Melissa Charles author

Whew. I sent the revised version of my most recent novel into my agent this week.

It was a journey. When I originally wrote the novel, I fell in love with the characters and the setting. The plot, however… well, it wasn’t plotting the way it should/needed to. I’m apparently incapable of sticking to a single genre, and this book was no exception. A glorious mashup of cosy mystery, paranormal and romance, the story line meandered here and there, trying to hit the beats of all three genres at once. Needless to say, didn’t exactly work. Characters? Good. Plot?

… a little lost.

Writing a mystery was a new genre for me. Sure, I’ve had elements of mystery/suspense in my work, but not a mystery as my focus. It took work to learn. I had to reverse engineer the novel, to make sure I had clues clueing, and the bad person badding. (Yes, I just made up words. Shakespeare did too, so I’m calling it creative license.)

Did I manage to hit all the right beats this time? I hope so. I had a couple of beta readers who were very pleased with the results, so that’s in my favour. Now, I wait to see what my agent thinks of the novel that’s crash landed in her inbox. Not that I’m anxious or anything. Me? Nervous? Never!

Okay, maybe a little bit.

I know revisions are ahead. Which is amazing. I actually like revisions, because I’m working WITH my agent, which feels a lot like I’ve been wandering around in the dark with a sputtering candle, and now the lights have been flipped on. Or at least a giant flashlight.

So now, I wait. Get all the other things done in my world that need doing. Maybe do a bit of baking. Definitely some napping, because writing can be exhausting. Sounds ridiculous, I know. After all, I’m just sitting here, typing away but there’s something about the level of intense focus, the emotional draw, the act of creating an entire world that wears me the heck out.

Some of it is anxiety, Imposter Syndrome. Am I good enough? Does this suck? What am I missing?

All of that seems a pretty standard setting for authors, at least the ones I know.

Which seems like a really good time to snuggle down with our stuffies under our favourite blankies and recharge.

But there’s this idea I have… and a few notes isn’t really working, right? Exactly what’s the difference between ‘notes’ and ‘an outline,’ anyone know? Asking for a friend. That is me.

After all, a change is as good as a rest, right?

I mean, that’s what I’ve heard, anyway…

Chaos? Moi? Never.