The creative mind is a funny thing. It might vomit up part of an idea but nothing precisely USABLE. You write it down anyway because you think it’s a cool kernel of a something, stick it in the idea file and go on your merry way. Then somebody says something that reminds you of said kernel of an idea (from TWO YEARS AGO), which you then tell them about, and then that character starts flailing at you with something that should’ve been obvious in the first place, but wasn’t. So you write THAT down. And that was like taking a brick out of the middle of a dyke because the ideas start flowing after that in more than just a trickle. And then you mention this to your OTHER CP because that shero who totally doesn’t want to wait her turn is trying to push you into something you didn’t want to do really (at musket-point, no less!) and other CP says, well why don’t you do this other thing with it instead and then your brain, it ESPLODES, and suddenly there is STORY–or at least all the strong components of story and you want to FOLLOW IT because, for the first time in like two years, somebody WOKE YOU UP to talk to you (a character, not your dog or your kid), and there might be an eye twitch involved.
Given I’m staring this remaining end sequence/fight scene stuff for Riven in the face, I’m barricading myself in my metaphorical office because it’s like the zombie plot bunny apocalypse up in here, and I’m the only remaining brain for them to eat.
BACK! BACK, I SAY! WAIT YOUR TURN, DAMN YOU! BANG!
My present end sequence conundrum is a great example of how vague concepts aren’t enough when writing a book. It works much better to have a clear picture of your ending, what you’re building toward, so that you know, you know, HOW THE GOOD GUYS WIN. I have a particular problem with this, as I like to pit heroes and sheroes against epic baddies with impossible odds.
So I’m low on the new prose word count this week so far as I am still trying to figure out the details. I WILL figure it out. :glares at book:
How’s everybody else doing this week?
4 thoughts on “Midweek #ROW80 Update”
Oh, my. Look on the bright side. It’s better than running out of ideas. That’s my biggest fear. Hasn’t happened yet, though. 🙂
I’m not doing #ROW80 but I can sympathise. I know exactly what you mean about remembering stuff you’ve thought of before, although more often I can’t remember things I’ve thought of that were really great ideas. I hate that so much.
I’m not writing but doing a lot of…um…pre-ambling writing? lol I also found someone to read one of my finished novels so am waiting for feed back on that.
I had a story idea born from a nightmare before we moved to this new place. I had bits of dialog, some very cool scenes, a map, and a basic idea for the story and main character. It was originally intended to be book 2 to the novel that’s out being read. Somewhere between here and there I started thinking (bad move, right) that the first novel might have a plot hole. So this other idea might be unrelated or there might need to be a rewrite or…or…or…and then my brain exploded.
I’m trying out Holly Lisle’s Flash Fiction mini course to see if that’ll help me call down the lightning. If nothing else, I figure, it’ll show me that a short story is really just a short novel. And if I can learn to plot those out then learning to plot out an actual novel is possible.
I’m with Lauralynn–if I have to choose, I’ll choose beating the plot bunnies back into the closet over hearing crickets when I sit down to write. That said, I do sympathize. I’d sit down to write the 14th-century character, and the WWII war bride would come stomping in. Sigh.
I try to see the half-full glass, but it doesn’t always work. How am I doing? Terrible, but I suppose that belongs in my check-in tomorrow.
I’m cheering you on to wrangle that book into shape!