Running Out of Writing

Some years ago when I worked on the Love is Murder Mystery Readers/Writers Conference, I was lucky enough to meet Lee Child and hear him speak. And while he was charming, funny, and generous with his time, the one thing he said that stuck with me the most was when he mentioned running out of writing.

Lee Child, if you don't know him, writes the best-selling Jack Reacher series (although I hear he is stepping down after the most recently released Reacher book. So sad, but that's another conversation!) 

Now, I have been reading his work since book one and was thrilled to hear him speak about his work and his process. It was fascinating to hear him address his worry that he might not be able to keep going within a book. He stated that with every novel he wrote, he was worried about not having any more story after about page forty. He worried that he would be able to tell his whole tale within those forty pages and that would be the end of the novel. And then what on earth would he hand over to his publisher?

I was struck by that observation on more than one level. First of all, the idea that someone like Lee Child could struggle with writing a novel was surprising. I realize academically that ALL writers struggle. Of course we do; it's part of the job. But to hear this consistent best-selling author come out and his personal fears was just mind-boggling to me. 

Secondly, his statements switched on a light bulb over my head. I had never put the entire concept into words before, but he did it for me. At the back of my head, every time I work on my own books, I worry that I am going to run out of story before I reach the word count required for a full-length novel. It's a legitimate worry, believe me, when one is trying to create a series of incidents and events for characters and wondering if what is winding up on paper, as well as what is still being carried around mentally, will provide not only a coherent story, but a book-length one. Even as I write this, my thoughts are drifting toward my current work in progress, book seven in my series, and I keep thinking, yes, I know how the story ends but do I have enough content before I reach that ending? Do I need more? Am I missing a  scene or two? Am I possibly even missing a character? It can get crazy in here!

Listening to Mr. Child speak about this particular fear was reassuring in its own way. Heck, if he can have worries like that, then maybe I'm not so far off the right path. (On the other hand, the demon in me whispers, if he has worries like that, what makes me think that someone like me could even hope to face down that very same situation? Again, a topic for another piece.)

In the end, Mr. Child said that the only thing to do is to write whatever is in your head, in your heart, and trust in both yourself and the process that there will be more story coming, certainly enough to round out the book.

I have to admit I've been hedging a bit with my newest story. Getting used to my new work hours, learning the job, dealing with a couple of health concerns, all of this has thrown various obstacles into the middle of my path. But I figure, Lee Child tossed me kind of a lifeline when he spoke so frankly about the writing life. The least I can do is hang onto that and keep going,  right?

The Scary List

One of the things I have to do during the course of writing one of my Bridgeton Park Cemetery Books is figure out a bunch of scary things to include in each story. So I run down my running list of things that scare me:

A face behind me in the mirror.

Someone in my house looking out at me while I'm in the yard, even though I know the house is empty.

Any appliance or electrical gadget turning itself on, or off, without assistance. (Speaking of which, my washing machine turned itself on four times in a row the other morning. What's up with that???)

Disembodied voices.

Something moving that shouldn't be moving, while I watch it.

Or coming home and finding things in places they shouldn't be, and knowing no one was around to have moved them.

When I had a dog, having it bark at or react to something I couldn't see. Ditto for the cats.

The more subtle thing of feeling like someone is watching me, or that I'm not alone even though I know that physically I am.

And of course, the real corker: seeing an apparition.

Anyone who reads my books knows that Michael sees apparitions, and Cassie sometimes sees them. However, she is a sensitive and knows when someone dead is around, providing that dead person wants to make contact with her. The fact that both of these characters are psychic can make it tougher for me to write something scary, although at the moment, neither of them is entirely comfortable with what they can do, and that's fine. Actually, if I had any of their abilities, I don't know that I'd ever be entirely comfortable with it, either! 

Thus, I watch all the paranormal reality shows that I do, looking for inspiration and ideas. And even if I don't find either, I usually enjoy myself while I'm doing the research. But I do get ideas and I do learn a lot of things, watching those shows. The abilities some people have are mind-boggling. (I'm looking at you, Amy Allen.) And the things that have happened to some people are nearly unbelievable, except that I believe them, when those people tell their stories.

I hope that with all the research, all the shows, all the information I pick up here and there, that most of what I write is also believable, at least on some level. I know that what I write will be scoffed at and met with disbelief by many, so I am so grateful for those who read my work and buy into the premise, even if it's just for the duration of the story. Because that means that 1) I picked good items from my running list and 2), as a writer, I did my job.

Graceful Endings

I write a series. In fact, I write a serial series, since reading the Bridgeton Park Cemetery books in order is a good idea in order to make sense of everything. And since I write a series/serial, I pay a great deal of attention to 1) how long other authors keep their own series going and 2) how they end it, if they choose to end it.

Everyone who knows me knows that there are particular series I read. There are the Davenport and Virgil Flowers series by John Sandford, there is the Sigma series by James Rollins, and then there is the Reacher series by Lee Child. There are a few others, too, like the Cotton Malone books from Steve Berry, and the Pendergast novels from Douglas Preston and Lee Child. I once saw John Sandford speak at an author signing, and he said he would never kill off his Davenport character, which I was greatly happy to hear. I never feel the same about a series if I know it ends with a character’s death. (Ask me if I ever read Curtain, Agatha Christie’s finale for Hercule Poirot. Uh, that would be “no.”)

But I have read series that have come to decent conclusions. Harry Potter comes to mind. So do the Sookie Stackhouse books. I like the Stackhouse books so much that I couldn’t watch the show True Blood. That aside, both JK Rowling and Charlaine Harris did an amazing job in bringing their stories to completion. And as far as Harry P goes, well, his universe has sprouted legs and is continuing on with different characters anyway.  

There are also series that have continued despite the original author stepping away. James Bond is a great example of that. I know Raymond Benson, the first writer approved by the Fleming estate to continue with 007’s adventures. He’s a terrific writer and I’m not surprised that he got the nod to do it. I think Sherlock Holmes has continued in various incarnations. And I know Tony Hillerman’s legacy is being continued by his daughter. But here’s my personal heartbreaker: I read recently that Lee Child is stepping away from Jack Reacher and turning the entire enterprise over to his brother, who is also a writer. That means that the last Jack Reacher book I read –just finished, actually- is the last genuine Reacher book as written by his creator. I will give Mr. Child’s brother a chance and see what he does. Who knows? I hope the new books are wonderful. But boy, he’s got big shoes to fill.

Keeping a series going, or ending it, is a pretty dicey enterprise. I know there have been screen and TV adaptations that fans were not thrilled with. Mention the last show of Game of Thrones to most of its fans and then stand back so you don’t get splashed with the vitriol that will spout forth. Ask a random Star Wars fan about The Rise of Skywalker. And then there’s The Terminator series…

I am not writing this because I am contemplating ending Bridgeton Park. But I do keep an eye on how the writers I admire ply their talents to bring their characters where they want them to go, whether that means continuing on, or ringing the final bell at the end of numerous accounts and adventures. And like most fans, I feel sad when a series I love comes to an end. As a writer, I understand why this would happen and why a writer might feel the need to finish. As Willy Wonka said, “I can’t go on forever. And I really don’t want to.” Or something to that effect. So I totally understand the need to draw something to a close. At least, I do as a writer. But as a reader and a fan? No matter how gracefully the end comes, I am totally saddened when it does.

PS - Not to cause any confusion: This was the working title/cover for book three, the one that eventually became Drawing Vengeance. Thought I'd share it!