Tag Archives: story ideas

Back in the Saddle…

My life motto has always been I THRIVE ON MONOTONY.  After my life was turned upside-down for a little over a week, I am back to my mundane schedule and, believe me, it feels good. It feels right. It feels “write” to be back in the saddle.

And I have been writing, though I will admit I found it next to impossible to write in airports and on planes. There is too much noise. And it’s too crowded. But, I tried. Unfortunately that progress was almost nill.

However, FINDING VERITY made a huge leap even though I couldn’t write and that’s because I thought about the story. And, while I was thinking, I solved a problem. And after that problem was solved, FINDING VERITY grew. It grew to almost 88,000 words. And I’m feeling good about it. Damn good!

There is still a lot of work that needs to be done but I plod along knowing I can do it. This is my third novel. The first one didn’t get published. Last year I self-published WINDFALL. I think I might approach publishers with FINDING VERITY. However, if I do and there’s no interest, I’ll self-publish that one, too.

So, what is FINDING VERITY? Here is a hint. It’s a “coming of age” story about a boy who, after being abandoned by his mother, finds the strength to persevere. He survives a brutal experience in a foster family, befriends a homeless man, gets adopted into a loving family, and becomes a best-selling novelist though no one knows that because he writes under a “pen name.”  But then he meets an old woman who changes his life…

Book Mobile in the 1920s

When You Can’t Write…

Sometimes we just can’t write. I’m not talking about writer’s block. I’m talking time. I’m talking the ability to focus. I’m talking some kind of physical limitation.

I usually write everyday. Rain or shine. I’ve never had writer’s block. But this past week has found me unable…

For a few days I could not write because I was unable to see very well. You see, I tried to glue my eye shut. Not on purpose. No, I thought I was putting eye drops in my eyes but it turned out to be glue I’d used on my sofa to keep the fabric from fraying.

And then my brother was admitted into the hospital, and I learned he might be on his death-bed. When something like this happens all kinds of feelings get dredged up.

And I find that it is next to impossible to focus on FINDING VERITY the novel I’m writing.

So, what does a person do? What did I do? What am I doing?

First of all, as writers we can write about the experience. So, that’s what I’m doing right now…

Secondly, we can cement the events into our brains, so when we need to pull part of it out to use in a future story, we’ll be able to do it.

The glue experience… the realization of what I’d done, the pain, the inability to see, the confusion, the screams, the fear, the total dependence on someone else to help me, understanding that I’d been in a heap of trouble if I’d been home alone. Going to the hospital. Not having to wait in the emergency room because my accident went flying to the top of the triage, the caring nurses and doctors, and the acceptance that my life was going to be “on hold” for a few days.

Getting the news about my brother.  Ooh boy, all those memories from my childhood and the resultant emotions that surface. The sadness, accepting that this might be the end of my brother’s life, realizing there’s nothing I can do about it. Facing my own mortality. And then I realize, this could be my husband or my child. I can only imagine what my mother is feeling right now.

Some time in the future, these things might show up in my writing. In fact the experiences might make me a better writer.

But, right now, I am unable to work on my novel.

I’m Bored with my Writing…

I’m 66,000 words into my novel Finding Verity and bored. Now, when a writer gets bored with their own creation, all I can say is: Houston, we have a problem!

The first two-thirds of Finding Verity flowed. The story is original and I’m looking forward to writing “the end.” But I’m having problems with the last half of the last third.

Consider yourself lucky, if this never happens to you.

 Question: What do I do when I have this problem?

Answer: I have a little conversation with myself.

 Huh?

I sit at my keyboard and have a conversation with myself. That conversation goes something like this:

 Why is this boring?

Because character “A” isn’t doing much.

What could “A” do to spice things up?

What if  characters “A” and “B” got together and…

Where would they go?

The park?

Why?

Because the park represents…

How about Characters “A”, “B”, and “C” go to the park?

Why three characters?

If two is good, three is better…

more opportunities for conflict and action.

Would they go together?

They could.

Or maybe “A” and B” go together, and “C” follows.

Why would “C” follow?

Because “C” is suspicious of “A” and “B’s” relationship.

Or, maybe,“C’s” weary of “B” and wants to protect “A” from “B.”

Would “A” and “B” know “C” was following?

Maybe.
Maybe not.

That’s what I’m trying to decide.

Maybe “A” and “B” are following “C”.

Why would they follow “C?”

They think “C” has been acting weird lately

and they want to know what “C’s” been up to.

Maybe “A” and “C” have a problem they are trying to solve?

If that was the case, would “B” go with them?

“B” could be a look-out.

A lookout for what?

Cops? Homeless people? Vampires? Skunks?

And so it goes… Until I have figured out the problem!

And then I’m no longer bored with my writing!