I’ve been doodling around with ideas for the next book, while CIRCUS GALACTICUS is off with a few brave readers. I’m generally never short on kernel ideas for books, but the last few years especially have taught me that “cool idea” does not equal “book I should start writing NOW”. The thing I really need is “cool idea + fully-fleshed character”. So I’m trying to be aware of that.

But another thing I’ve been thinking about is how I can push myself with this next project. What do I want to do better? Are there new things I want to attempt?

Here are some of mine:

1) Third-person POV. I used to write in this all the time, but lately I’ve been using first for everything. When I try third, it feels sort of like playing the piano — I haven’t played since I was 12 and I am rusty. But I know it is possible to pull out beautiful music, if only I put in the time to practice.

2) Beautiful prose. I adore beautiful prose. Reading a book where you want to say lines over and over because they are so striking and evocative and lovely. I still value plot and character first and foremost, but I still aspire to crafting writing that sings.

3) Emotion. I hardly ever cry reading books (last time was THE TIME-TRAVELER’S WIFE, unless you count books where sad things happen to dogs, which always get me sniffly). But I love it when they do, and when I feel the love and pain and joy of the characters so sharply it makes me sit up and gasp. I would love to write the sort of compelling romance (or other deep emotional relationship) that I look for as a reader.

4) Complex mystery. I love twisty-turny plots with hidden layers and unexpected reveals that make you smack your head because they make perfect sense but you never expected them. Books where you go back and re-read for more details, to see all the cool bits you missed.

What about you guys? What sort of things do you want to push yourself toward as a writer (or any other sort of artist)?

Tags: writing