Jennifer Brown

Three times this week I've been asked that question. It's a natural question to ask, after all. Hate List is complete. I'm obviously still writing. So... what are you working on, JB?

And three times this week I've kind of stammered and stuttered and scratched my neck nervously and hemmed and hawed and looked really uncomfortable when (not) answering that question. Because the truth is, I'm working on a lot of projects. And I don't know which one to talk about, so I end up talking about nothing.

It's never been easy for me to decide on a story. At this moment, I have six partial novels on my computer, along with a 3-page list of story ideas. Coming up with ideas and concepts and stories and characters has never been difficult for me. Completing a story isn't a problem. Deciding which story to fall in love with enough to complete it first is the problem.

I love them all. I want to get to know all the characters of all those stories equally. I want to find out what happens to them and I want to see them win (and some of them lose) and I want to watch their problems resolve and I want to spend my days thinking about them and wondering what they'll say next and... and... well, you see why it's so hard for me to announce that I've got one project on my mind.

It certainly doesn't help to be a multi-genre writer. On any given week I'm not only working on a couple Big Projects, but am also writing columns and blogs and having to switch gears from humorous to serious and maybe romantic and back again.

So yeah, I'm working on some projects. I have a novel that I'm focusing a lot of energy on right now (I've written 5,500 words on it this week alone). And I've another novel in another genre that I'm revisiting... revising... and re-loving. And I'm so happy to be visited by all these lovely characters and lovely stories every day. I'm just not ready to talk about them yet.

But keep asking! Because asking gets me thinking. And thinking gets me writing. And writing gets me... happy.