I've finished the first draft of my eighth novel!

Woo hoo! I'm delighted to report that I've finished the first draft of my eighth novel. I've blogged before about how difficult I've found writing this year, so this is a happy day for me. A long road still lies ahead before publication, as the editing process takes me ages! First, though, I need to set the manuscript aside for a while. This is so that when I start editing I have the benefit of distance, enabling me to spot errors, plot holes, etc., more easily.

What will I do in the meantime? After a short break, I'll work on plotting novel number nine. I have some ideas already, so it's a case of choosing one, then fleshing out the story. For me, plotting is the hardest part of the writing process. By nature, I'm a planner, but that doesn't work so well for my books. After a while, I itch to start writing and stop plotting. In addition, I often find that what seems a great idea at the plotting stage doesn't work so well in practice. I'm still developing the way I write, so it's all part of the learning process. I'll keep you posted as to progress with number eight!

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