When my May 2022 copy of Writing Magazine dropped through my letterbox, I felt one article had been written primarily for me. The article, ‘The shock of the (shiny and) new’ by Gary Dalkin, talks about how to cope with writing one novel when a new idea pops into your head about another book. I read the article with relish as it’s the situation I find myself in currently.

I have written 42,000 words of one novel and 7,000 of another, and I’m enjoying writing them both. They are both women’s fiction, both with an element of suspense, and I’m enjoying writing both protagonists and cast members. I start writing one, then moving to the other, which is utterly ridiculous, as I’ll never get one finished at this rate, dear reader.

So, I wrote a synopsis for both novels and today I showed my long-suffering hubs, my youngest daughter and her partner who have arrived for the weekend, and I’ll show my eldest daughter when she arrives later this evening. So far two votes have gone to the longest novel and one vote to the other one. If my eldest daughter votes for the one which would make it a tie, I’ve no idea what I will do.

You are probably saying, why don’t I continue writing the one which is already 42,000 words, you crazy fool. And yes, that would make sense, but there’s an irritating voice in my head saying, which one will hook an agent? I know I’ve had several books published previously, but my heart is set on finding an agent – perhaps I have a foolish heart. However, two agents who were not grabbed by my last novel said that they would love to consider any future books I write. This, dear reader, made my heart sing.

However, I believe this is the reason I am in this pickle; I feel so close, and yet…

Perhaps I will have my answer come this evening – let’s hope so, otherwise, I risk wasting valuable writing time jumping from one novel to the other. I can, of course, ask my tutor at The Novelry, and it may come to that after this evening, but it’s fun seeing how the votes pan out.

Thank you for taking an interest, and I will update you when I know which novel I have nailed to the mast.

Happy Word Flow One & All