Tag Archives: writing process

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Just another domestic sunday

Today was a woefully unproductive writing day. I think I managed to get down two lines of poem before once again becoming distracted by the celestial scope of housework that needed my attention. If all goes well, the kids will go down in half an hour, and I’ll be able to focus. It’s not that I’m not thinking about my story, I’m just not able to put in the concentration necessary to work through my current issue.

Last night, after I got back from what can only be described as an epic alpine adventure, I opened my laptop and stared blankly at the chapter I have been working on in my story. The three main characters of this plot-line (I do have a single sub-plot for this book that follows different characters) were essentially sitting around a fire, staring at one another and asking what next? Unfortunately, I was right there with them, blank stare and all. Part of the reason for this is that the explanation of events and character motivation leading to the end of the story, as it stands, is flimsy. If my characters launched off in the planned direction, some pretty important pieces of the story wouldn’t make sense (I could make it work, probably, but I’d hate it). My solution? Well, this is one of the reasons concentration is essential to fixing things. I am going to change the timeline a bit by going back in time a couple of chapters, where I will add in one long or two shortish chapters. If done properly, it will give my main character the motivation he needs in order to head off in the direction he was already going, and also beyond. If I remain focused, I’ll also be able to write those new chapters in such a way that following chapters should only require moderate revision. Not only that, the more I consider this solution, I realize it’s not just a good idea for plotting, it’s going to be an essential element to the development of the character. So, here I go…

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Daydreaming in the dark

A big part of my creative writing process involves my hour-long commute. It’s long, totally dark for half the year, and very quiet. I neither live or work in a place where transit is an option, and so those hours hours are spent behind the wheel. Over the past couple of years I have not had to go in as often, and so it’s just down to a few days a week. Sometimes I listen to audio books, other times I spend the time in quiet. (Unless it’s one of those white-knuckle driving days).

In those quiet times, on the road in the dark, is when I’ve dreamed up some of the most important elements of my story. Even this morning, I was thinking about the piece I’m working through now. All of the questions about it running through my head – Is the action plausible? Interesting? Is the magic consistent? If it went this way instead of that, what would happen? Do I like it better that way? What would the woman say? Would there be any enemy creatures? and so on… I can’t say I came to any sort of conclusions today, but I think I’m a lot closer than I was. Sometimes that hour of quiet really can be more productive than an entire day at a coffee shop (my go-to writing place).

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Please, just write

Have you ever met a person who wants nothing more to be a writer, yet doesn’t put in the effort, all excuses and no action? It makes me frustrated. Not because these folks are lazy or incapable or anything like that, but because I know they can do it and there might something in their head that I’d like to know. A story I’d like to hear. To those folks, I’m asking, put your pen to paper and make it known. Should you not write because you’re not good? Because it’ll never get published? Because you’re embarrassed by your attempts at expressing your own creativity? I say piss on all that! Write whatever it is in your head, dammit someone will find it worth reading.