Guest posts

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Seasonal challenges...

Summer is not my creative season. Too many of my children around and too much to do in the garden,not too mention a full caseload and no time off. I find that I get anxious and tense when the days pass by and nothing gets written. So, I'm trying to find ways to utilize my *off* season by working out plot problems in the sequel I'm writing to Cleah.

My writing style is to simply write each word and scene in sequence - and then re-write the following day (or month) and add more. I start with knowing the main characters and the over all plot - but I don't do the outline or lay out the chapters - my mind just doesn't work that way. I wrote my thesis and my dissertation the same way. I know, too, how the book will end, but my goodness, that leaves a whole lot in between.

Right now I'm trying to figure out what the evil doer in my Cleah sequel looks like. I know it's something black and not fully solid - but my mind goes blank after that. I also don't know how I'm going to kill it - I guess that will come after I determine what it's made of and what it looks like.  So, I drive my car or fill in my insomniac nights with thoughts of evil black things. No wonder I don't sleep!

Well, I hope your writing days are flowing smoothly - have your best day possible.

4 comments:

  1. I thought I was the only one that wrote like that. It's good to know I'm not alone in the world.

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  2. Hi Stephanie - I know what you mean - it seems like those of us who write one word at a time are not so common. Oh well, unique is good, right?!

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  3. Our writing processes sound very similar! It's true, summer is hard for all the reasons you mention. (I'm planning on beginning my next novel when the school year starts--my little one is off to kindergarten this year, gulp).

    I think we might share experience in psych, too? Only I copped out before doing the dissertation!

    Thanks for the post.

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  4. Brenda - I do see your followers at the top of this entry, however, you had 4 comments, and I'm writing to you after the 3rd. Why? I don't know. Anyway, I once thought I did the same thing. So I shut down my computer and let it reboot. When I signed back in, my followers were following again. Hope this helps . . .

    Nancy @http://blogofavetswife.blogspot.com/

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