Last week I read a bloggers post about letting go of a manuscript. It seems to be the day for people to want to move on and start over. The ever lovely Karla Nellenbach admitted this week on twitter that she falls out of love with her characters at about 35000 words.
I have not had the luxury of falling out of love with an idea. I will say this if I don't have a clear vision of the story board, from start to finish, I usually don't start it. I don't like to be surprised. I like to know, at least in my head, how it is going to play out. Yes, I am a little neurotic that way.
But I actually had something very different happen to me this week.
I have started to partake in the Tuesday Teaser segment that Ms. Nellenbach started. Okay, I don't know if she actually started it or if hers was just the first blog that I saw it on, so she is getting the credit here. For my faithful readers (you know who you are...all five of you) I had a very hard time with this the first time. Kind of like losing your virginity. The first time hurts but once you get the hang of it you can get pretty darn good at it if you know what I mean. *wink wink*
Yesterday's post was a blast from the past. Something I had worked on quite a while ago. When I say a while ago, I am talking years. I didn't do anything more than pull it out and post it. Right after that I found my fingers itching to start working on it. Make some changes. Some things that I saw from the eyes of a younger writer don't seem to fit now.
This story was one I started back in the day when I just wrote whatever I felt compelled to write, so I don't have all of it yet. I did find myself plotting out a new story board on this one with the intent to maybe start over and give these two characters the ending they deserve.
I am very excited about this. So thanks to all of you who encouraged me to take a chance on putting some of my stuff out there. You guys helped me face something that in retrospect wasn't really all the scary. And boy do I feel better for the experience.
8 comments:
I'm like you. I don't start a story until I know it has a beginning, middle, and end. There are still lots of ways for me to be surprised on every page!
Sadly, I did not create the whole Teaser Tuesday craze, but I am a faithful follower, so I'll take the credit ;)
I'm kind of like you in that I have to have my characters and their story fully formed (if not properly outlined) before I can start writing, but most of my WIPs get to about the halfway mark and I start doubting that MS. Not really the characters or even the basic plot itself, but all the little side stories and even the way I'm laying it all out, and then I get waylaid by another shinier set of characters and it starts all over again. It's a vicious cycle, I know.
and FYI: you're so brave to post something you wrote years and years ago. I could never work up the courage to do that. I look at the things I wrote back in the day and cringe :)
PS...my word verification is VAGISATI...that just sounds dirty ;)
LOL! I believe I'll let some things remain a mystery. ;)
Virginity...what's that?
I haven't had the motivation (or time) to finish my current WIP. Too much Brady in my life.
woowee.
how about i just say congrats on how teaser tuesday is getting the creative juices flowing?
I can't wait to see what you do with these two characters.
It's like riding a bike! Wait, I may be mixing my euphamisms here...
I was so excited to see the Madonna reference. I have been a huge Madonna fan since age 10. I've seen her in Chicago three times (the last from a vantage point of Row 6 - I cried.)
Though I don't follow her as closely as I used to (I have several scrapbooks and saved magazines), I still love to hear about what she's doing. I love her. I fear her. She's a true icon.
Thanks for giving me an excuse to share that!
Laura: I am with you surprises can still happen even though I drive my story from the start.
Karla: In my mind you created so you get the street cred for it. Hey what can I say, that is the way I roll!
Linda: We can keep a secret here.
Candy: With an obsession like Brady I completely understand.
Abby: Come on - live a little.
Patty: Thanks for the support. Let's see if I can make them must reads.
Jessica: I dressed just as outlandishly. Maybe some day I will dig up a picture and share it with you.
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