As an author I've been fairly lucky with avoiding writers block. Usually a coffee break is enough to get me over the hurdle. But, with the closing of a series that's been an intricate part of my life for five years, I'm finding the transition more difficult.
I've been working on my new book now for what seems like years. It's not, maybe a year, but I'm finding it challenging to let go of the series that opened an entirely new world for me. I've learned so much creating the character Alex McKenna, met so many lovely and interesting people. People who are dedicated to change and keep going when society has been so unkind. The transgender community has opened my eyes to things I thought had long been gone with the mid 20th century. It's truly changed me.
So how do I move on? I read various quotes from famous authors stating you should write everyday. It doesn't matter how much, it could just be a few sentences, but keep it up because a few sentences brings you that much closer to completing the book. I thought I'd give this a try, and for the most part it seems to be working. There are days, especially the weekends, where I don't write but that's my choice. I try to balance my author persona and plain old Vicki-Ann from Floral Park, by dividing time and this usually works for me. This has been a good writing week for my new adventure and I can see the light at the finish line growing with each dedicated day.
But the truth is, I still feel Alex standing behind me, his breath grazing my ear as I move further away from his world. Sometimes I can almost feel a chin resting on my shoulder, reading the words as my fingers fly with an ah ha moment and I think maybe it's not about letting go but rather letting in. I don't have to say good-bye. There's room for him and any new characters & stories I write, they just need to learn how to get along and share time.
