Princess: Out --- Mystic Amazon: In

After several days of thought and debate (with my husband), it has become clear that Alexa is not a Princess, a Maiden, shy and/or self-absorbed.

Frankly, as I've written her -- particularly in the first part of the first novel -- Alexa is a boring ninny.

She gets better, at the right moments. But how she does that is not clear.

And, since Alexa is entrusted with a very important package, She Has Got to Change.


Actually, not so difficult. She just needs to take over the dynamic things that I assigned to other characters.

And become a, ta-daaa, a    Mystic/Amazon!

Of course, that changes details and dynamics.

But that's part of the Second Draft.

That's me, sitting in front of the computer, chewing my nails, double-checking my notes.

Second Draft on Two Stories

So, now there are two. Two stories, one a followup to the first, to be whipped into second draft.

In my imagination, pitching the first or second story to an agent, I realized I am waaayyyyy far from a good short summation.

Reason: characters, in particular the main protagonist, needs to be sharpened.

After considering for a couple of days, I've realized that the protagonist I began writing as a reflection of myself (something that probably every newbie fiction writer does) should REALLY be a "princess."

For the endings of both stories to make sense, the protagonist needs to begin as a bit of a "maiden" or "princess."

I am so NOT a princess, that this will prove to be a nice challenge.

It also gives me a clue on how to inject a good dose of drama into the first third of the first story.

52,097 words: 30 Days: First Draft through Climax

Just finished the climax of this story for NaNoWriMo.   Something I've noticed, if you include a word like "climax" in the title or body of a blog post, you get a few more hits. No mystery there, eh.

Zoomed past 50,000 words on the 29th. My fingers got into a groove, and more than 3000 words flowed.

As stated earlier, all pretense to literary excellence was abandoned in this first draft.

But. It's done. In 30 days.

Haven't produced that much writing since my days at Bloomberg. And without an editor in the background, yelling for a new quote.

My husband got me a framed and mounted Certificate of Completion. He's the best a girl could ever want.

Have abandoned the idea of literary excellence

NaNoWriMo's tag line is:

30 Days and Nights of Literary Abandon

For much of this month, I have edited my efforts as I go, ruthlessly cutting substandard words.

Somewhen recently, I abandoned the idea of literary excellence.

I'm pretty much just slapping words at the page. The manuscript has become the equivalent of a sketch in charcoal.  At times, a not very accomplished sketch in charcoal.

I am taking it on faith that there is a possibility that I will be able, later, to work this rough sketch as far in the direction of a refined oil painting as whatever talent I have will allow.

If I have any talent.

I'm wondering about that.

On the other hand. I can produce words.  Now have more than 40,000 words in the manuscript.

Aiming at that 50,000 before midnight on Friday.

Husband has been informed that it's his job to go get lunch every day this week.

NaNoWriMo: 3000 words behind

This is a blog about writing about Enlightenment developing via a life of adventure.

I just returned from a four-day trip, to teach a course of the Transcendental Meditation technique, arguably an activity that has everything to do with the development of Enlightenment.

In my excellent adventure, I fell behind in my writing.

My husband drove the two, five hour trips to Kansas City, where I've been teaching TM for seven and a half years (>250 trips during those years). And I wrote in the car, both ways. We stayed four days and three nights, and I wrote in the odd 10 minute spaces between various meetings, or shopping, or visits with friends.

We did this trip in about the shortest amount of time possible. And I still fell behind by about 3000 words.

I admit that when I'm at home, I have a rather flexible schedule. I now am REALLY impressed with anyone who accomplishes the NaNoWriMo goal and also has a full-time job. Whatever those people are doing, they are way ahead of me. More power to them. They're also probably way closer to Enlightenment than me....

Today is November 19. I have until November 30 to complete the 50,000 words.

I remain optimistic. Maybe that's an enlightened outlook?

NaNoWriMo: No Idea if this will flow

NaNoWriMo: 50,000 words in 30 days = first draft of a novel

Being a perfectionist, I find a nagging worry that the scenes I keep throwing at the page (gotta get those 1666 words/day done) may end up producing -- just a series of scenes. Will they flow, keep the reader engaged from one scene to another, wanting to find out what happens next, all the way to the end? (oh, please, oh, please)

I read to my husband. He loves it. Of course, he has no bias, at all.

