Boards for both books.
Guess what? The French guy has started bugging me again. And I figured out that the completed book needs to be 2nd in the series. Today, I plan to start Beau’s story. Whether I’m in the mood or not, whether he’s still bugging me or not, whether I’m inspired or not. I’m just going to write – no matter what. It may stink at first, but I can fix it later. And probably about the time I really get going on the story, I’ll get a contract for my shorter length books. But I’m still going to finish his story.
The sprinkling of pictures is from my Pinterest Board, which is currently private. I keep them private until the book gets published. My heroine is a former English as a Second Language Instructor and current English Instructor at Galveston College. My hero is a French Art Instructor there. Their paths collide when he needs help with his broken English to communicate with his students.
And of course, he’ll ask, “May I sketch your likeness?” The two will end up going on a quest that will have painful ramifications for both of their families. I love having pictures for inspiration and scene ideas. I have the models picked out for my characters too. He’s even cuter than the long ago Italian hair straightener at the Memphis mall and the weirdly dressed artist in the picture above. And I have a confession, I still hot roll my hair.
So tell me: Do you have any projects you’ve put on the back burner for several years? I’ll give a copy of book one in my Texas Cowboy series, Reuniting with the Cowboy to one commentor.
This sounds like a great plot, and I look forward to hearing more about them!!
I love your tenacity, best of luck with the writing!!
So fun! I hope you have the best time writing your French guy story :)
Hi Shannon! Thanks for sharing your writing journey and how you find ideas for your storys’ characters. As a retired German and English teacher, who has taught all grade levels including college, I am delighted that the heroine is a ESL teacher. I taught several ESL classes. I learned English as a Second Language. I chuckled at your summer actives. My procrastination is cleaning house. One project I’ve put on the back burner for several years is to sort through my teaching material and books (been retired six years). Another is to write our family history. Best wishes and happy writing.
Hi Shannon:) That ‘waiting place’ is not always an easy place! I hope that your French guy story progresses well- keep at it:) I teach English, most of my students’ parents do not speak English (or very basic English if they do), so it’s very cool that your heroine is an ESL teacher.
Blessings:)
Yes, scrapbookimg! I want my photos to be seen, not buried in my phone, but right now I am over 3 years behind on that project!
Thanks for telling your story and the French/Italian guys’ stories. It was fun and I’m sure “may I sketch your likeness?” would make many of us swoon … who wouldn’t want to hear that?! ;)
These stories sound great! I am terrible at any projects because I would rather be reading! lol
Having read different snippets of your French guy story (benefit of being a critique partner!), I say “It’s about time to finish it!” And you know I’ll gladly read it when you’re done. :)
I have a couple of stories that have sat on the back burner for a few years. One of them several years because I was told it wasn’t plausible. Then a few months ago I read an article in our local paper that talked about nearly the exact type of incident. Gotta stop listening to those naysayers!
I just want to say I admire all authors it’s hard for me to even put two words together.
Has anyone told you about the bright side of indie publishing, gurl??? Come on over, the water’s warm!
Enjoy getting back to writing for the pure joy of creation. :)
My tenacity has been lacking Paula. But that ends today.
Thanks Elizabeth. This will be the first book I’ve written just because I want to in 8 years.
Hey Renate,
I hate cleaning house. Me using that to procrastinate is just sad. I hope you get everything sorted and your family history written. Family history can be so precious for future generations.
Thanks Wemble. I plan to have a lot of fun with his broken English.
I worked really hard at getting all our photos in albums after our son was born. But eventually I fell behind. And then I felt guilty. I finally gave up and bought a bunch of pretty decorative boxes for photo storage. I can’t imagine being organized enough to scrapbook. I love looking at other people’s scrapbooks though.
Yes, the Memphis Italian guy was pretty swoony. My husband still teases us about him.
Reading is a very worthy pursuit, Susanne. I have really enjoyed that. With all the deadlines over the last several years, I lost valuable reading time, so I guess I made up for it this year.
I’ve dragged critique partners around with this story, haven’t I Brenda? I’m glad to know you’re not sick of it :)
I’ve come to understand that everything is plausible. I’ll gladly read your back burners when you finish them too.
Thanks Brenda. Sometimes I have trouble putting two words together too.
I have thought about it, Valerie. I always feel like a need a bigger name before I give it a whirl. I’ve thought about trying it with my backlist once enough of the rights revert back to me to make a collection.
Does cleaning out your closet count? Mine’s a mess! I’m sorry you’re struggling with your writing, but I think your “take charge” and do it today attitude will get your words flowing once again.
Hi Shannon! Thanks for sharing your journey with us. Yeah, I have a project that I’m working on and it’s building a terrace attachemnt to my house. Unfortunately it’s money dependable and it’s been dragging for too long now. Hopefully, we’ll start building next year.
I’d love to read about that French guy. I, also, took two years of French in HS.
My procrastinating project is sewing for my new Grandson. Also cleaning out my closet with sewing stuff. Back burner project is my making beaded jewelry. I sold a lot when I lived in St. Louis. No market where we retired to. No, don’t suggest the internet, not my thing.
I did manage to put all my owned physical books on notecards . It took me two days til I ran out of cards. Now I have a box for read and unread and I re-organized my overflowing shelves.
Hope to read your book soon.
I picked a terrible week to take charge. My friend and I are going to check out the new Hobby Lobby 30 mins from our town. Yay!!!! On Thursday, a writing friend is passing through town, so I’m meeting with her. Yay!!!! And Friday my cousin and her husband will arrive. Yay!!!! I will write in between though. And next week is pretty uneventful.
Don’t mention closets. I have a really scary one. I go in there to do something and it overwhelms me, so I leave.
