Just When I Thought I Was Out…

I wasn’t going to. I mean…I told myself nope. I’m done. Done with NaNo, done with Camp NaNo. OVER the frantic gogogo! pace of trying to race through a month of self-imposed deadlines and ending up with a mess of a book. I’ll just work at my own pace, let the work breathe when it has to, and type like I’m Imperator Myrrh-iosa when the ideas come fast & furious.

But…all that Camp NaNo chatter on Twitter was niggling at me from the shadows and just like that, it pulled me back in!

I’m okay with that.

I feel like the last few months, I’ve been flailing. I was working on freelance stuff up until a week before Christmas. In between that time, a good friend passed away and it stopped me in my tracks. Then the holiday madness and like 2 weeks after that, we were off for our Mexican adventure – beaches, margaritas & Chichen Itza. It was the exact kind of escape I needed.

It took me a week or so after that to get back into the work mindset and then I sat there with a decision to make…it’s MY time. No freelance projects on tap. Time to actually work on my OWN books. But…which one?

The Egypt novel? It’s in limbo. Something isn’t working. I thought maybe a time period shift might make it work but something still felt off and even though I haven’t ‘failed’, it kinda felt like that.

But what about all those other books? The products of NaNos past?

That was another reason I wanted to retire my NaNo life. All of these half finished books that need editing. I just can’t say no to a Bright New Shiny Idea. But at some point I have to FINISH something. it’s one thing to madly type out a first draft. But to then take that manic draft, look at it, examine it, rip it apart and rebuild it? That’s the only way I’m going to finish anything.

So, I looked at my books, my half-finished, unloved manuscripts begging to be made whole and picked the one that interested me most. I re-read it and tried to find the things that I didn’t like. The ugly parts that didn’t work or should be exorcised completely. There was a lot there.

But the story seed – that teeny tiny little idea that got me excited about it in the first place? It was still there (thank god!).

So, I’ve spent the past few months ripping it apart, reworking the outline, shifting focus, going deeper into the story core, uncovering character flaws, and sussing out what’s important enough to tell a story about – and important not just to the characters, but to my readers.

It took a lot of work, dude. So many what ifs and maybes and ALL THE WHYS. I rebuilt the plot. I’m ready to get back in the trenches and WRITE THIS BOOK.

So…yeah. I WAS done with NaNo. But since the spring session of Camp coincides with me getting back into the book – and since I’ve been holed up in my writing nook for months muttering to myself, I’m kinda itching for a little social interaction (even if it’s virtual). There’s no better way than getting drawn into word wars and writing sprints and celebrating (and commiserating) with my fellow inkslingers. (Not to mention the snacks.)

So, if you’re looking for me, I’ll be knee-deep in writing my book – a near-future, sci-fi suspense/horror/thriller.

Yeah…so I guess I need to still work on the genre a little…