I take the, probably stupid, chance of reading to someone out of the family. My question: "Does it sound like a book? One you'd read off the bookstore shelf?"

I even offered to read a scene at my husband's birthday party. Yes, I did. Pity me, please.

Nobody took me up on my offer. My husband has very wise friends.

As a journalist, I'd produce 1666 words in a day, in a finished news piece, easy. Of course, when one has an editor yelling "where is that quote!" you find the way to locate the data, to fit into the sentences, to tell the news, to make the editor happy, to keep your job.

Now, I pick up a pen and notebook, during the 15 minute break in a performance. Or I sit down, open the computer and try to figure out what NEXT should I do to my protagonist, because I now realize there needs to be SOMETHING happen, before I can get her to that next important turning point.

It's harrying. It's exhilarating.

NaNoWriMo: Relentless flow of words

Day number 7, of 30, with a goal of 1650 words per day.

Without a detailed outline, I can't see how anyone would complete this task. Unless they're willing to accept filler and tangential musings, which if that's how someone is able to write their story--more power to them!

Me, I'm doing it the hard way (of course), and editing into a fairly cohesive manuscript as I go along.

My goal is to produce those 1650 words each day, since if I miss a day, then the next -- or some other day -- will have to be twice or thrice as productive.

Honestly, I find myself too often in the evening checking the word count, and going for one more sentence. Then checking again. And another sentence. How much closer to the goal?

For example, today, I feel like I've written a lot. But the page demands 660 more words.

Okay, I can go back to my outline, and see the next goal, so my characters better get cracking on this scene to fulfill that goal.

In my first story, there was a six-month period when I wrote nothing, because I had no idea of what I should write in order to get to the end.

In the end, I am assured, it simply comes down to putting one more word on the page. Just like walking through life, I'm guessing. One step at a time.

Character, Theme, Structure; New Mac!

Just a few days away from the 31 days of writing the first draft of a novel. About 19% of the people who begin NaNoWriMo accomplish this original goal, although a much higher percentage get much further along in the projects than otherwise, I suspect.

Time will tell if I am part of the 19%

In these days, I have been hard at work outlining this story (a new experience, since I had very little idea of how to do this, in regards to my first book-length story). And have found that Larry Brooks' StoryFix site and his "Story Engineering" book to be tremendously helpful. Many thanks to Larry.

This process is about:

Finetuning the characters -- particularly the heroine. Alexa aspires to be bold, but she's shy. So, how to make her really likable for readers? That would be story arc, and a good deal of work to accomplish in a smooth, believable manner.

Identifying the Theme(s) -- something that could be allowed to just appear on their own. But I'd like my stories to connect to the reader's heart -- or gut -- as well as give them a good time and giggle along the way. A theme that resonates and develops and reaches the mountaintop: THAT's what I'm talkin' about.

Delivering the action -- at just the right moment in the novel's structure. The more I study and hearken back onto good books and movies I've known, the more I see that certain turns of plot at certain points in the story are crucial for the reader's visceral experience. They are markers along the way that show the story is heading in a direction that will make sense.

An aside note: I just ordered a new computer! My current Macintosh is seven years old, is run by a pre-Intel chip (i.e. speaks "Japanese" when every other computer speaks "French" or "English"), and is no longer supported by most Internet browsers. I love using things for a very long time (my Toyota is at 243,000 miles), but sometimes it's just time.  So, a MacBook Air is on its way to me -- hopefully to last another seven years.

Outline Plot for 2nd Book for NaNoWriMo; thanks

My first efforts at fiction were like jumping into the pool, and figuring out how to get to the other side. It's a technique, that took two years.

This time, since I will (in order to "win" in NaNoWriMo) complete a first draft with at least 50,000 words, within the 31 days of November, I am trying another technique: outline first, write second.

In these last few months, I have taken a few writing courses via the Internet. For example, the Writer's Digest is a a very good source of guidance.

I have a growing sense that there is a renaissance in the craft of story telling. Perhaps after decades of people playing the passive game of just watching television or movies, now there is more interest in reading. Maybe Harry Potter really did have a magical effect, other than what requires the support of Hollywood.

