Ugh, getting my writing done these last couple of weeks has become more and more difficult, though it’s been entirely of my own doing. The problem is that old chestnut plotting.

I’d been having a fabulous old time of it. My then work in progress, the next book in my Alexander Templeman series, had been rolling along a right treat. The words flowed freely and I eventually reached the end of the book, pleased though also a little reluctant to have finished.

With that one finished it was time to send it off to my editor and then to consider what next. I had a couple of options on my list and, after a bit of indecision as a result of wanting to do everything at the same time, I opted for an experimental project I’ve been wanting to do for a while now.

I soon realised, however, that with this project I was going to have to do something I don’t like doing and which doesn’t suit me and that is plot the story out in advance. Because of the nature of the project (no clues here, as it’s top secret) I simply have to have the characters, plot, locations and the ending all identified and drawn up in a fair amount of detail before I can begin.

Now, I know I have compromised on this with my Banbuy Cross murder mystery series, where I do a degree of plotting before I write, but it is only a compromise, not a complete surrender. This time I need to forgo entirely my preferred method of making it up as I go along and that’s been making life sooo hard for me. The creative juices have been reluctant to flow.

The good news is that this process is only a couple of days away from ending and then I will be able to get on with some real writing, but, blimey, it’s been hard work.

I must remember next time I dream up a project to come up with something that suits my style of writing and doesn’t drop me into a virtual straight-jacket. Mind you, given the pain of the last two weeks I am at least well motivated now to produce something good that makes it all worthwhile.

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