I've had a couple of odd dreams in the past few nights where I am suddenly very assertive. As in, calling people out when I don't like what I'm seeing or experiencing. For anyone who knows me, they know this isn't a typical Ris reaction. I'm more of the put up with it until I can escape type. I'm wondering, though, if these dreams mean I'm actually becoming more assertive in my waking day. I'll have to keep an eye on my own reactions to see.
And that wouldn't be a bad thing at all. After all, running away at the first signs of difficulty isn't a good way to be a writer. Which might accounted for all the files I have of started but unfinished stories. I put them aside as soon as I ran into plot troubles and moved on to something easier (and less work). I haven't done that lately. Sure, I've gone from one story to another, but I end up circling back around to the first story after a while. Sometimes all I needed was fresh eyes to find where to take the story next.
But if that doesn't work, I'm still not running away. I'm embracing other methods.
Take Mummy Case. I'm to a point where I'm starting down the muzzle of the plot gun, but it hasn't fired quite yet. I'm starting to questiong the validity of scenes and ask myself if this trip is really necessary and all those other cliches, but I haven't put it aside. Instead, I'm telling myself Go Outline, Young Writer! An outline will make it all better. Or at least clearer on how each scene is building up to the other and how they'll all come together. I guess I'm to the point where I need a map to find my way around.
And that feels right. I've tested the characters up to 17,000 words and found them compelling and fun. Testing characters can only happen by writing characters. But testing plot can happen in outlining to a point, and I think that is where I'm at now. Testing the loose plot ideas I have in my head, and figuring out how and when I can add in more elements to the story to advance the theme and the genre along with the plot. And that feels good, even when I'm not ending up with word count after the day is done. Well, a few words, but not where I'd like to be during a typical day of writing.
And that's okay, because untypical days come up! We like untypical days. Untypical is fun. (Is untypical even a word?)
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2 comments:
If untypical is a word, and I think it can be, then extratypical should also be a word.
I think you've made great strides and I look forward to your future successes!
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