Anyway, there is now a LOT of superior support out there for writers. The Creative Penn, K.M. Weilland, and StoryFix by Larry Brooks are several that stand out, at least for me.

Larry Brooks, in particular, has been massively helpful in helping me understand the technology of a gripping story, the type we all know -- mostly by watching our favorite movies.

Brooks' details on what types of information for the reader should come at which point in the story (since we all feel comfortable with certain turns of events at certain times) seem to be VERY helpful.

Of course, the proof will be in the pudding, or the reading.

Challenge with First Draft? Write the Sequel: NaNoWriMo

As I wrote the first draft of my story, the characters and line of logic became stronger and more focused. And, the beginning third got left behind.

Come up with more drama, less prose, and that first part stands a chance of keeping the reader's attention.

Probably not a good idea, however, to introduce a completely new source of drama in the first part. On the other hand, I could move some sources of tension into the story sooner.

A decision must be made. Is one of the current bad guys really bad, or is he just inept? If he's really bad, then he would be capable of the action I planned for him in the second book of this trilogy. But if he's inept, then he fits the need for the first book -- and all badness focuses on the one, true evil guy.

My solution: write the second book. Then I will know with certainty the threads that must be laid in the first book.

NaNoWriMo, or more specifically NoNaNoWriMo (November National Novel Writing Month), is close. Can I do a first draft in one month? Gulp. It took me two years for this first draft. Nothing ventured out onto the NaNoWriMo limb, no potential leap into the multiple book realm gained.

I'm in.

5000 words out

This is my first effort with fiction. Journalism I know: Fiction was a complete mystery.

Until I got about half-way through the first draft.

Then, the flow began, and my completely uncritical spouse began to say, that sounds great! (always good to have a completely uncritical listener, at first) Even considering the source of this input, my gut says the story became, by the end, way better than the words I put on the screen early in the process.

In my own life, I work to keep everything smooth and drama free. And that's pretty much how I wrote that first third of the story. Now in the second draft, even I am scanning over vast tracts of boring verbiage. Ergo, 5000 words are exited from the manuscript, all from the first third of the story.

Now, I must figure out how to make the first third of the story as interesting as the last third.

Drama. More drama. And not just any drama. The kind that builds into the fascinating stuff near the end.

Perhaps introduce certain concepts/people earlier in the story -- or if I must, smooth in new ideas -- to produce the surprises at the end.

And those fascinating details I thought would be really cool to include but just didn't make sense later? Tickle them out so no one is the wiser.

Like weaving a tapestry, and go back to add new colors at the beginning to predict those that appear by the end. Also, extricate useless colors all along the way, one stitch at a time.

First Draft Finished!

Just this moment, I completed the first draft of my first story.

76 Trombones Led the Big Parade!
Somersaults across the stage.
Fireworks over the water.
Yesssssssssss. Whoa!

Crummy first draft it may be. But it's my first crummy first draft of a book-length story. Two years in the making.

I'd like to thank my husband, may agent, the public, our dog........   Just kidding.

Now, for the real work. Massaging this baby into something worth reading, so that a reader doesn't think of putting it down until finished.

Climax Achieved! Whoo Hoo!

First draft of the story is, as of 10:26 pm tonight, officially written up to and including the Climax!

Moon walk. Slam the football down in the end zone. Yeah, baby. Yeah, baby.

I have been thinking and planning this part of the story -- I almost am willing to call it a book, now -- since before I wrote the first words of the beginning.

It has morphed, changed locations, and changed characters, but always with the same outcome.

At one point, this evening, I was running around outside with the stopwatch on my phone, timing how many seconds it would take to get from point A, to point B, and then to point C. The raccoons, I'm confident, are convinced that the human living here is quite nuts.

That total time, you see, had to mesh with what was happening in the shack, with this person going to this corner, and that person going to that spot, and the like.

After I clicked the keys for the last word on the document, I called my husband, who is on a business trip and who got up early this morning and has been driving to meeting after meeting after meeting all day.

I read the length of the last scene. I put all the drama into every shout and whisper. I performed brilliantly.

And he fell asleep before I finished.

He assured me when I woke him up that it wasn't because of the quality of the prose. The climax was good for him, too. (tee-hee)

Home stretch to the Climax!

Alexa is back on Earth, and racing to the climax. And I am scrambling to find that perfect wave to carry her -- and the reader -- to the pinnacle.

