Behind the Keys of the Undefined Writer: What I’ve Been Up To

Writer at desk (Photo by Wix)

What am I working on? I have several projects in different stages right now. Today, I’d like to give you a sneak peek into what’s been keeping me busy lately.

The Ghost Writer (working title)

I’m deep into drafting a novella about a cynical ghostwriter who holds a desperate desire to be a successful writer in his own right and spends his time at a coffee shop which locals believe is haunted. The overly cynical protagonist, however, has no time for such superstitious nonsense. Until his grandfather’s old typewriter that he uses to draft his work begins acting strangely, leading to events even he can’t explain away.

Unlike “The Correspondence,” which had a more supernatural but uplifting theme, “The Ghostwriter” is shaping up to be darker, more psychological and unsettling. I’m about a page in as I write this, but I can already feel this story building, every paragraph plunging the protagonist farther into uncertainty. The story is surprising me, which given my writing style, is a great sign. 

The Knuckleball: A Last Resort

That’s a working title for a novel idea I’ve been kicking around for a while now. It’s probably the most obviously autobiographical of my work. The protagonist is an aspiring left-handed pitcher who overcomes a disability and makes his major league debut after a long road by discovering and mastering the knuckleball, all despite being “past his prime” by most standards. 

I’m actively drafting this piece yet, but I’m collecting scenes, planning character development, and sifting through my baseball memories for inspiration. The opening, which includes a 7-year-old protagonist watching Tom Glavine’s mastery on the mound in Game 6 of the 1995 World Series, is already written. I’m letting everything else build up while I’m working on shorter projects.

What’s Next for the Undefined Writer?

Once I’m finished with “The Ghostwriter” (title subject to change until publication), I’ll likely write another Typewriter Diaries story while “The Knuckleball: A Last Resort” continues to develop in the background. I’ve also been collecting writing process posts for my Novelist Notions blog over on Blogger. In these posts, I will explore, and may already have written at the time of this writing, topics such as stream of consciousness writing and treating writing like a job. 

That’s what’s happening behind-the-scenes right now. I have multiple projects at different stages, all moving forward at their own pace.

What are you working on? Drop a comment and let me know what’s keeping you busy.