The Long Drop

I'm facing one of the most unpleasant moments in the life of this humble scribbler.

It's second only to the dreaded writer's block.  I've come to think of it as the long drop, and it's the point at which you part company with a major piece of work.

How best to explain it?  Well, probably like this -

I think of writing as all about relationships, with the author at the centre. I have relationships with my agent and publishers, my characters, and most of all my readers.  And with every new book, or other big writing project I get involved in, I come to have a relationship with that, too. 

It's often little different to falling in love. 

You find an idea you like - it comes upon you, or you just meet up.  You spend some time with it, and the fondness grows.  And then it matures into the knowledge that the initial idea can become a book. 

You spend many months planning it, and then even more months writing it.  And so, when you reach the end of all that, and it's done... you can feel lost without it.  You get used to having it around, thinking about it every hour, and suddenly it's all over, and you're wondering how you're going to cope without it.

Am I sounding melodramatic?  Perhaps, yes, but that's the best way I can think of to try to describe the feeling.  It's happened with every big piece of work that I've undertaken, from books to play to teaching sessions.

I'm now getting to that dreaded stage with the new tvdetective novel I'm working on.  The first draft is almost complete, there's just one chapter left to write, and I can feel the separation looming.  And I very much don't care for it.

There are lots of other bits of work about to occupy me - plenty of talks and teaching, as well as thinking about some other writing I want to start sketching out the ideas for.

But, in the next few days, the love of my life (for the last few months, anyway) will be leaving me.  Until that is, we're reunited, when it comes time for the editing.  But that's never as exciting as the first time we got together.

Oh dear, now I am going on.  Maybe I should start writing romance?  But, then again...

Finally then, before I depart to contemplate the looming of the long drop, a choice of tune for this blog. Today, I'm going for Knockin' on Heaven's Door, because it's a great song, and because I'm in that kind of mood.  Everyone say - aaaaahhh!

And lastly, finally, (I promise this time), I've been booked for a few rather interesting events in the next month or two. Keep an eye on the News page, if you're interested, and when I've finished dropping I shall duly post them - www.thetvdetective.com/news.html