Very exciting. Yes, it is just the "crummy" first draft. But this is the FIRST instance for me to approach completion of the "crummy" first draft.

Whereas on the space station the workings of the scene came down to physical placement (rock-outcropping post), in this scene or series of scenes the element of urgency comes down to timing of events. The situation that creates the pressure is an event that will happen in x days, then only x hours, then only x minutes: i.e., time.

The setting is in India, basically because India is timeless. One of the main characters is Indian. But the country also provides a fairly predictable societal location in the future, more so than, say, the ever-changing society of North America. If the India of now is very much like it was  hundreds of years ago, it will probably have very similar recognizable elements even many years into the future.

I have been to India twice. My second visit included a race to get somewhere before a certain event, and I admit to borrowing elements from that visit (just like I may someday include memories of Paris, London, or Sao Paulo, or even Bartlesville, Oklahoma).

Anyway, I began this journey for Alexa about two years ago, and she and I are finding our way together to the ordained climax. I don't know how ordained is my own path, but whatever it is, I'm having a rollicking good time discovering it.

Fully Into the Chase; On Alexa's way back to Earth

Alexa Jane just took off from the space station, above Earth, barely in time to avoid the bad guys. And she's finally about to return to her home planet, though 950 years after she left it.

The story is now fully into the Chase Scene, rushing toward the climax, and finally finding out why the heck the tiny little crystal is so important.

As part of the process of writing for the first time a book-length story, getting to this point is truly exciting. (I still avoid defining this as a book, until it's at least through the second draft.) In addition to reading to my husband each new scene that rushes onto the page, I have also taken to getting certain friends on the cell phone and reading to them. Sometimes they are appreciative, sometimes not.

One sticking point that had to be solved; where on Earth should she go? I mean, as the writer I can give her any clue/indication I want. I just have to decide where to put her.

This involves:
Are some candidate cities under water, at this point, because of global warming?
What countries/cities would be important enough, 950 years from now, to harbor the people involved?
Where could a so-called space-port be located?
How far from the landing pad, to the action, do I settle this space-port?
It probably shouldn't be in the middle of a metropolitan area -- of now or the likely future.
But I've got to get her into action PDQ

I have some ideas, on each point. And if the rest of the story is any indication, more details will present themselves as they appear on the page.

Convenient Rock Outcropping on a Space Station?

I am crafting my first conflict scene that requires specific physical placements for people and things. In this situation, Alexa finds she must offer something of value (which also happens to be important to her emotionally) to convince the current bad guy to not carry out his threatened dastardly deed, i.e. truly and deeply damage her friend.

But, why doesn't the bad guy just shoot her, and take what he wants? If I was that bad guy, that's what I would do. It's the simplest, most straight-forward manner in which to accomplish the assigned goal.

Thus, for the first time I find the need to map out physical protection for Alexa, that also logically allows for the swapping of said item for said friend. A rock outcropping would do nicely, except they're on a space station where such an outcropping, at best, would be restricted to some very public garden.

I will default to convenient corners in a remote corridor.

Once I have the hallways mapped out for ingress and egress for all parties, the timing of the comings and goings becomes very important.

Plot line: Alexa and her friend blithely stumble along into some unprotected area of the station. Her friend is captured and held hostage for the item in Alexa's possession. Alexa convinces the bad guy to -- instead of really, really hurting her friend -- accept something much prettier and shinier.

But, why doesn't the bad guy just shoot her, after she's made the bauble available to him? That's what I would do as a bad guy, so I could further search for the item I have been instructed to collect, and probably would only get paid or avoid punishment if I deliver it back to the client.

Solving this is an area where I'm more conversant: Alexa is saved by some appropriate person, carrying their own hand weapon to ward off the logical shoot and run situation. Of course, logic becomes more and more important each time Alexa's tuckus is saved by the timely arrival of some savior.

I'm still working on this part of the plot.

I will probably end up with some big piece of paper (or my white board), drawing lines and arrows, and Xs and Ys, that would look like football strategies being planned in a half-time locker room meeting.

Do you think a football game will ever be played on a space station? Probably just about as likely as a rock outcropping showing up.

