My new novel Split Ends is within me complete with missions, high tensions, and soul searching. My characters have been in limbo and transformed several times into well kept "Frankensteins." Not that I have writer's block, but this particular piece of work has been through numerous pitfalls. The first pitfall is that I completed the final draft and saved it to one (eight track of drives) type A floppy disc. I had the first three chapters saved on a another floppy disc and the entire the freewriting rough draft written in a notebook. Sounds safe enough? Well I got cocky and started playwrighting more since my first pieces met nothing but grand reviews from my colleagues. Some how between the unorganization of my files, I lost the floppy drive with the completed rough draft. I looked all over in libraries, coffee shops, bookstores, bedrooms, back packs, briefcases...everywhere! My search was unfruitful. Reflecting back I see that I was a literary nomad venturing one too many places to write. I was devastated to say the least!
A month later I finally got the nerve to start piecing together what I had in memory and in my free writing. Then I noticed something... my characters were more interesting due to the adventures of happenstance and environment. I always thrived off of characterization. My anguish turned to sudden relief and there I was with a new lease on literary life. My characters need more independent depth and realism. However, something happened as I started to write... I was faced with a dilemma I had a whole new idea for the direction of the plot. It was so much better. Many writing instructors would warn from this "scattered brain" approach to writing. The alternative was to stick to my guns and just keep the stories focus so I can get the novel over with!
One year later, after mountains of notes and research I had finally decided to start with the new story plot. Why so? This plot has everything and more to offer; suspense, the warmth of close friendship, tragedy, mystery and adventure. Best of all, it has rich characters. I never thought that this novel would consume so much time and energy, but instead of having my readers share the casualties of misfortune. I'd rather them share the care and riches of redemptive work handled with care and patience. Now my writing is like water in a love affair with gravity. I'm realizing that it's time for it to come because it's ripeness and it's maturity is making me fall in Love with writing again.
A month later I finally got the nerve to start piecing together what I had in memory and in my free writing. Then I noticed something... my characters were more interesting due to the adventures of happenstance and environment. I always thrived off of characterization. My anguish turned to sudden relief and there I was with a new lease on literary life. My characters need more independent depth and realism. However, something happened as I started to write... I was faced with a dilemma I had a whole new idea for the direction of the plot. It was so much better. Many writing instructors would warn from this "scattered brain" approach to writing. The alternative was to stick to my guns and just keep the stories focus so I can get the novel over with!
One year later, after mountains of notes and research I had finally decided to start with the new story plot. Why so? This plot has everything and more to offer; suspense, the warmth of close friendship, tragedy, mystery and adventure. Best of all, it has rich characters. I never thought that this novel would consume so much time and energy, but instead of having my readers share the casualties of misfortune. I'd rather them share the care and riches of redemptive work handled with care and patience. Now my writing is like water in a love affair with gravity. I'm realizing that it's time for it to come because it's ripeness and it's maturity is making me fall in Love with writing again.