I feel for you, Irma. We did a major remodel last year and did much of the work ourselves. Talk about unfinished touches that need to be done. Mostly moulding. We’re planning to tackle it this fall when it’s cooler though. The work is inside, but the cutting boards has to happen outside.
You’re braver than me, Paula. I don’t sew clothes. Only home decor. If you make a pucker with home decor, it usually won’t matter. Curtains and bedskirts are supposed to pucker and gather. Clothes frustrate the life out of me.
We have a former closet that needs to be transformed into a laundry and sewing room. The washer and dryer have always been in a nook in the hallway. I want them in a room with a door, so I can dry jeans at night without the clunking metal button keeping me awake.
I always thought jewelry making would be fun. And I’m very impressed with your organization on your books. I am so not organized.
Shannon, I have so many things that I procrastinate on. I have clothes that need mending, papers that need shredding (and that’s always visually apparent because it’s clutter and messy), and I have an embroidery project I started in the late ‘70s. I used to be very project oriented with lists, but major injuries have made my life slower paced. One of my dreams years ago was writing children’s books. And that’s not happening either. I’m okay with it all.
I hope things go smoothly as you start to write Beau’s story and that the words start flowing. I have really been having trouble getting out of summer mode this past week too, so I feel your pain.
I’m a world-class procrastinator. If it were an Olympic event I would win the gold easily. The French guy book sounds interesting though so get motivated! Lol.
My husband has a shirt that’s been missing a button for a year. It’s one of his favorites, but I’ll probably have to buy a whole new package of buttons rather than try to match the remaining ones. And I can’t remember to look at buttons when I go to the store.
I used to cross stitch, but I never enjoyed it, so I quit. I can crochet too and used to do a lot of it. But once I started writing, it fell by the wayside.
I’ll be the first to say getting published isn’t easy. But I hate for you to let the children’s book dream die. But if you’re okay with it, I am too.
School started here on August 13th, so I’m really lagging. But so far today, I’ve streamlined Beau’s synopsis and changed some things about it. I have 123 pages of his story, so next I’ll revise that, then get going on it.
I’d fight you for the gold in that event. I’m working on it.
I have photos from 5 years ago that I have yet to put in albums!
I like the French guy. My grandmother came from France in her 20s. Since we’ve relocated and retired, I’ve been getting sewing projects caught up that had been sitting for years. I’m also altering jacket, hemming pants for my daughter and son in law. I’ve sewn dresses and pajamas for grandchildren. Our new house has a bedroom that is my sewing room, so for the first time all my sewing supplies are in one place!!!
Putting a scrapbook together for each of my children. I finished about 5 pages for the first child and now he’s fourteen. Didn’t even start the others….
I finally told myself it’s okay to keep them in pretty boxes and I feel no guilt.
How fun to have a French grandmother. I understand completely. I don’t sew nearly as much as I would if I didn’t have to drag out the sewing machine and all the supplies every time. I’m looking forward to my sewing nook in the future laundry room. Hopefully, we’ll get to that this fall. You’re really getting a lot done. Look at you go.
That’s the way my scrapbooking would go, if I attempted it. We had several ladies have a scrapbooking party at church. I went and watched them.
Yes…I’ve been crocheting the same afghan for 4 years. It seems to be on the back burner!
I crocheted an afghan entirely out of granny squares once. It was pretty, but really heavy. I ended up giving it to a friend. That was before I had a child, before I started writing, and when my husband worked nights, so I was home alone a lot.
I am always looking for new authors to read. This book sounds like the kind I enjoy reading.
I’m going to finish it Joye. I got the synopsis reworked today. Which got me back into the story and I changed things I’ve had new ideas about since I wrote it. Wednesday, I’ll tackle the first 3 long ago written chapters. Once I do that, I’ll get busy with the rest of the story.
And once I finish it, if I don’t find a publisher, I might go the self-publishing route.
I have wanted to write the story of my son’s short life and death. I want others to know that you can survive and eventually be at peace.
Oh Kerrie, that sounds like something that needs to be written. I’m glad you survived and found peace.
I had an afghan I was cross-stitching. I would work on it a while them out it up. It took me about 6 years, but I finally finished it.
Wow, I would never finish a cross-stitched afghan. You are incredibly persistent. I’m impressed.
I have all kinds of projects on the back burner, a story on my computer, manuscripts stuck in boxes,my genealogy in boxes,on computer.
This is years of procrastination.
I’ve been wanting to write a book, but I’ve been afraid to start.
I’ll finish my French guy and you finish your story and polish your manuscripts. Deal, Linda?
Don’t be afraid, Chanel. Christian writers are some of the most encouraging people I know. Find a writers’ group. I don’t know what I’d do without my critique partners.
Great post! Thank you for sharing! I would love to finish scrapbooks for my kids one day… hopefully soon lol
Natalya, you’re a better woman than me. I love looking at other people’s scrapbooks, but I know I will never do it. My pictures will be in pretty boxes until the end of time.
sounds like a great read thank you for the chance I need to get my fall clothes out and put my summer things away I will get it done tomorrow lol need to clean my drawers out been putting it off !
Sounds great Sarah. Glad I encouraged you.
I revised my synopsis and plumped it up today. I have plans with a friend tomorrow and Wednesday. But Thursday, I’m going to go over the 3 chapters I wrote forever ago and then get going to finish.
A never ending story, right :)
Exactly :)
That’s the problem with technology…they are all on computer nowadays and you can’t even show them or see in the album…so sad
So true. I have so many pictures in the camera, on the phone, in the computer. I need to get them all out. But there are so many, it’s overwhelming.