Avoiding an Idiot Protagonist

So. I'm clicking along on the computer keys, feeling like I've got a pretty good wind at my back (to mix metaphors), and the sound track in my head screeches like a needle across a vinyl record (even more metaphors, and ancient, at that).

Argh! The fabulous interchange I just honed results in Alexa, my main protagonist, figuring out more about what's happening than is appropriate for her at this point. Way more.

I could just have her slide over this little nugget of logic in the conversation. But then, she'd have to be an idiot. An idiot protagonist is not a terrible thing. It's just not this story.

Therefore, I'm faced with:
1. radically modifying this interchange between Alexa and Newcastle, to avoid her getting to this point; or
2. allowing her the bit of knowledge, and gamely writing on to just see where this takes me

Don't know what I will do. This will probably take a day or two of working through the ramifications. Maybe I should find some mindless busy work-type of project for my hands, which often produces a few nice insights and vignettes for the story in my head.

Actually, this may take a more than one mindless project. Oy.

How the heck to make "Enlightenment" engaging?

The title of this blog starts with the word "Enlightenment."

But I, as of yet, have not really referred to that concept, or even something related to that concept. I have, instead, been concentrating on the more traditional aspects of adventure fiction.

In the story, Alexa was brought up in a family that understood and valued the concept and the experience of growing in that direction. But at age 16, she lost her mother to a fast-acting cancer and just six months later she lost her father to a freak storm that capsized his boat in the Caribbean. The daily activities within this lifestyle continued for her, as much as they could considering she was no longer living within a supportive cocoon. But even for children whose lives have not been so catastrophically altered, it is not uncommon for them to develop a certain amount of rejection of all that goes with a concious growth toward Enlightenment.

Thus, in this first part of the trilogy, Alexa meditates, because it generally feels good -- or at least, not bad. And it certainly helps with handling the stress of her life.

But the bliss she remembers from her years before losing her parents hasn't been available since that loss. So, an unconscious yearning for that bliss is the basis for the Numero Uno story line.

Searching for a story about the growth of consciousness is, actually, the very reason I decided to try my hand at fiction. I just can't find what I'd like to read.

I realize there is probably a very good reason for this. It ain't easy to write engagingly about such a quiet and intimate experience and process -- particularly within an Adventure.

But I persevere: inserting small references along the way, moving that story line along with the adventure part and trying to keep them relevant to each other. All the while trying to avoid off-putting jargon.

For Alexa, at first the silence that once was so available, and has been so NOT available for so long, is missed. Incrementally, as she draws closer and closer to the climax, she begins to find herself and her depths more easily, step by step.

Which, is pretty much how I experience life. No surprise I'm writing about it, eh?

Into the Fire

Alexa, the heroine of my story, may have thought life on the space cruiser was like a frying pan. But that was nothing compared with how things are shaping up for her on the space station above Earth.

To keep the reader's interest, it makes sense to me to ramp up the action -- or suspense, in that kind of story -- as you near the climax, which will take place on Earth in this instance.

Before Alexa gets off this station, she will be running -- maybe while floating -- for her life. 
She has pinballed from one suitor, to a bad guy, to a bad guy masquerading as a suitor, to yet another suitor. Or is he also a bad guy? That's not clear to her yet. (I know who/what he is, but she will still be wondering at moments even in the third part of this trilogy.)

I have a general plan for her on the station, with some details I'd like to include. It is delightful to see how including a detail at one point sometimes sets up another detail -- previously thought to be unrelated -- at a later time in the story.

It really does feel like the story seems to be writing itself, almost. So different from reporting on the movement of equities or the fine points of the latest corporate tax law.

More like in the Flow, than into the Fire.

The label of Science Fiction

Science fiction: is it fiction about a speculative universe? Must it have a good emphasis on science? Does having the story line in the future count for that appellation? Why does the setting of deep space, or a planet other than Earth, count toward the right to the title of Science Fiction?

I don't really have an answer for each question, and it turns out that I probably wouldn't fill the bill in the amount of science I am including in my story. But I had to get the story line off Earth and into the future to reach escape velocity from my own boundaries about what can happen. It's working. I think. I hope.

Plus, "Science fiction" is the best way for me to describe the genre, if someone asks about my story. And the best manner to avoid going into too much detail about the plot. 

