Head Case

Ever wondered what it looks like inside the mind of a horror writer? Trust me, it ain’t a pretty place. We have to do some decidedly gruesome research for our stories (shh…we kind of like that part), and don’t even get me started on the disturbing internet search histories we must leave behind. But it all adds up to a crazy, chaotic mish-mash of strange, weird and wonderful tidbits of information – that can sometimes be a little maddening.

Now, we don’t all smash through bathroom doors with axes (although we may snap at our significant others if they try to interrupt our writing time), but things can get a little messy all up in here *tapping my temple*.

The brainstorm point-form for this next novella/novel I’m working on was getting a little unruly. Truth be told, it’s about 6 pages of handwritten “what ifs”, probably a novella’s-worth of typed-up ideas and so much research right now (and I’m still working things out).

So, I decided I needed to get things a little more orderly before I start mumbling to myself (wait, I already do that…) and I’m dragged away in a straight jacket.

After a few days of typing, listening to Radiohead, staring out the window, and typing some more, this is what I’ve come up with.

This, dear readers (sidenote: I just typed ‘dead’ readers. Wouldn’t that be interesting!), is what it looks like inside my head right now. Or at least what the plot looks like so far.

Tangents, a spiderweb of ideas, plots and subplots, connections – writing is complicated! But as one of my fave writerly dudes said earlier today, “Remember, writers: your story only works if you work on that story. #obvious #butalsotrue #ArtHarder”.

It can get a little overwhelming – all this plotting, hiding shit so the reader doesn’t find it right away, coming up with a kick-ass story that both makes sense and entertains at the same time.

And even though I sometimes feel like I’m banging my head against the wall for plotting myself into a corner and having to ferret my way out, damn if I don’t love that rush when I figure out that one tidbit that makes it all work.