I actually managed to catch an intelligent interview with an author on the 24 hour news the other day (There was a 15 minute gap between sports…)
It was an utterly fascinating interview with Claire Morrall, author of The Roundabout Man. She talked about a lot of issues with writing, including that zeitgeist moment when a lot of writers start writing about the same issues at the same time and you suddenly start worrying that everyone is going to think you copied each other!
But what stuck with me was when the interviewer said that The Roundabout Man was her fourth book, but the first to get published, and asked if having the other three books rejected had discouraged her?
She said no, not really, because as soon as one book had been finished, and was being sent around the agents/publishers, she was writing the next one. She was never just sitting at home, waiting for an acceptance, she was always writing.
I like this way of working. That way all your hopes and dreams aren’t pinned on the one book, and when the rejections come in, you can tell yourself ‘well, this book I’m working on now will be much better!’. Your hope and spirit are kept going.
I think it helps to keep the momentum going if instead of concentrating all your thoughts and energies on the book you’ve just written, you concentrate mostly on the next one you’re writing. Just spare a little for the constant round of agent hunting, letter writing, printing out and trips to the post office.
