Let me elaborate….
When a writer says she is going to ‘bin’ some words, really, they are just being banished to a nameless file ‘to be used later’. I have done this in the past with say 10,000 words, but never as much as an almost novel.
No, I lie. Because in my ‘bottom drawer’ (i.e, nameless file) there are a couple of novels that haven’t seen the light of day. I’m sure a lot of writers do this. I’m not saying i’ll never ‘lift’ bits from it again. Indeed a couple of characters from my second novel ‘While You Were Dreaming…’ were first born in my ill fated ‘Pigtails, Powder and Lipstick’ (did I really name it that?)
It happens.
At the moment I’ve jotted a few things down on the comp but really I’m still in the process of ‘getting to know my characters’ . Yes, I sound rather precious, but I am indeed ‘absorbing myself ‘ in my characters.
Seriously.
And before you ask, it’s still on the sci fi theme I threatened with my earlier book. To be honest it’s even MORE sci fi than that one- rather futuristic if I do say so myself! But don’t worry, the same themes of love, loss and human relationships remain at the heart of the writing, with not one flying taxi in sight.