Listening for the Heartbeat by Eliza Maxwell
Sometime back in the days before Instagram and Snapchat I found myself in a place I never expected to be. Exhausted. Two babies in two years and I didn’t know if I’d ever see another full night’s sleep. The Dance of Diapers and Bottles was taking a toll physically, yet the mental seesaw between utter monotony and soul scorching terror at the realization that I was now responsible for not one, but two, actual human beings was enough to put me as close to an edge as I’ve ever been.
So I did what any normal, mostly sane human being would do when faced with day after day of baby vomit and Dora the Explorer on a never-ending loop, which incidentally is pretty much the same thing. I wrote a book.
Fast forward a few years. After self-publishing my first book, a lovely group of people in Seattle got in touch and decided to pay me to continue writing books. At least for the time being. Do me a favor, okay? Don’t show them this next part:
Just between you and me? I’m making this stuff up as I go along.
Yeah, I know for fiction writers that’s sort of the job description, but there’s no MFA on my wall to reassure me that I’m qualified for this gig. Nevertheless, I love what I’m doing too much to give back the opportunity.
With that confession on the table, you’ll understand my surprise when writers who’ve not yet published occasionally ask for advice. I look behind me to see if Kate Atkinson or Roxane Gay has walked in the room without my noticing, because I don’t want to miss whatever they may say.
They’ve yet to be there, ready to shower wise words, but hope springs eternal. Until that fine day, I can share some basics I’ve managed to figure out along the way.
These are the things (I think) I know: (Subject to change with absolutely no notice whatsoever.)
1. Write for yourself. It’s intimidating as hell to write for the public or, God forbid, reviewers, agents, editors, or other writers. So don’t. Write for you. But not for the writer in you. She’s a pompous ass. Write for the reader in you. She’s more fun at parties anyway.
2. If you’re lucky enough to work with an editor, remember, she is your friend. Your smarter, better educated, more experienced friend whose legs are always cleanly shaven and in all other ways has her metaphorical shit together. Be jealous if you want, give her the side-eye behind her back if needs must, but listen to her. She’s trying to help you and she knows what she’s talking about.
3. Building a novel is a lot like building a house. It is theoretically possible to do it without a plan, but unless you have decades of experience, chances are good it will need to be rebuilt from the ground up once you realize you’ve got the plumbing for the toilet where the dining room table should go and screen doors installed on your ceiling. I learned the hard way that a pantser first draft is basically a long-winded plan. If that works for you then by all means, you do you. For everyone else, don’t be afraid of sketching a blueprint before you dive in. I doubt you’ll be sorry.
4. Focus on the task in front of you. Break down big goals into small actionable steps, and keep moving forward. Keep. Moving. Forward. Profound, I know, but if you’re searching for the words to a magic spell, this is the closest thing I’ve got. No woo-woo about muses or inspiration here.
5. Don’t be afraid to invest in yourself, at least to the extent you can reasonably afford to do so. I can’t recall a single occupation or hobby that doesn’t require some outlay of either time or money. I’m not saying empty your savings and sell your children. But reading a book on story structure never did anyone any harm. Professional editors are worth their weight in wine, but if you can’t find one that’s slim enough for your budget, public libraries have fantastic resources. Your writing, your savings, and your children will thank you.
6. My husband was once asked how we’ve managed to pull off a reasonably drama-free marriage. His response was something about managing expectations. Romantic, right? But the truth is, he was annoyingly correct. Same goes for writing/publishing. If you want it, you must put in the work. If you want to be happy doing it, you must manage your expectations. There will be victories along the way, and you should celebrate each and every one of them. Goals? Dreams? Great. But try not to get sucked into the vortex of obsessing about what might or might not happen down the road. That path leads to Xanax and day drinking alone in your underwear.
7. Listen for the heartbeat of your story. Yeah, I know I said no woo-woo, but hang in there. Any story worth reading strives to highlight the contradiction that is the human condition. The best and worst, side by side, on display. That magical, infinite line where light meets the dark and true character is defined. Listen for the heartbeat and let it lead you to there. That is a story worth writing, and it’s waiting for you to find it.
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Eliza Maxwell lives in Texas with her ever patient husband and two kids. She’s an artist and writer, an introvert and a British cop drama addict. She’s the author of four novels, including bestseller The Unremembered Girl. She loves nothing more than to hear from readers. You can find her on Twitter @theelizamaxwel
Facebook @elizamaxwellwrites
Website elizamaxwell.net
THE WIDOW’S WATCHER, Eliza Maxwell
From Eliza Maxwell, the bestselling author of The Unremembered Girl, comes a gripping novel about the mysteries that haunt us and the twists of fate that can unravel them…
Living in the shadow of a decades-old crime that stole his children from him, reclusive Lars Jorgensen is an unlikely savior. But when a stranger walks onto the ice of a frozen Minnesota lake, her intentions are brutally clear, and the old man isn’t about to let her follow through.
Jenna Shaw didn’t ask for Lars’s help, nor does she want it. After he pulls her from the brink, however, Jenna finds her desire to give up challenged by their unlikely friendship. In Jenna, Lars recognizes his last chance for redemption. And in her quest to solve the mysteries of Lars’s past and bring him closure, Jenna may find the way out of her own darkness.
But the truth that waits threatens to shatter it all. When secrets are surrendered and lies are laid bare, Jenna and Lars may find that accepting the past isn’t their greatest challenge. Can they afford the heartbreaking price of forgiveness?
“There was a moment I had to tell myself that this is just a book..” – Goodreads reviewer
“A well-paced story of healing, forgiveness and tragedy, with enough unexpected twists to keep readers guessing.” -Amber Cowie, author of Rapid Falls
Buy the book HERE
Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips
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