Grinding Gears
"Grinding Gears" is how I describe the feeling I get when something in my story just isn't working. When the words are flowing and the story is just writing itself, that's the best. Each gear is doing what it needs to propel the story along. When things break down, when something is out of alignment, that's when gears are grinding together, and may come to a halt all together.
What Separates Writers from Authors?
Get your butt in the chair, and do the work.
That's the only difference between a hobby writer and an author. A hobby writer can easily produce more words a day than an author if they get caught in the thrall of a project, and they can be better words. A hobby writer also has the luxury of putting the project aside at will, and picking it up again at will. They have no one to please but themselves.
Why I don't (usually) play video games...
I am on the spectrum. For me, part of that means I am apt to hyper-focus on one specific thing to the exclusion of everything else. Generally, these periods of hyper-fixation can last anywhere from three weeks to three months.
Act 3 Isn’t Going as Expected...
We're cooking with gas this week. I started outlining Chronicles 3, Act 2, and after a bump or two, everything just fell into place! Sketching this act out has been a joy and I'm looking forward to seeing how this story develops next.
That said, the process is not without it's twists and turns, but more on that in a moment.
Last Week Was Hectic…
So, I know I disappeared last week. A friend needed help moving out of their apartment, and I only just got back from that. It goes without saying, I got no writing done over my long Memorial Day weekend, but that's all right. I'm happy to help my friend into a better situation.
Onward!
Worthy of Epic Fantasy
Have you ever sat down with a project expecting it to be one thing, only to realize its something else? Oh, and it's a lot bigger than you thought it would be?
That's where I'm sitting with Chronicles 3.
Playing With Dictation
To ring in the new quarter, let’s talk about something new. I'm experimenting with dictation. I've listened to several YouTubers and podcasts lately, and a lot of people are talking about dictation and how it can improve the initial drafting process. I’m particularly interested in the impressive word counts they're claiming to get over the course of a dictation session, as opposed to typing.
A Minor Setback
I'm feeling a touch tired today, so this is going to be more of a general update than usual.
There has been a complication with Chronicles 3, so I am setting that project aside for the moment to let the muse work her magic on the issue. I expect to pick that project up again in June.
Culling Baggage
Last week, I talked about how my protagonist’s motivations for Chronicles 3 had crystalized, allowing me to clearly see why she’s doing what she’s doing and what she’s got to overcome to get where she’s going, or fail. This week has been about sharpening that crystal into the character I need my protagonist to be. As you can imagine, that process leaves chunks of crystal on the table.
So let’s talk about culling baggage, or when you know too much about your character.
When Characters Crystalize
This was an exciting week for Chronicles 3. I don’t know about you, but I find it takes me a while to nail down my protagonist, in terms of what it is they want, why do they want it, and why what they want is actually getting in the way of their happiness.