Juggling Stories: The Art of Living in Multiple Fictional Worlds

There’s a particular kind of chaos that comes with writing more than one book at a time. Not the kind that sends you spiralling—but the kind that crackles with energy, like a detective chasing two leads that might just converge. Right now, I’m deep in the edit trenches with Lethal Leith Hill, while a new story—set in Argentina—is stretching its legs, three chapters into its first draft. The outline’s solid. The name? Still elusive. It’s like trying to catch a whisper in a windstorm. 

🕵️‍♀️ Phase One: The Edit Zone 

Editing Lethal Leith Hill feels like revisiting a crime scene with fresh eyes. The clues are all there, but now I’m interrogating every sentence, every motive, every emotional beat. It’s the phase where the story stops being mine alone and starts preparing to meet readers. I’m tightening the screws, brushing away the dust, and making sure the emotional resonance hits exactly where it should. It’s forensic, but also deeply intuitive. 

🌍 Phase Two: The Drafting Wilderness 

Meanwhile, Argentina is calling. The new book—still unnamed—is in that glorious, messy phase where anything is possible. Chapter three is down, and the characters are beginning to speak in voices I didn’t expect. The outline gives me a map, but the terrain is wild. I’m writing with one eye on the horizon and one ear tuned to the rhythm of Buenos Aires, the tension of the unknown, and the pulse of a story that’s just starting to breathe. 

🔄 The Juggle 

Switching between these phases is like toggling between two timelines. One story is being refined, the other discovered. It’s tempting to let one dominate, but I’ve learned to trust the rhythm of the juggle. Editing sharpens my instincts for the draft. Drafting reminds me why I fell in love with the story in the first place. They feed each other—like two detectives working different angles of the same case. 

🧳 What Keeps Me Grounded 

Travel helps. Rupert helps. Long walks, voice notes, and the occasional café scribble keep me tethered to both worlds. I’ve started collecting character sketches and emotional snapshots from real life, knowing they’ll find their way into one story or the other. And I’ve stopped worrying about naming the new book too soon. Sometimes the title arrives like a clue at the perfect moment—unexpected, but exactly right. 

If you’re a writer juggling multiple stories, I see you. It’s not madness—it’s momentum. And if you’re a reader waiting for the next drop, know that every phase is part of the journey. The archive is growing. The case files are coming. And the stories? They’re very much alive. 

Have a great week,

Love Helen x