Just a quick update in the writing arena. I actually haven't gotten a whole lot of writing done yet on this trip. Part of it is that I've been taking every opportunity to see and do things here. I'm in England! If someone offers to take me to Cambridge for the day, or give me a lift to Bury on market days, can I say no? Sure can't! Even if I don't get much written when I'm off touring, being here has helped me to better understand and picture the setting for my story.
Other part is, I've been stuck. I admit it. I've had a hard time bringing myself to the computer to get writing done, and I couldn't figure out why for the longest time. I've been worried that I'm just not cut out to be a writer, that I'm too lazy. Well, sometimes I am lazy. But I realized about a week ago that there were some really important underlying things, plot-wise, that I needed to figure out. I've slowed down because I was rushing up to a big, pivotal scene with little to no motivational undergirth. Then after that scene, I had only nebulous ideas of what was going to happen, plot points to be reached in random, unconnected order.
Well, I took some time to figure things out, and I started writing. Not story, but notes. Wow did that help. For the past two days I've been scribbling and typing down thoughts and wandering around the flat in a daze, twisting and turning ideas around, playing and replaying different scenes in my head. I have pages and pages of notes now, and half a dozen beautiful background stories that almost certainly won't make it to the final version, but they're stories that I had to know, so I could understand each character's viewpoint and acting motivation for this big scene and what follows afterward. I now have a fairly solid plot outline, and just like for the first part of the story, I can see it breaking down in order for me to write, scene after scene. And I'm excited to write again!
Bottom line is, if you can't write the story, write about the story. Just keep writing! I have turned a corner, and this week I'll really fill some pages.
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2 comments:
Are you going to illustrate it as well? You've got to include some of your cool drawings, even if you have to put them in the margins. Maybe that would be tacky, hmmm, how about in an appendix to the book?
I know exactly how you feel. It took me 4 years to write 24 pages of text, but during that time my mind was developing backstory, sub-plots, history, etc. . ., now, with the addition of a laptop, I've dramatically increased my production.
I'm sure I've talked to you about this before. . .
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