Sometimes, if you take a break from your current WIP for an extended period of time, you lose focus on it. The next time you sit down it becomes hard to recapture the tone, the pace, the perspective on the work that you had when you started it. This can sometimes be especially true for those who write series, between books. This is what I’m struggling with now.
The first book in the series was so much fun to write, and I had all the time in the world to play with it, make it fun and exciting and frankly just wing it. That one was a phenomenal success. Now, faced with the daunting task of writing the second, having taken a few months off to write two other books (one a part of another series, the other a stand alone) I find myself struggling to make this one meet and, to some degree, exceed the first.
The problem is tone and perspective. There is a particular mix of chaos and complexity to the first thriller that made it so popular, the sense of not knowing what was going to happen next. But also a sort of Romancing The Stone pseudorealism to the action, things a little too fantastical or whimsical to ever happen in real life, but still fun to read. That’s what I want to recapture in the sequel, while upping the stakes.
Here is how I got past the block.
First, I reread the first book, taking notes on things that I might revisit in the second book. Not just big things but little things that might make the reader chuckle to see reprised. Then I outlined the second book. While I’ve sometimes done this in the past, I usually just wing it. In this case it was absolutely essential that I outline the book, to help me with pacing. Lastly I watched several of my favorite pseudorealist action movies; the aforementioned Romancing The Stone, The Man With One Red Shoe, Knight and Day, the Indiana Jones flicks, etc.
When it’s time to write, I set my Pandora to music conducive to the mood I want to cultivate, certainly not brooding or mellow, but not hard and driving rock either. Something strong, but also quick and exciting. For me, often, soundtracks to other movies help.
Lastly, I sit and before I touch the keyboard, I take a brief moment of meditation, wiping my mind of any ancillary concerns or stresses, concentrate on the feelings I want to put on paper. Then I write. I don’t stop, I don’t take breaks, I don’t go back and edit myself. I write. I push away any other thoughts that may stray in, and I keep writing, building a momentum that will hopefully stay with me when I do walk away from it for a meal or whatever.
I know I’m doing it right if I find it hard to walk away, if even when eating or running errands or watching TV, I keep thinking about my book and feeling excited about what I’m writing, eager to get back to it.
So that’s what works for me. Let me know if this helps you, too.
Great ideas. I wish I had had them when I started my current book, which was a continuation of action that I wrote two years ago with a prequel in between.
My process is similar, Kevin. I think that’s why retreats are so effective–immersion in the story (and series) makes everything easier. Thanks for sharing!
Always open to new ideas. Thanks!
I have two series I hope to go back to some day. I keep your suggestions in mind. Thanks!
I came up against the same problem for my 3rd mystery. It simply didn’t feel like it had the same punch as the first two. I did a lot of what you suggest, but I also tried stepping aside and putting myself in my lead character’s shoes, asking, “What would Angie do? How would she feel about that?” It helped me get back into her voice and moved the plot along nicely.