I began writing the books in my sweet romance series in the spring of 2017. The first two books were out in August of 2017 and February of 2018.

I started Lauren’s book on New Year’s Day 2018, and somehow I thought I was going to get three manuscripts done during the course of the year.

It didn’t happen, but it wasn’t a major disappointment because I fell within my reasonable expectations. But I did have some delays in getting Lauren’s book out–the editing process took some time. In addition, I was learning and exploring other possibilities for publishing. But I was glad she finally came out right before Christmas.

I started my new inspirational series in the spring and I finished my first draft on New Years’ Eve. Delays again, I was hoping to finish during NaNoWriMo. But I pushed myself to meet my reasonable goal–based upon my experience to date–of finishing before the end of the year. The first draft is done.

So I began this year sitting in on the auditions of the characters who have been clamoring for my attention. They want to be the stars of the second book! Yes, it’s like that, as though I’m watching a stage with people coming and going. They read bits of dialogue and I see their prospective scenes.

I didn’t have this figured out until New Year’s Day. I grappled with it for several days! It was a cycle of reading, thinking, then thinking and reading again.

So I was outlining and interviewing my characters and only began writing on the third. The next heroine and hero are secondary characters from the current work in progress. The fun part is that one of them is more developed than the other. So I get to revisit them and see what they have been up to.

Copyright Barbara James. All rights reserved.