From Newspapers to Novel

Writing news stories and features articles for daily newspapers and working as a trade-magazine editor/writer — all on deadline — was intense and always challenging. I also worked for years as a copy editor (writing headlines and editing reporters’ stories), news editor (I supervised the copy desk) and city editor (I supervised the reporters). I loved working with other journalists, always with the clock ticking in the background, loved meeting new people and telling their stories, loved that every day was different.

But I always wanted to write 100% in my own voice, about characters I created, doing what I wanted them to do. I wanted to write longer stories, stories that *I* wanted to read. And I didn’t want to have to be fair, balanced, objective — or on a daily deadline.

Then about 11 or so years ago, a story and a character, Edge, began taking shape in my head. It started as a what if: What if Edge — a smart, funny, happy woman with a great life — decided after losing the love of her life, her best friend, that she wanted to end her own life? But what if she couldn’t do it until after she scattered her husband’s ashes all over the country, per his instructions — and she kept meeting people along the way whose own stories and whose friendships gave Edge pause?

And could I make it a funny story? A touching and fun and compelling story? Would people want to read that? Would they like it? Would they get my sense of humor?

Like a lot of writers, I’ve had doubts along the way. Oh, and a life full of ups and downs and changes. So I’ve taken long breaks from Edge’s story. Rewritten the same first 50 pages a dozen times before pushing it aside for months at a time.

But I never forgot about Edge, and I never lost my desire to finish her story — and my novel. So at the end of last year, I rededicated myself to finishing. And now I’m almost done!

And I’m already thinking about my next novel (novella?) and the characters beginning to take shape and substance in my head … woo hoo!