This time of year, the birds start singing early. The great crested flycatchers have one sound, the black-capped chickadees another. The gray cat bird something else entirely. You get the point. Different birds sing different songs. We all know the value of asking a wise friend for advice. I have a handful of writer friends who have excellent judgment. I rely on them, but in the end, I have to make my own decisions. Many of us don’t give ourselves the chance to exercise our own judgment. You may have a friend who gets up every morning at four and writes. Lee Child has said (at least once) that he doesn’t start writing until after noon. I know a writer who wrote her third book in a matter of weeks at a small house in upstate New York. There are as many good ways to approach writing as there good books. It’s good to listen to other writers. It’s good to learn from the generous community that is suspense writing. If something sounds appealing, try it. If it works for you, fabulous. If not, move on. Then. . . add your own song to the mix.
