What Hank's "writing"? Relying on Big Magic

What’s happening in my writing world? I'm in the writing cycle. The fun news, the great news, and the scary news. And the big magic.

The fun news? HER PERFECT LIFE is out in trade paperback today! (This is me with the hardcovers on that launch day, which was either yesterday or a million years ago.

The great news? The new book has a title! You know how complicated it can be to title a book. It’s incredibly meaningful, and incredibly powerful, and once it is final, incredibly unchangeable. Did you know The Great Gatsby once was called The High-Bouncing Lover? Tomorrow Is Another Day became Gone with the Wind. Strangers From Within became Lord of the Flies. And First Impressions became Pride and Prejudice. Her Perfect Life was once The Next Caller.

So. The first title for my new book was Her Next Best Friend. Then it became Her New Best Friend. Then it became The New Best Friend. Then—briefly—it became The Guest House.

Then it became… (Drumroll. Fanfare. Applause.)

THE HOUSE GUEST

Isn’t it fascinating to see the evolution? And it's clear what you would expect each book to be about, right? (Crossing fingers you love it—and think it's sinister and foreboding.)

Here is the official announcement in the trade journal—such a pivotal moment!






So THE HOUSE GUEST will be available in January of 2023. Or maybe February. (Any thoughts about that?)

So does that mean I prop my feet up on the ottoman, and have a nice cup of tea? Or even champagne? No. Not yet.

I sent in the second round of edits for THE HOUSE GUEST. Soon, the editor sent me an email that used words like Sophisticated! Lyrical! Amazing! Bravo! And once I decided to believe her, which took me a bit, THEN did I relax and celebrate? No.

Because then I was back at Ground Zero. This is the scary news. Because Reds and readers, I do mean zero. I have to write another book – I get to write another book!--by November, and, I will tell you, because it is just us: I have no idea.

I have a file in my email labeled Book Ideas. With much joy and glee, I opened it to see what I could use. And the file was empty. Empty! Just like my brain.

But yesterday we were talking about chatting with people on planes, and it reminded me that once I was on a plane to somewhere, and there was a man sitting next to me who, I knew, was determined to talk to me. Determined! So I thought okay, Hank. Be a good person, talk to him.

He asked what I did, and I said writer. He seemed to think that was a good thing. I asked what he did, and he said was a consultant who taught emergent design.

Of course I asked–what’s that?

And he said: Do you know the ending of your books when you write them?

And I said no.

He said: Do you trust that you eventually will know the ending?

I said yes, I do.

And he said well, that is emergent design. Your brain is willing to let you work on a project without really knowing what the end will be, but knowing you have to get there. And having trust that you will.

I know my eyes widened and my jaw dropped because–what a profound thing.

I asked: Do you teach that? And he said yes, because some people absolutely cannot think that way. They need to know what the end will be, and then they could work to get there. And sometimes that’s a good thing.

But he said a painter doesn’t know what their painting will look like until it is finished, right? And they trust it will be done, and to stop when it is.

(And silly me, no, I didn’t ask my fellow passenger how he taught it. But I did describe plotters and pantsers.)

Anyway, I’m hoping the same thing happens with ideas. I have written 14 novels now, and for each one there was a moment that I had no idea what the book would be about. Then, something magical or mystical or universal happened–and I DID know!

I’m reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s book Big Magic right now, and it is riveting and compelling. She says “art is a crushing chore and a wonderful privilege.” She says “the work wants to be made, and it wants to be made through you.”

So I will channel that, and let my ideas emerge, and trust that they will. And next year at this time, perhaps I will be revealing another new title.

What do you think about the concept of emergent design? Do you worry, like I do, that you will never get another good idea? Do you trust that good ideas will come?