Hold the story gently.

My own lovely writing coach, Caro Donahue, hosts the Secret Library Podcast, which covers the craft of writing, editing and publishing from authors big and small. This season she is exploring ‘Wonder’ and how that influences how and why we write.

In Season 8, Episode 2, Caro discusses this with Aleksandra Merk. Merk is, like me, a newbie author, just dipping her toes into the publishing world, though she is a literature teacher.

One thought struck me particularly as I have hit a lull in my work on my next book. Vanguard is the sequel to Archer 887, and I have a pretty clear idea of what needs to happen. Sort of.

I’ve got my main characters, most of them are where they need to be in time and space for the next plot events, but… still feeling a bit stymied. Some questions about motives and personalities. Would he do this? Or would that be more in character? Do I want her out of character? If so, what happened?

Merk said we should hold our stories ‘more gently, more loosely, and giving it space to breathe.’ This makes room for creativity to slip in undetected. When we sit and stare at a screen, trying to force ideas like pasta from an extruder, we are not letting our ideas the room they need to develop.

Shower thoughts, I call them, as I scribble frantically while dripping on the floor. Maybe a voice memo during a drive, a note on my phone while waiting for the teller. Moments of seeming inattention that let my brain play around with associations and come up with new connections.

So, I leaned into the lull. I went to AWP. I listened to podcasts. I started knitting a hat. The ideas will come. They might be good, they might be just okay. But they will be ideas and I can start from there.

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Caro has her podcast, as well as mentoring programs for writers of all types. Check out her website here. She is also on Instagram at @carodonahue.

You can buy my book, Archer 887, which was a 2022 Indies Today Awards Contest Finalist. Pick up a copy, leave a review, and let me know what you think!

I am also on Instagram and Facebook.

Thanks!

Anna