Right now, literally today, there is a production team in Denver, Colorado, making a feature film adaptation of my 2019 novel Harvest. As far as mind-f's go, it doesn't get much bigger than that for a writer, but in a good way. Honestly, I can hardly wrap my head around it. When I arrive on-set this Friday, already know it'll be surreal, but I'm looking forward to it, and so is my daughter. In the meantime, what the f' do I do with myself? Write?
I've already finished the manuscript for Twisted Tales: Shadowood well ahead of schedule, and it's being edited, treated, and prepped to meet the public. There are some other projects for me to get to and work on (Human Wreckage, Transformer, and Fun with Exsanguination to name a few), but I can't seem to get my head in the game.
I have to be in the right headspace in order to write. Time, place, medium/software doesn't really matter. (I still write shit longhand sometimes and type it up later.) No, the only thing with me that really matters is being in the right place mentally, and right now, I can't get there. There's just too much shit going on in my life for me to focus on writing a novel.
Honestly, I don't think people appreciate how much work goes into writing a novel. I don't just sit at a computer one day and pull a story out of my ass. There's planning involved, and research. Before I ever start writing a project, there's already an outline done - a rough blueprint of the plotline. I typically sketch my main characters (as in jotting details and backstory). And I have a real need - an obsession, if you will - to set my stories in the real world. I research dates, times, weather patterns, events, and whatever else would be helpful. I visit places that'll appear in the story. Sometimes I interview people who have experiences in particular things. In the end, I want my readers to be able to walk in the very footprints of my characters; it should be that real.
I'm going to allow myself some time before diving into the next project. Might do something lighter in the meantime - maybe some shorts. Who knows?
Peace.