In Transition

Someone asked me today what I did over the weekend -- and for the first time in a long time I was able to say something other than "I worked on my book" -- because my book, gasp, is finished! I sent the final manuscript of Queen Hereafter: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland to my editor at Crown last week. For several days I've been sort of knocking about the place not sure what to do with myself. After being chained to the keyboard for so long, freedom feels utterly strange. I come out of the office blinking in the light like a night creature at dawn.

Which I am, in book-ending phase. Not necessarily a vampire - ugh - but definitely an owl. The best writing for me begins at sundown and beyond. Before that magic hour, I'm a hack. I'm an editor, a revisor. When the sun goes down and darkness approaches, the words start cascading through. Can't explain it, can't change it, I'm just hardwired that way. No matter how much I like the idea of being a lark - how nice to get up with the sun and be creative! how lovely to sit with my cup of hot tea on the deck and contemplate my story! -- nah. It's never gonna happen. My brain likes to contemplate stories in darkness and starlight and the soft quiet of the night better than the chattery freshness of dawn. The world is sleeping, and I can think. Even in a household of college age guys who, when they are here, may be up at all hours, I still write better at night. My guys and their friends are used to seeing the mom walking around at 3:00 a.m., still working on her book.

For me, as for most writers I know, the process of finishing a book is an intense experience, and we emerge from that deadline cave wiped out in one sense, newborn and fragile in another. For the last-phase writing, total immersion, total focus, works for me - abandoning all but the most essential elements of life -- I don't cook (my guys are on their own, and if they pick up a pizza or make a late night run for Chinese, they know to get something for me too), I don't clean, I don't do laundry, I sleep at odd hours, I don't talk on the phone, I avoid e-mail (although this proves a mighty temptation). I wear the same thing for days (within reason!). This time I kept choosing comfy black things despite sunlight and great summer weather outside -- I wasn't going out there anyway. Later, later for sunshine and flowers and fresh air. Book, book, book. And I wore flip-flops constantly, but then I usually do whenever I can get away with it. (Let's hear it for Teva!)

So it takes crazy hours, bohemian habits, a somewhat OCD focus, but I finish a book in a way that suits me best--writing off the top of my head, no notes, no outline, winging it through the last third, sometimes half of a book. It takes a lot of stamina on my part, and a lot of patience on the part of my family and friends. And off the book goes to the editor, after a last minute polishing. And somehow that stuff often turns out to be some of the best writing in the book, solid and clean and less in need of editing than earlier parts of the book. Go figure, and I wish I could do that all the way through. The process would go a lot faster.

Now, after a few days sans book, I've transitioned from stupor to freedom. I've cleaned my house, done the grocery shopping, talked to the family ... I've watched TV and movies, I've talked on the phone and caught up with people, I've started reading books, lovely lovely stacks of books .... and I'm already thinking about the next book I want to write and the next after that, and onward. 

Soon I'll see the manuscript again for revisions and it will be me and the computer and the keyboard, the comfy clothes and the night hours again, but for now, I'm back to something like normal and rediscovering the world after what feels like a long time away. I wasn't here completely -- I was in 11th century Scotland with Margaret and Malcolm. And I must be recovering from the ending phase of writing the book -- because I'm starting to look forward to the editor's comments and the revisions, so that I can immerse myself in that world again.

If you're curious about what I've been up to for the past several many many months... Click here to read an excerpted chapter from QUEEN HEREAFTER: A Novel of Margaret of Scotland, which will be released in hardcover from Crown/Random House in 2010.

Most creative efforts have distinct phases in common, whether it's a novel, a painting, something we've knitted, crocheted, sewn, glued, woven, and so on ... what creative stuff do you particularly love to do, and do you go through a crazy intense finishing stage too?

...And now that it's summer, how many of us are slap-slapping around in flip flops? 

Susan Sarah, sooooooo glad to be able to say I Finished My Book!  :)

Comments

[Piper]

I'd love to say I'm creative, but I'm not, really. I did knit and quilt, but haven't done either in years. However when I did there was certain a pattern to the madness.

