If you follow me on Facebook, you’ll know that I recently spent the better part of a month at our camp in Northern Ontario on Lake Superior (the U.S. side is known as the UP or Upper Peninsula). It’s a magical place where time seems to stand still, or at least slow way down, where internet is slow and patchy, and things like cable TV or streaming are a decade or more away. (Full disclosure, we do have a television, but we watch it old school with DVDs of old movies and TV series). In short, the perfect reading and writing environment. In fact, this last trip I read 4 books, started another, and wrote. A lot: 35,000 words in book 3 of the Marketville Mystery series.
Now admittedly, that 35,000 words is a bit of a hot mess, which is unusual for my first drafts, which are typically pretty clean. But I wrote it on my iPad, which only has Pages, and I’ve yet to figure out cut/paste/italics on it. So I just wrote and figured I’d tidy everything up on the second draft. There’s also a lot of “RESEARCH THIS LATER” because the internet is so unreliable (especially when the lake is rough). But you know, I think I may have found a new way to write. Abandon my inner perfectionist editor and just let the story take me away.
In the meantime, here are a few pix from Lake Superior, the inspiration behind my publishing imprint Superior Shores Press. Gibbs and I will be heading back in September…we’re counting the days..
PAST & PRESENT, BOOK 2 IN THE MARKETVILLE MYSTERY SERIES, IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER IN KINDLE AND PAPERBACK.
Gorgeous. You’re so lucky to have that in your life!
Yes I am, Ellen — my only wish is that it was a bit closer to my home — it’s an 8 hour drive.
Congrats, Sheri, on getting your third book written and good luck on the polishing! Keep me posted on publishing details.
Hi Judy,
I love your opportunity to vanish from your normal homelife and go write in a relaxing and motivating envionment. I have completed my second draft of For Keeps after finally getting settled into our new house. During my first draft, I wrote more of a rough idea of the story. On the second draft, I started fine tuning. Now I’m perfecting the third draft with new ideas from my wonderful reader friends.
I look forward to reading your next novel. Congrats.
We’ll see, right Susan?
I find myself doing that more, too, Judy, but I don’t know how this will work. I’m not as good at adding and changing later.