Writing Wednesday: Tricksy Brain
The butterflies are back. And that's a good thing.
I've been outlining my NaNo 2010 project here and there over the past few weeks and the more I do, the more I cannot ignore the parallels to the partly-finished novel I started in NaNo '07 and continued to chip away at for NaNo '08.
At first, I deliberately tried to snip any ties that materialized in my head when i started plotting but now, they are glaringly obvious. So obvious that I have no choice but to just go with it.
The thing is – I had always planned to do a series with the original cast of characters. Maybe not necessarily a sequel, but I certainly felt that there was enough in the history of the small town and the area in which the novel is set to warrant more than one book.
So, after some hemming and hawing and battling of the aforementioned butterflies (which usually show up when I know in the back of my brain I'm on the right track but too scared to take that next step), I've embraced the parallels and I'm taking the plunge.
I've already done some of the legwork (character sketches, settings, belief systems). Granted, I'm going to need to expand on those but the tension I was feeling from trying NOT to draw on those old ideas has dissipated now that I've given in.
I guess my brain was working on this all along, behind-the-scenes. The idea for this book has been with me for a long time. (Note: I'm about to have an "A-ha!" moment) I may have even scribbled it down over 2 years ago but wasn't sure how I was going to tackle it. I knew it was going to take some careful planning to get it just right- let's hope I do!
The good news? Novel 1 is still not finished (and I think part of that is from not knowing exactly how I wanted to finish it). Maybe all this prep for Novel 2 will show me how to weave the two together.
Fellow WIP Wednesday participants:
- Mercedes Yardley – WIP Wednesday: Writing (and migraine) Updates!
- Cate Gardner – WIP Wednesday: Rhyme, No Reason
If you’re a writer participating in WIP Wednesday, don't be shy! Post a link to your blog in the comments! More info on the WIP Wednesday initiative can be found at Kate Karyus Quinn's blog.
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Is it November yet? Is it November yet? I can’t wait for NaNoWriMo.
I know! I’m super excited, too. 2 weeks in, I’ll probably be crazed, but right now I’m looking forward to it 🙂
Man…I can’t imagine my way past 4K right now. C’mon, brain. Let’s do this. (and I love repeated settings and/or characters…what fun!)
I’m sure what you lack in quantity you make up for in quality, Aaron! And yes, I’m looking forward to revisiting old friends in my creepy (fictional) small town.
At first, I deliberately tried to snip any ties that materialized in my head when i started plotting but now, they are glaringly obvious.
Amazing how that happens…
Yeah, I mean, it’s best to have the second one planned before you finish the first, right? Maybe it feels like jumping the gun, but better that then getting to the second and realizing you didn’t put in a bunch of stuff you really, really needed to make the whole thing not look contrived!
See, I can justify anything. In particular, daydreaming.