Three years ago to the day, I started writing Ghost in the Machine.
Funnily enough, I’d picked up the hardback of Iain M Banks’ The Algebraist, only to discover on the train that it was Mark Billingham’s Scaredy Cat – hardbacks all look the same without the dust jackets. I romped through it in days and thought “I can do this.”. I’d written two novels previously – one to be forgotten about, one I’ll revisit soon – but writing police fiction really interested me. I’d loved Ian Rankin’s Rebus series for years and the idea of creating my own… Well.
I started it on New Year’s Day 2009. I finished draft one in March. I was ill. I wrote another draft and submitted it to agencies in August. I had interest from one – a swift third draft in November. And rejection in February.
August 2010 saw a replan but no work. At this time I’d written and finished Devil in the Detail, a very good sequel to a novel no-one wanted to publish. I was busy with work.
June this year saw me dust it off again. I got though 55,000 words of the edit but got fed up. Working 12 hour days doesn’t leave a lot of time for writing.
August saw me redraft Devil, and then try to redraft Ghost as a novella. Again, fed up hit again.
As per my most recent post, I picked it up again last week.
As of 1.22am on 01-Jan-12, I’ve completed draft five.
All that remains is two proof edits and then I’m done with it. A monkey off my back – up on kindle.
With writing, momentum is everything.
— Ed