Day 36/37: a new milestone

I passed the 20k-word mark tonight. Nearly 40 pages and so many layers developing. I'm enjoying this book so much, and my chief reader Ellen is, too, which is the biggest motivator of all.

Day 34, Page 34

This is not what I expected to happen, but I'm going with it, letting the story happen. I know where I want to go, but I'm taking some detours in order to get there.

Day 33: an unexpected twist

Oh, I love it when I can surprise myself! I did not plan on this little diversion, but I think I know how it could greatly improve the story. Definitely complicated things for the main character.

Now, if only I could get this kind of creative juice flowing before 3am.

Later...
Finally, typing in the middle of the day! Although, it would probably be more fitting if these characters were doing what they're doing in the middle of the night. Naughty things.

I am having so much fun right now watching my characters breathe life into themselves. Watching them develop through their actions is amazing. It's like I let them off their leash, and they've taken off without me. It's so exciting!

Day 32: a little break

Taking a break tonight from writing. I'm too tired to start now & I've been busy all day & evening. Good news is I walk/jogged 3.5 miles tonight at dusk. Felt marvelous!

Day 31: Word Count 13,648

I have completed over 1200 words this evening, and I am enjoying the goal I have created for myself. 27 pages in & I think I have something I would want to read.

There are little things I want to change, but I'm not ready to read everything I've written so far yet. I think I will do so when I reach or pass 15,000 words - an arbitrary number, really, and not necessarily a real goal, but I figure I should go over what I have so far just in case there are inconsistencies I need to nip in the bud.

New Character, New Direction - Day 30ish

I am trying to take advice from professional writers and write every day. Unfortunately, every "day" seems later an later, so the days are actually late, late night.

Tonight (this morning) I have written about 3 pages, bringing my total up to 24 (in 11-pt font). I am in the third chapter now, and have introduced a new character: a home health nurse named Kelly Cunningham. She is a single mother and awed by Rick's enthusiasm and heart, even though he can be an arrogant doctor at times.

Kelly is going to complicate the plot, and certainly provide an unwelcome problem for Rick. I can't wait to see how this pans out!

Plot: It Builds Character, Day 28

Moving the plot along now that I have a vehicle in which to do so. Another piece, not the all-important anchor piece that I found a few days ago, but a smaller, very important piece, appeared before me tonight, and I am steadily going forward. It feels so good to put this complex puzzle together, and I keep finding out new things about my characters as I move the plot along... It's quite exciting!

Character Development - Day 27

Spent part of today developing the character of Samuel, the father of Fredrick, and bringing Lane back into the fold as she is slowly becoming more cognizant of her surroundings and the sensations she is experiencing.

I've sent 18 pages to Ellen, who is reading this as I go, serving as my fan, my first editor, and my accountability meter, not to mention the inspiration for Lane's best friend Elle.

I am finding it difficult to focus when anyone is in the room, so I am thinking of moving to operations someplace quieter.

Huge Breakthrough - Day 27

I've found my connecting puzzle piece and can now move forward! I am so excited, I don't know if I will be able to sleep tonight.

Lost Count - Day 26?

I am making slow, somewhat unsteady progress on book 1, have finished (for the most part) an autobiographical episode, and have given up (or, at least put away) the crazy scenes I just "had" to write.

I've also employed a good friend to read and offer suggestions. So far, this has been very helpful. I continue to revise & edit while I write, so I am often stuck on a page for a few hours, but that's what it's all about, the process.

Day... 9? Is it?

I give up on anything consistent. I had the urge to start something more autobiographical today, and now I'm 3 pages into it and crying.

Day 7... Almost 8

Research is key to writing a story. For a story to be authentic, the writer must know about the subject, and in fiction, the characters can only come alive if they are believable and come from something (or someone) in the writer's experience.

This is why writers will claim that there is always a small part of them (or someone they know) in their characters. For those characters to have depth, we have to rely on what we know, or rather who we know for behaviors, thoughts, and physical attributes/gestures.

My research for the story I am currently working on is complicated. It's nothing I can look up online or in a book. All I have is my own experience and the big What Ifs. My imagination is running wild with possibilities for these two characters, and almost all is based on the big What If.

As I'm writing it, I'm employing some help with those what-if scenarios. Discussing them with a friend who is willing to help me explore the what-if very well. I want this story so badly, and I wish I could devise a way to write it more quickly because my ideas are coming much faster than my words.

There Is No Day 6, Only Day 7

I broke a promise to myself to write every day. I just didn't yesterday - not even on here, my blog. I was in a terrible funk most of the afternoon and evening. Thoughts racing, anxiety overload. I'm not sure what the problem was, but it was wearing on me in a big way.

I've already written some notes this morning - a little piece of dialogue between my protagonist and her male interest. I believe it to be pretty authentic, so I'm going to hang onto it until I can use it.

