3x3x3

Many writers who are fortunate enough to have their debut book published frequently struggle when it comes to writing book 2, but with me things have been a little different. Book 2 flew from my fingers to the keyboard and I found that I wrote the first draft of book 2 (Working title Judgement and Wrath) with little problem. I was in the ZONE. Book 3 was my moment of EEK! where I experienced those little strirrings of unease, but I pushed on and got by the worries and delivered the first draft (after copious edits and changes I may add). On the advice of my agent and editor the book was re-written with a different ending - which to be honest meant scrapping the beginning of book 4 that I'd already started -but it did make the book much better. On further advice I have been asked to make some further changes, so I'm now on my third major re-write of book 3. Some people might balk at this, but I'm taking it on the chin and getting on with making the book the best it can be.
I'm not writing this as a big-headed way of showing how hard working or dedicated I am (or that my first two attempts were poor books), what I'm trying to show is the importance of taking the good advice that comes to you from people in the know. My editor, Sue Fletcher, at Hodder and Stoughton, is fabulously knowledgeable (she also edits one of my favourite - if not favourite -writers in John Connolly), so I am in good hands. A number of friends I've made through my endeavours at this blog and elsewhere have often asked the question about editing etc, and I've waxed lyrical about the subject in the past, but I still think that it is extremely pertinent to mention it again.
So, it's third time lucky. With Sue's words of wisdom echoing in my ears, I'm pushing on with delivering a book I hope you will all enjoy, and one that I hope keeps you coming back for more. If this doesn't work, watch for a further entry titled 4x4x4. I'll keep going until i get things right.
Keep on keeping on
Matt
And Merry Christmas to one and all.