We writers wear a lot of hats.

In fact, Elana Johnson just blogged about this. I’ve been wearing my editing hat since August when I finished the first draft of Hatshepsut. I did manage to put my writing hat on for a while while the MS was curing, but it’s been buried in the closet since November. The poor dear is dusty.

I really need two heads (I’ve always liked the god Janus) because I’m currently wearing my querying hat, but I need to brush off the writing hat and get going on Book #2 again.

Now here’s my little secret. Of all my writer’s hats (Writing, Editing, Critiquing, Querying), the writing hat is my least favorite.

Shhh!

I’m pretty sure I’m in the minority here. I’m one of those people who has to know what is happening all the time. ALL the time. I’m the only teacher I know who plans out a quarter in advance (sometimes more). I would shrivel up and die without my planner. First drafts are scary because I don’t know where they’re going 100% of the time. In Book #2 I know the ending (that’s what inspired the book- thanks Herodotus!), but I don’t have a formula for how to get there. I like editing- that’s when I get to play and have fun without wondering if what I’m writing is going to get chopped later on or if I’ve just killed the story with a new plot twist.

What about you? Which of your writer hats is the most uncomfortable? What do you do to make it better?

On a side note, I’ll be exchanging my writing hats for mouse ears and a sombrero the next week- I’m headed to Disneyland and a Mexican cruise. However, I’ve got some pre-set posts that should come up while I’m gone. See you all when I get back!