Hopefully my malaise is over, and I can move on to write more today. I've even contemplated drinking & smoking to make that happen, as if calling on the gods of all vices should help me think and act. But I know that's not the answer. The answer is just to sit there and do it.

Another Idea, Another Break - Day 5

I have a story to tell that will be controversial, and it's not the story I began five short days ago.

I am stuck on this one now, and perhaps this is better. Maybe the lack of momentum I felt the last few days is because of my reflections on the impracticality of the plot. I may go back to it later, but this one is burning a whole in my belly. This one needs to be put down on "paper" NOW.

No time to explore the plot with an audience yet. I don't want to ruin this momentum by describing it. It will cause a stir, but it needs to be told.

It's All About Momentum - Day 4

And I lost it a couple days ago.

Day 3, Part 2 - ADD still plaguing me

I've written 9 more sentences, which is more than twice what I wrote earlier today. They aren't great, though, and I'm already looking to revise them, but I'm still just... not feeling it. The muse has left the building today. Perhaps she'll return tomorrow. That's my hope anyway. Meanwhile, I will plug away, considering the implications of my ADD-like behavior.

I think what is also bringing me down (man), is my research. It's cumbersome. I need to know so much that I'd really rather just make up in my own head, but I can't settle for less than authenticity in my writing, so I will have to do the homework. As a teacher, this just doesn't sound like fun at all.

Truth be told, I do enjoy learning the information, and even searching for it; it's that what is realistic doesn't always fit with the idea I had for the characters and plot. Therefore, what I want to be in my story can't necessarily be in reality, so there will be some paradigm shifting going on. Balls.

Spinal cord injuries. What I'm finding in my online searches is much information about the actual types and possible causes for SPI, organizations to help those with SPIs, and support. What I'm not finding, however, is what I really want to know. Perhaps I need to find a specialist with whom to discuss what I need to know. (Yes, I'm being purposefully vague. I mentioned in my first post a little about the plot - the accident, etc. - but I'm not ready to publish the details just yet.)

At the risk of rehashing past posts, I'll close and go back to my research. Maybe I'll find a nice person willing to help an unpublished novelist with research pro bono. Pigs fly, right?

Day 3

I've written 8 sentences today. I'm stuck. I won't say "this always happens" because it doesn't. It only happens when I write.

Complete frustration isn't creeping in just yet, because I honestly haven't been focusing for very long. I've been commenting viciously on religious repostings of a high school chum on Facebook. I apologize to her each time I say something rude, but I think she knows it's just a matter of time until she presses the delete button on our cyber friendship. Perhaps she will kick my ass at our high school reunion in September. That would be very Christian of her.

I digress... which coincidentally (or notsomuch), I seem to be doing a lot of today. Adult onset ADD. What's that song by AWOLNation say? "Blame it on my ADD, baby." Yeah, I'm feeling it.

Perhaps I need to take an hour or two to finish some household stuff before I sit back down to work. Solves my mess problem and gives me an active outlet so my mind can settle later. Yeah, that's the ticket. I'll just tell myself that for now.

Day 2

I have started the story in the middle of a car accident. A head-on collision which kills one person and critically injures my protagonist.

I've introduced three living characters as they experience the accident - well, two of them are involved, the other is called.

I like the changes in perspective, as I am inside the heads of all three, but only one (protagonist) is told through first-person. Sounds more confusing than it is. It gives me the opportunity to explore the complexities of each story. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'd have some pretty flat characters. Nobody wants that.

I'm still working on a title. I don't think I can give it one until I've spent a little more time with the story though. Especially with my main characters Lane, Rick & Samuel. Lane is the protagonist. Her name might be part of the title... We will see.

Long day tomorrow, but I will be up early to work on this some more. I like where the characters are taking me, although I think I need a research assistant. I need to know some medical information that wiki can't teach me. Perhaps I need to get in good with a doctor or two. Preferably a spinal cord injury specialist and a reproductive specialist. Intrigued yet?

Day 1.5

I dreamed (dreamt?) the other night of a truly fantastical story about a woman held captive by her own body after an accident. Presumed to be in a vegetative state for the remainder of her life (what little there might be left), and without any family to take care of her, doctors performed an experimental procedure resulting in a pregnancy. They were able to keep her body alive long enough to fully gestate the baby, but unexpectedly she began to recover after its birth.

Where it goes from here is top secret right now, and I finished the outline - the working outline, subject to many probable revisions - last night at about 1:00am. Needless to say, my excitement for the story and the possibilities for the character(s) has not waned. I could barely sleep last night just thinking about what could happen.

This is my blog of the inner beast, my inner beast. A behind-the-scenes look at what it takes me to tell this story and how I might (operative word here) overcome some of my demons by putting them out on the page. I'm hoping to take a journey here, and I may post a few ideas for feedback, all in the hopes of writing a good story, an entertaining one that I would like to read myself and share with others. I'm inspired by some recent authors' successes to get this done. Just to finish something would be nice, too.

Stay tuned. My characters will be alive very soon.