There seems to be a pattern in my writing. Ridiculous that I haven't noticed it before, but in fairness, I haven't been doing this for very long.
The pattern:
1. I write a novel - a good one that I'm excited about, one that flows with (relative) ease, one with a decent, cohesive plot, fun characters and a satisfying finale. I love my novel. Yay. Now what?
2. I start a new novel - a new idea, full of promise, all shining and pretty like a new pair of metallic pumps you got on clearance at DSW just waiting to be broken in. I love my new novel. Yay!
3. Enthusiasm wanes - the shiny new shoes prove to be less than comfortable and by their third outing, they've crippled me with a heel blister an a relentless pinching of the toes. Try as I might, I can't make them comfortable. They're stubborn and the leather-like fabric just refuses to yield to the shape of my foot. I hate my new shoes, er, novel. Boo!
4. Out of the ashes, like a shoe-bearing Phoenix, a pair of ridiculously discounted Louboutins catch your eye, languishing in a corner of the Nordstrom's shoe department, whispering your name with a promise of comfort and pedal-kindness. A new idea. A new novel! I love my new new novel!
It happened between O'Donnell With Two L's and The Witch's Eye. I got 33K words into an adorable chick lit novel before realizing there was absolutely no reason why the hero and heroine didn't just live happily ever after from that point on. Damn. Great characters, great set up, no conflict. Thankfully, the opening scene of The Witch's Eye sort of came to me and I abandoned the chick lit for the wilds of Ireland.
And it's happening again. Banish is officially hurting my head. The plot just isn't laying down flat. It has a cowlick, and I've trying hair dryer, straightening iron and a year's supply of hairspray and the damn thing still won't behave! Dammit. I hate my new novel!
But then I was walking the dog last night and I starting thinking about the first ever novel I plotted - a historical adventure set during the Revolutionary War. I'd been afraid to write it, afraid of getting the period wrong and making an absolute fool of myself. But the story's been nagging at me...falling into place and making all kinds of sense again. Gotta do it. Gotta write it.
So, let me proudly introduce my new new novel which I'll just call The Escape. For now.
LOL. I have the EXACT SAME problem.
ReplyDeleteRight? It's like a rebound novel! *headdesk*
ReplyDeleteI LOVE IT! Revolutionary War adventure is already intriguing. I think you need to move to Boston to do research, er, I may need to move to Boston and be your research assistant... from guess who, this stupid thing erases my comment if I try to do anything but Anon...
ReplyDeleteYay!!! I have a stalker!!! ;) sweetie.
ReplyDeleteHmm...you have Shiny New Distraction Syndrome. Very common among writers. ;)
ReplyDeleteTrue, though some of my distractions actually make it to full-fledged novel status. I think my brain hates me.
ReplyDeleteOh, welcome to my world! I feel your pain. I really do. I dunno why I can't stick with anything. Right now I am currently rewriting a 10 year old manuscript that seems shinny and new again.
ReplyDeleteUgh, I have that exact same problem. It's annoying, but what's a girl to do?
ReplyDeleteOhhhhh, me too. SNDS!! All about it. I wrote the beginning and end of my new novel in one night...then started plotting and got some more done, and now I've hit that cowlick of yours. I still love it, but what I love is the end! And just prior to the end! The middle isn't wanting to behave to get there. It's wanting to take a nap and be woken up when we get there.
ReplyDeleteSeriously. I need a ghost writer to write my middle 20K words.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it! Beats getting a blister and a credit card bill, right?
ReplyDeleteWell, I didn't say it'd be EASIER. Just better.
But I look better in the shoes! *pouts*
ReplyDelete