Well, since I finished Alex Wonder, it is time to work on a new story. Thankfully, I have about twenty different ideas jotted down, typed on the computer, backed up, saved in the cloud, email to myself, blah blah blah. Now to choose one, or two or three, and begin working on the plot for them. Work on characters, scenes, conflict, all that good stuff.
This is actually my favorite part. Guess that’s because I can do it anywhere. Home, store, work, friend’s house, bar, bed. Mentally draining work though, especially when my imagination hits a little snag and finds itself in a loop, replaying scenes and situations over and over, never going forward. That’s when I need to hit pause, go into the scene, and truly focus on where the story needs to go next.
Where I am now. Decided to go back to this one novel I’ve been working on for years. Like ten. Yeah, long time. One reason it’s been such a long endeavor is because it was my first attempt at a novel. I have rewritten three times now. The third time I didn’t rewrite the entire novel, only about two hundred pages, which is good since I have realized I need to rework a lot of stuff. I haven’t looked at the story in over a year, so I had a chance to read over it with fresh eyes. So many mistakes in regard to plot. Situations, reasons, conflicts that when dwelled on and discussed, make little sense. Some of the story is salvageable, but the beginning needs retooling. I’m nearly there but I am at an impasse because I am having difficulty deciding how my main character will discover a hidden enclave. This discovery of course will swing the story into the Rising Action and get the story moving. I don’t want to rehash old plot devices to the discovery. I don’t want it to be by complete accident because really, if the accident had never occurred, would the story even exist?
But maybe I’m putting too much weight on how he discovers it. Over analysis is both a gift and curse of mine.
Aside from working on the first novel of 12, yes, 12 (it’s an epic in the works), I have been doing research on first century Israel. I am also doing research on the apostles. Reading up on some physics, space, worm holes, black holes, all that awesome stuff. And then there is the next installment to The Spiral Effect. Started working on the plotline today. Only wrote a few lines.
Really though, I need to pick one and stick with it until its finished. In a perfect world…
because I kind of work better this way.
Regardless if anyone reads this or not (I’m fairly certain no one does) typing on this blog relaxes my mind and keeps me sane. Which is good. We (and yes I am generalizing most people—but look at the evidence) tend to ejaculate words online just to get another person’s response. We like to be seen, heard, thought about. Glad no one reads this. And if any do, I’m glad they don’t comment. At times my ego begs for someone to stroke it.
Until tomorrow
May the Lord’s grace shine on us all
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