Speaking of plot: Alexa is on the space station, and coming across both mundane and surprising aspects of life inside a bit of metal in the midst of deep vacuum. Wherever humanity is, that's where humanity shows up.

The right balance for violence or the threat of violence

Alexa is now on the space station, having spurned Pearson.

The first scene is in an initial draft. This is a first effort in threatened intentional violence; difficult for me since I am essentially a wimp when it comes to tension and violence in television or the movies. As a kid, I would inevitably run out of the theater whenever Godzilla began wreaking havoc (my, how this dates me) and that tendency continues today. In fact, I put off trying my hand at fiction because of a desire to avoid adding the influence of drama or scary things like violence into my life. I am, truly, a wimp.

There is a fine balance to threats and violence: too little, and the scene is a dud; too much or too graphic for the context, and you lose your reader. I'm hopeful I found a good balance.

A personal note: My half sister, Soraya Edwards, unexpectedly passed away yesterday, at age 19. A strong, diligent, happy young woman -- she would fit the mold of a truly enjoyable heroine in any story. She is deeply mourned.

How much now? What should be later? And still rope in the reader

The emotional tension between Alexa and Pearson is building nicely in this scene.

Now the question is how much now, how much later. How much info to divulge to Alexa now, and later, each step of the way.

How much would a normal person wonder, by now at this point of the story ? IE, Alexa NOT asking would make her appear an idiot, which hopefully she is not.

How much info moves the story on nicely, but avoids spoiling the point?

What kind of response would be logical, and ALSO titillate in what it avoids revealing, roping in the reader to keep turning the pages?

This process appears to consist of writing, then perhaps deleting or cutting and pasting for a later scene. Then writing again in a different direction.

Idea found, smoothing the rope

Happy to say the idea that seemed to have been obliterated by the stress of an intense heat wave, has resurfaced. Yes, thoughts are a part of meditation, and sometimes they can be creative thoughts. The idea is about setting the stage on Earth for my star Star, the guiding light for this story. Because I live in the northern hemisphere, I normally see this star during the winter, ergo my idea that Alexa should arrive back to Earth during the winter. Of course, that implies she lands in the northern hemisphere, which doesn't necessarily need to be the case. So, some research is in order. Even some science, light as it may be, to justify the notion that this is a science fiction story. Where on Earth is this star visible, at what times of the year? And how does this info best serve the story? I will begin with an Internet search. But may need to contact some astronomy source, as I did while visiting Austin, Texas, two years ago. Since I was an undergraduate student at this fine school, and thoroughly enjoyed my astronomy courses there (one course even consisted of studying astronomy via science fiction books!), I knew I could get the answer I needed there. And that's how I began with this particular star. The aim of this idea for the story is to weave into the rope this strand-- again and again. The books I've loved consisted of a smooth rope of ideas, every strand with a reason and present from beginning to end. No straggling, dangling concepts. This is my goal, and my challenge.

Heat wave obliterates winter

I had an insight for why Alexa should arrive back to Earth during the winter, but have forgotten it in the stress of an extreme heat wave. I hate it when that happens.

Tense English teacher

I had an English teacher in undergraduate school (for a BBA in Finance, so she taught a low-brow version of English for business majors) that was tough on tense and point of view. She took me to task for changing tenses too many times on a paper I had thought to be rather witty and insightful. 

I mean, who cares if its all the same? But she made me go back and modify every verb so they all agreed on tense. 

Now, in my story, I realize that not only am I writing in multiple tenses, but I am also switching back and forth between first-person and third-person, even for the protagonist. 

Of course, this is the crummy first draft, so I'm not supposed to worry about such niceties, right?

And, maybe it's okay to switch back and forth.

Gonna have to pay attention to this detail at some point. 

But for now, I will continue on my way.  Or, she will continue on her way. Or she already continued on her way. 

Putting Alexa through the ringer

Now that Alexa is closer to her goal, it's time to ramp up the sexual tension with Pearson. Just in time to set her up to reject him at the gate to the space station.

This situation, nicely, will set her up to (on the station) come across Newcastle, yet another future dude that she is attracted to. All this in the context of doing her best to get back to her fiance, a situation she is completely aware of and feeling quite guilty and confused about.

It's great, figuring out what next can I do to my protagonist. How can I create drama, that other people will want to read.

