Jun 1, 2012

You never forget your... second!

By Leah Ashton

Today is the release day in the UK for my second book, A Girl Less Ordinary

Hooray! This is especially exciting for me, as while writing this book (and subsequently re-writing it) there were many, many times where it didn't seem possible that it would ever make it to this day. Yes - I had the dreaded second book blues.

As an unpublished writer, I always assumed that with publication came this magical, unmovable confidence and knowledge. If I was published, then I had made it, and therefore writing book after book would surely be effortless.

Ah. Not so much :) Turns out, that I still have lots to learn, and so as I wrote this book I was swamped by doubt, and frustration, and certainly that little voice in my head that wondered (loudly!) if the first book had all been a fluke. Especially when the book required a complete re-write - only 8000 words of the originally subbed version made it to the finished book (all those wasted words!).

But - it's not so bad. I learnt more from this book than my first. I learnt that I do have more than one story inside me, and that I can take a huge step back from my writing and look at it with fresh eyes. I learnt that no matter how dire the first draft may appear, I can still end up with a book that I love, and that I am so, so proud of. I love this book, and I'm thrilled that it's now available for people to read!

I know I'm not the only author to suffer from the second book blues, and I've also heard of athletes that take a temporary dip in their second professional season after a successful debut. 

Is there anything in your life that got harder the second time round? I'd love to know I'm not alone :)

18 comments:

  1. Hi Leah! Huge congratulations on your second book! What a thrill! I'm so looking forward to reading it. I'm trying to think about things that got harder the second time around-but I'm a great believer that if I don't like something the first time I don't do it a second time! (Life's too short!) When I wrote my second book I was so panicked that I wouldn't be able to actually finish another book that I wrote it in a month-I was so exhausted at the end that I vowed never to do that again! Now I pace myself. So I guess writing the book wasn't hard- but believing in myself was harder second time round.

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  2. Leah, I love that cover! All the purple would make me pick it up in the shops.

    I had a different experience with my second book because my agent submitted the first and second at the same time, so I wrote it before I was published. It's interesting how different everyone's journey is!

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  3. Thanks Louisa! Yes, that is the hard bit, isn't it - believing you're capable of doing it all again :D

    I have your debut on my TBR list, am going to be doing a LOT of reading before my revisions hit!

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  4. Rachel - Isn't it lovely! Am very happy with it.

    And what a clever way of avoiding the second book blues entirely :D

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  5. Hi Leah, I remember the revisions on my second book being much harder, but my editor was lovely and marvellous, which gave me the confidence to tackle them and come out on top. I know what you mean about believing it will suddenly be easier when you're published. A lovely dream!

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  6. Leah, congratulations on your second book! Your first was great, so I'm sure we'll all love this one too. Harder the second time around? Getting into New Zealand. Along with a heap of ex-pats I know who have done the same, I forgot my first residents visa expired and they're not keen to let you back into the country at 3am without a second. Not quite as traumatic as ditching 42,000 words, but not good.

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  7. Jo, did you realise you won a prize pack of books last month? http://lovecatsdownunder.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/party-prize-pack-winners.html
    Congrats!

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  8. I'm with Rach. My second-written was my first-published, and so my first-written became my third-published, which mean my second-published was actualy my third-written (lol, are you keeping up?) and I got to write it with two other experienced Aussies (including Michelle *yay*) on a continuity so I had lots of guidance and support.

    Which is the key - guidance and support and not trying to battle on in isolation. Just knowing someone else is there, writing alongside you or interested in how you're going... makes all the difference.

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  9. Oh, Leah, I just love, love, love your cover! I want that purple dress (more than that, I'd like to look good in that purple dress...but just to have it hanging in my wardrobe so I could touch it. Mmm.)

    I'd written Book 2 before I sold Book 1, so Book 3 was a fraught experience, but not as fraught as Book 6. Why? *Shakes head* I'm still trying to work that out. :-)

    Hey, Nikki, it was great fun working with you on your "third written." And I adored your story. :-)

    But to your question, Leah. Something I've found harder the second time around. Not sure if this quite counts as a "second," but...as a kid I remember how I used to run everywhere. But running now? I don't think so. ;-)

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  10. congrats on the release, love the cover especially because that women wearing a purple dress =D

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  11. Yay you've done it! Go Leah. And love that purple goodness of a cover.

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  12. Hi Leah - congrats on book 2's publication :)

    BTW - love the cover - I want that purple dress!!

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  13. I totally related to this post Leah! I am now in the midst of writing my third rural and all those doubts are rearing their ugly heads again :(

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  14. Annie - I'm lucky I have a very supportive and patient editor, too :)

    Jo - I don't know, 3am Visa issues sound pretty awful to me! How did you sort that out?

    Nikki - Yes, I'm very lucky to have some very, very supportive friends ;)

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  15. Michelle - I suspect I will many tricky books in my future too, although I hope none are *quite* as traumatic as Book 2 :) And I've *never* been able to run, I'm just built for it!

    Eli - Isn't the dress amazing! And it suits my heroine, Ella, just perfectly. She is super glam!

    Eleni - Thank you! I adore the colour purple, so was thrilled with this cover!

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  16. Joanne - Thank you!! Still seems so surreal to have my books in print :)

    Rachael - I suspect my doubts will never go away, either. But I guess the trick is to keep on writing through it! (I'm not always so good at that bit :) ).

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  17. but i'm a bit dissappointed with the man at the cover T_T

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