A Lesson Learned

My new writing desk, what do you think?
Hopefully you love it because that will probably be my desk until May or June!

I am so embarrassed at myself right now.

I have read hundreds of books, listen to probably a hundred author interviews and podcasts, which all say you must write for yourself. I know that. I nod my head in agreement every time.

And yet I find myself casting my eyes downward every time someone asks me what I’m working on, when my next book is coming out.

I don’t know.

I enjoyed writing The End. It was fun for me. I loved the characters, I loved the subject matter, I loved delving into an unrealistic topic and creating a world out of it. I loved writing The End, and then I loved ending The End.

A lot of people asked about a sequel. My friends asked, my family asked, people I didn’t even know asked! I felt a bit of (friendly) pressure to start a sequel I'd never really intended to write.

I have never really been a fan of series or sequels until recently. I pretty much wanted to know what happened next after the first Pretty Little Liars book and opened myself back up to series again… but even still, there have been a lot of books read recently whose sequels just didn’t interest me. I have to really love a book to want to dig back into it once I’ve put the subject to rest.

I spent almost a year working on a sequel to The End, y’all. Just because people asked about it. I dreaded writing some days. I started to completely hate the characters I’d loved creating the first time around. I finished the book and felt nothing but disappointment. I felt the writing could have been better, the plot better, the new characters stronger… and in general, I hated it.

So this is for all of my writer-readers, all of my readers who have a cousin or a sibling or a neighbor who wants to write. This is for fellow bloggers, for novelists, for poets. This is the best and most common advice you’re going to receive. Ready?

Write for yourself.

Sigh.

In other news, Happy Valentine's Day! Ryan and I will be seeing the new Die Hard movie today (!!) and making googly eyes over popcorn and helicopter explosions. Do you have anything fun planned with your sweetie today?
Also, Hotels.com is offering a great three-hour sale today if you're in the mood for booking a trip!

Hotels.com: 3 Hour Sale! Save up to 50%! Book 2/14 from 11AM - 2PM CST, Travel by 3/28 Hotels.com Canada 3 Hour Sale! Save up to 50%! Book 2/14 from 11AM - 2PM CST, Travel by 3/28

Tweet

Pin It