Berries, and the story introducing its own concepts

I have wondered about the experience when an author said/wrote that the story (or a character) took over and began introducing its own concepts.

Perhaps I've had that experience during the times when following-the-logic introduces something I had not actually conceived of before that moment. For example, where did the concept come from that Mrs. WhosyWhatsit needs to trust Alexa before telling her why she knows about the mystery man? It had just barely occurred to me that Mrs. WhosyWhatsit even knew about the mystery man.

The challenge, of course, is IF Mrs. WhosyWhatsit must trust Alexa, then WHY is that the case, and what is the whole backstory for this situation? Figuring this out often involves me pacing from the kitchen through the dining room into the living room, back and forth. While working on this particular instance, I found munching blackberries to produce more ideas than munching on blueberries. A noticeable drop in creativity happened when I switched to blueberries (go figure).

Berries, however, did not solve the dilemma. I had to resort to Curio (a nice mind-mapping program for Macs). It works well for putting concepts in little colored boxes and moving them around till they make sense.

Later, while cooking dinner, the final piece of this side-story fell into place. It even allows me an opportunity to tie into the planned third story in this triptych!

Who is Mrs. WhosyWhatsit, and what does she bring to the table?

I'm still in the area where my heroine is getting a breather from running so constantly from the bad guys.

She is having a nice conversation with Mrs. WhosyWhatsit, and I'm stuck at the point of what exactly should be incorporated in this interchange. Can't just relate to the previous series of events to Mrs. WhosyWhatsit. Boring to me, and certainly boring to the reader.

Periodically, my husband shows his colors as a thoughtful and insightful sounding board.

Who exactly is Mrs. WhosyWhatsit? She needs to bring some essential piece of info to this interchange. But not so close as to imply she is completely involved in the drama. That could imply a conspiracy. I want to keep this lady separate, for later.

After a spirited debate with my husband, I think I have an idea of how to go forward.

Again and again, it just comes down to sitting down in front of the screen and putting one word at a time on the "paper," watching to see how the magic begins to unfold.

This process of keeping the flow logical, but not mundane; interesting, but not fantastical; adventurous, but still something the reader can relate with -- all this is a fascinating puzzle.

Found: the roadmap for this story

A month, or lifetime, later.

The book "Memory" by Lois McMaster Bujold is incredibly masterful. So, I am emulating it -- at least its general outline of plotting points. A bit ago, I summarized the plot each step of the way through the book, and then crystalized those steps into more generalized activities.

Her device of using a secondary drama to be a counterpoint and to help solve the primary drama was the best lesson out of that activity.

When I came to a muddle, and was wondering "where am I, anyway, in this story," I went to those plot steps of hers. Even to the point of listing my own plot each step of the way.

Lo and behold, I had been missing the point of my story. I have been writing as if the secondary drama was the primary one! This one exercise, and now I'm much more clear on what is primary and what is secondary. And thus what must happen along the way to the climax and then end of story.

writing challenges

 Finding a balance between Action and the rest of the story is a point worth paying attention to.

For example, my protagonist, Alexa, has – at this point -- been running and dodging trouble quite a bit. So, for Alexa – and the reader -- to catch her breath, I've put her into a spot where she’s safe and can’t really do anything for a bit. But can't let it get boring, so I went for giggles. I've always felt it best to laugh at the turkeys, instead of letting 'em see me cry, or scream in frustration.

This is the first draft:

“Or a smoothie, with frozen bananas and fresh raspberries and strawberries and vanilla ice cream.” The other woman groaned at the thought of such decadence, and then they both giggled.

That moment had just settled down to silence when the cruiser took another evasive maneuver, throwing each woman to the left. They scrambled to keep the chairs and benches from tumbling. Once it was clear no furniture avalanche was imminent, the case of giggles started up again, but with an edge of desperate hilarity. A long low howl from what sounded like a large hound dog in the compartment behind Alexa’s back, forced the eruption of outright laughter from the two women. Then several decibels of yipping from the safety pod on the other side reduced them to helplessness, in what could only be termed as guffawing. Both women were just barely able to make sure they didn’t fall off their respective seats, since they had to hold their sides.

 

Test post

This is a test of the emergency broadcasting system. This is only a test.

We'll get serious later. Or not