I would go like fury at the beginning. I would buy the yarn or material and start that day. I would work like a madwoman getting the bulk of it done in the first few days (quilting) or weeks (knitting). And then it would stop. I would have to force myself to finish said piece. It almost became a punishment. With the quilting, it seemed I came to a stop when it came time to put the top to the batting and back. With the knitting, it came to a stop when it was time to sew the pieces together.

and then I would promptly give the piece away since I was so sick and tired of it, I never wanted to see it again. It was so bad that I think there were times when all my sisters (and brothers) had sweaters I'd made, but I didn't have any.

So, I didn't do the crazy intense finishing stage. I usually seemed to be trying to avoid finishing at all.

[Linda Banche]

Congratulations on finishing your book.

Me, creative? I'm not sure. I do have two Regency novellas epubbed, so maybe I do have some creativity.

I'm a lark, just the opposite of you. But before they improved computer screens, I got an awful headache from looking at a computer screen under artificial light, and I rarely get headaches. The screens are better now, so it's not as much of a problem, but I still fade at night.

I do find the words flow easier and better when I've thought about the story for a while. I can't just jump in and write.

[NinaP]

Just got back from reading the excerpt. WOW! Your voice is like running water -- soothing and alive. I am looking forward to reading the rest.

To owl or lark... in my purest form, I am an owl. Words come to me in the night, especially during full moon when darkness dances with silvery shadows. But I have two 70# German Shepherds who demand the gates be shut up when night falls so they can lay protective across the threshold; never mind their religious 7am wakeup pounce. :-)

[Susan/DC]

I'm an owl married to a lark. At times this puts a strain on our relationship -- he's ready to discuss the implications of various health care reforms before breakfast while I can barely grunt, and then I'm ready for the discussion at 10 PM while he's fighting to keep his eyes open. OTOH, it means we can easily divide the work load depending on when things need to be done -- when the kids were little he took care of getting the kids dressed and fed in the morning, while I handled bedtime duties.

I haven't a creative bone in my body, which is why I'm so in awe of the Wenches and others who are blessed by the Muses.

[Louis]

Looking forward to reading your new book.

Yes, with the days pushing into the 90s here in the backcountry of Southern California I'm going barefoot ...at least in the house and the flip flops for outside

Louis

[Andrea Pickens]

The book looks fascinating, Susan. Am looking forward to it.

And hooray for flip flops and comfy clothes. (Though I have to admit my favorite footwear is an pair of scruffy, sheepskin Ugg slides . . .even in summer they feel good.

[Patricia Barraclough]

Congratulations on finishing the first phase of finishing your book. The hardest part. Like you I'm a night owl. Unfortunately, my husband is a morning person. We've managed for 37 years, so we're doing something right. Lately my creativity is confined to work. I'm a children's librarian and am full into summer reading and extra activities. I spend much of my time preparing things for the kids to do. At home I'm working with my husband on landscaping. I read, but all my crafting is on hold. No time.

[Patricia Barraclough]

PS - The book sounds great! I need to get to bed, it 12:42 AM here and I have to work in the morning. Will click the link tomorrow to read the excerpt.

[Sherrie Holmes]

Sherrie, here. Night Owls R Us. I try to be a lark. I really want to be a lark. I love the quiet of early morning, when mist still hovers over the pasture and the air at dawn takes on that utter dead quiet calm before the burst of birdsong. And I love how much longer the day seems when I get up early.

But the older I get, the later I stay up at night. My regular bedtime is 3:00 a.m., (note the time I'm writing this) with fluctuations as late at 5-6:00 a.m. My cats and dogs have become nocturnal with me. Unfortunately, I just hate sleeping past 11:00 a.m., so I often get only 5-6 hours of sleep.

I loved Nina's description of your writing! Indeed, it does flow like running water. Lovely.

Alas, I cannot do flip-flops. I have significant arthritis in both feet and must wear my tennies & orthotics even in the heat of summer. No barefootin' for this girl!

Sherrie, nursing a horrendous cold with a hot lemon and honey toddy

[Patricia Barraclough]

Just read the excerpt. Very nice. Like the tone and cadence of the piece.

[Mary Jo Putney]

I notice a strong owlish theme running throughg the comments. *g* I'm one myself, though not so jet-propelled an owl and you, Susan. I work best after dark, but I'm more of a plodder than a mad racer to the finish.

I don't wear flip flogs, though. Uncomfortable. I go for the slides like Andrea. And I virtually never wear shoes when I'm writing. I have NO idea if that means anything!