If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you may recall that about four years ago, I attended the Algonkian author-mentor workshop in St. Augustine, Florida. There were only eight of us in the workshop. We named ourselves The Gonks and have maintained contact with each other since the workshop, mainly through group email.
Second Novel Fears
From time to time I have posted blogs about our individual progress(es) — and our gripes. Greg Renz, a retired firefighter was the first in our group to get the WIP he brought to the workshop published. Greg has written a couple of guest blogs for this website about his road to publication.
This week, I asked Greg to write a guest blog about getting down to the work of writing his next novel. Here it is:
What If My Next Novel Sucks? By Gregory L. Renz
Imposter’s syndrome, the sophomore jinx, or whatever term can be used for the paralyzing fear of writing a sequel to a highly acclaimed debut novel is alive and well in this author.
Beneath The Flames has received five literary awards, including two international book awards, and received high praise from authors like Jacquelyn Mitchard, J Ryan Stradal, Nickolas Butler, and others. It continues to receive five-star reviews on Amazon. This should bolster my confidence. But no. What if the next book totally sucks?
Loved Marketing & Promotion
I immersed myself in marketing and promotion, appearing at over sixty events during the year following publication in 2019. After working on the book for over eight years, it felt wonderful to get out, share stories, and connect with readers. To hear people talk about how they loved the book and how they connected with and rooted for the characters was rewarding. So many said they couldn’t wait for the next one. This is great to hear but also adds to the fear they will be disappointed.
Returning To Writing Desk
Most writers I know struggle with procrastination; we are masters of it. I rationalized that marketing and promotion were the perfect excuses for not writing. This was a huge mistake.
When I finally returned to my writing desk, I felt like I had forgotten how to write. It seems the more I learn about the craft of creative writing, the more critical I become of my own writing. Most writers I know are their own worst critics and are riddled with chronic self-doubt. We can be brutal on ourselves.
Entertaining Speaker
Word got out that my talks were quite entertaining (above: Greg on The Morning Blend Milwaukee TV show) and I continue to receive requests to appear at book fests and conferences as a featured speaker. To get paid to talk about my experiences as a firefighter and author has proven to be an enjoyable benefit. It’s great fun, but again, encourages procrastination, and with the travelling and preparation, it takes time away from the writing desk.
Discipline In Writing First Novel
While writing my first novel, I was incredibly disciplined in the hours I would spend at my desk. My writing coach said I needed to prioritize my writing time and set specific hours to write. The result was a book deal and publication. For my second book, I needed to get that discipline back and forget about the fears and anxiety and just write.
I’m stubbornly back at my desk for hours a day every day. After a number of false starts, I began to feel like a writer again. I sent my first several chapters to other writers and readers who agreed to give me feedback. They all loved the opening of the story which energized me and kept me pushing ahead.
Getting Feedback & Support
I attended a writer’s workshop where the instructor informed us that we will all encounter resistance from time to time to get the story on the page. She added that the greater the resistance, the greater the reward when we push through it. So, I’m pushing through the resistance of self-doubt and putting words on the page. If the story’s not as good as the first one, so be it. I’ll move on to the next story and the next one and the next one.
The Sequel
My first novel, Beneath The Flames, is a coming-of-age story and the sequel, Beyond The Flames, will feature an aging fire captain struggling with his past and fighting to hang on to hope. There are so many coming-of-age stories that I wanted to write about an older character with a different set of issues than figuring out who he is. I’ve been encouraged to write this sequel by many of my readers. This helped me decide that was what I would do. I’m about seventy pages into the story and it’s finally coming to life.
Where You Can Buy Beneath The Flames
Signed and personalized copies can be purchased from my website glrenz.com
The book can also be ordered by any indie bookstore, which I highly recommend. We need to support them or we’ll lose them.
You can also request that your local library order a copy.
And of course the book is available on Amazon: Beneath the Flames: Gregory Renz: 9781595986887: Amazon.com: Books
I believe most authors will tell you this imposter syndrome never ends. We worry that each book won’t be as good as the last one we wrote. Writing is hard. It gets harder as we go because we’re always learning new ways of storytelling and challenging ourselves to improve many things from characterization to plotting. Writers worry. It’s our lot, but it’s also a creative, energizing worry–and it’s fun. There is such a thing as a writer’s high just as there is the runner’s high. Remember how good it feels when you finish a book! Write on and enjoy!
Well said, Christine. You can never rest on your laurels. Fact is, there are a few gratifying moments along the way of each book, they keep us coming back.