So how’s the writing going?
People often ask me what I’m working on, or how the writing is going, or what I have coming up next. If it’s someone I know, then sure, I can give them the long answer, always keeping watch for the moment their eyes glaze over and they regret they ever asked.
But most of the time, I… can’t actually say anything.
This is not, I realise, what people want to hear. People love pinging their favourite authors online and they want to know what we’re up to. Which is, honestly, great! People are interested! We have readers! We have fans! They all want more! Hooray!
But there’s good reasons for the radio silence, whether I’m working on an original or an IP project (“original” kinda irks me, because it implies that IP [intellectual property] work is somehow not original, like crafting a compelling story within an existing universe like Star Wars or Doctor Who is just paint by numbers… but I digress).
If I’m writing an IP book (maybe I am? maybe I ain’t?), then… well, you know the drill. These projects are kept under wraps for so long that the book is often 99% done, if not actually already at the printers, by the times the news comes out. Not only are story details important to keep secret, but there are so many processes involved in the production chain, and so many people behind the scenes who need to see the book, edit it, provide notes and approvals, that it’s important all the ducks are in a row before anything is announced. These things are planned well in advance and for something as big as Star Wars, for example, it’s a very well-oiled machine.
For originals, it’s a lot simpler, because it’s usually only the author and their editor, plus publicity and marketing, who may (or may not) have a plan for announcements and reveals. If a book is announced, if a release date is set, if people know something is coming, then… sure. I can say I’m working on it, or have finished edits, or (an author’s favourite complaint) are being driven completely bananas by copyedits (although I’m always mildly bemused when Locus magazine publishes this kind of thing - “Ricken Hale has delivered the manuscript of The You You Are to his editor” - as news, because honestly, who cares?).
However, if you’re an author writing a book on spec (without a contract), it’s probably best to keep mum about the process. Some authors are more relaxed about this, but in general, everything you say about the book in public puts a timestamp on it. This becomes important when the book goes out on submission - now every editor/agent knows exactly when this happened, so if book fails to find a home and then goes out again six months for a second try, any potentially interested parties can quickly find out whether this red-hot manuscript is, in fact, something that every other editor/agent passed on ages ago. Again, maybe that’s important, maybe it isn’t. I get that this stage can be exciting and/or terrifying, but… ehh, there’s nothing wrong with keeping your powder dry.
Of course, it’s fair to assume that a writer - being a, erm, writer - is… writing something at any given time. And sure, people are interested, so writers (like me) like to talk about it sometimes.
The problem for me is that because I write both originals and IP, if I just say I’m writing a book, people can jump to conclusions and then it can get very tangled and even heated, sometimes. But if that book is an IP book that hasn’t been announced, then I can’t say anything about it at all anyway, so I couldn’t say anything more than “I’m writing a book” and leave it at that.
So with the above in mind and with all the usual caveats and without time-stamping anything and without giving anything about about IP projects - yes, hang in there, I’m nearly done, I told you this was all about nothing - I can say:
I’m writing a book. It’s an original.
Does that mean that’s all I’m writing? Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn’t.
You’ll just have to wait and see!
Mondays are for Substack
For various dull reasons nobody cares about, Mondays are big writing days for me, and I figured that a good way to warm up is with posting on Substack. If there’s anything people want to know, or ask, or would like me to talk about, let me know!
I'm very glad you gave that advice about spec stuff. You've me think twice about what behind the scenes/writer's process I put on my new twitter account about the novels/screenplays I'm working on...
Very cryptic! Whatever it is, I’m looking forward to it.