Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Now What?


It has always stuck with me: the final scene of "The Candidate," in which the politician played by Robert Redford realizes his goal of being elected senator. "Now what?" he asks the people who helped make his dream a reality.

It's the question many people have asked me since the results of the ABNA contest:

"So what's your next novel going to be about?"
"Have you started your next novel?"
"When is the next one coming out?"

In other words, "Now what?"

I got the answer yesterday in a nice telephone conversation I had with last year's ABNA winner, Bill Loehfelm, who wrote Fresh Kills and has his second novel, Bloodroot, coming out in September.

He told me to focus on what I know how to do: Write. Enjoy the moment, but start writing. Right away.

And even though he is a Mets fan, I do believe I will follow his advice. Seems like good advice for all writers. Even writers who are Yankees fans.