I have sadly said goodbye to Jack & Carly. I have filed them away in a manila folder in my filing cabinet in hopes that maybe, one day, I will be able to do something to their story that will make it work. This is not that day though.
However, Megan is excited that Jack & Carly are finally where they belong, in her opinion. She has been bugging me endlessly to get to her story. Together Megan and I had a brief outline, then she changed it. Originally, she was in Texas on business, but we were having problems making that work. With that change we changed her back story a little bit. We took her abusive husband from an every day jackass to a "business man" with questionable practices. The kind that dumps bodies in the river with cement shoes. Maybe the son her father never had. Maybe the man he had "take over" his business when he died from some life threatening disease, like being a mob Don or cancer. Maybe this protege helped him along in illness. . . hmmmm, something else to think about.
This is how the process of a new story starts out for me. A bunch of possibilities to throw together and see what's going to work best. How about you? How does the process begin?
However, Megan is excited that Jack & Carly are finally where they belong, in her opinion. She has been bugging me endlessly to get to her story. Together Megan and I had a brief outline, then she changed it. Originally, she was in Texas on business, but we were having problems making that work. With that change we changed her back story a little bit. We took her abusive husband from an every day jackass to a "business man" with questionable practices. The kind that dumps bodies in the river with cement shoes. Maybe the son her father never had. Maybe the man he had "take over" his business when he died from some life threatening disease, like being a mob Don or cancer. Maybe this protege helped him along in illness. . . hmmmm, something else to think about.This is how the process of a new story starts out for me. A bunch of possibilities to throw together and see what's going to work best. How about you? How does the process begin?
pretty much the same my dear ;) a character or two (usually two) comes to mind and I have to discover not just who they are but what's going on around them. a lot of times I have an initial scene or two, sometimes three but I need to decipher what's actually going on, tweek a bit here and there until a plot evolves ... then change things when I realize it doesn't work ... you get the idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to meeting megan :D
Ack!
ReplyDeleteSay it ain't so!!
I had built this whole backstory in my head around you and me finishing our books near the same time, going through the awful querying process together and getting published within a year of each other - both going on to success in our respective niches and then toasting each other at RWA with, "I knew her when..."
I mean, I didn't know I had this backstory until just this minute when you whipped it out from under me. And I know, like, we've never met or anything, and aren't exactly friends, and Lord knows I haven't been working on Kali & Zeke (my Jack & Carly) like I should have been... but, but...
Really? Are you sure?
I mean, I'm sure you're sure, seeing as you made a public announcement and all. But are you really sure? We were gonna blurb each others' books and everything.
It's ok Venus - we can support her now on Megan's story and if it is the one she's meant to write first, she'll catch up to everyone in no time. Or she'll pull a Kira and pass us all up and write the whole darn thing overnight ...
ReplyDeleteAwww, Venus, that's a wonderful idea. We can totally do that. I have a good feeling about this story, it has enough plot and ideas to keep it flowing. I'm excited. I plan on spending my day today getting it written. I don't know how many words you're at for Kali & Zeke, but if this story writes as easily as I'm hoping it will, we can still follow your backstory. It sounds like a plan to me! :D
ReplyDeleteBan, nobody writes as fast as Kira, the woman is a machine. I'm totally jealous.
ReplyDeleteOkay-- first of all thanks so much for the vote of confidence but I do NOT write fast. My first one took me 10 years-- still not finished on the second one. The only one I wrote fast was my 3rd- ON EDGE. And no, I haven't written a word on my 4th story idea. It just wasn't working-- so am on to my 5th story idea. And haven't written a word of that. Just planned and plotted. SO-- I am flattered but do not deserve the credit. :)
ReplyDeleteBut Erika, I think it takes a lot to realize, okay this isn't working right now, I need to move on to something else. Doesn't mean you won't finish the other, but right now is not the time.
And my new stories start out with a character and go from there. I ask the what if's. A character's background usually plays a huge role in the story itself.
I'm excited for you, Erika. Get crackin' on the new story!! :D
Kira, thanks for the kind words. I'm trying to get it all figured out. I'm writing the prologue right now from a few different POV's. I need to decide if it will just be from one POV or if it will be from two. *sigh* Decisions decisions. Okay, gotta get back to work.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Erika. Sometimes you have to step away from a story to get insight into making it work.
ReplyDeleteAs I told Kira when she was struggling with Pirate and she had ON EDGE percolating, write the story you are passionate about.
She did. When the passion is there the story will come.
Trust. Me.
Now, I have to slog through the beginning of my next story. Once I settle into the character, the words will come.
Oh, thanks for the horse!
Now, quit playing on Facebook and start writing!
*CCRRAACCKK!*
Thanks for the wisdom Margaret, it's appreciated. Megan is the only character who I have figured out. I'm working on the RML now, I think I'm going to name him Cole (after that hot demon in Charmed) but the abusive husband is still just a glob. He doesn't have a face or a name yet. I know he will come to me in time.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome for the horse. Geez you're bossy! ;)
Uhm, yes, I am bossy.
ReplyDeleteHow many words have you written today???
Hmmm? *taps foot*
LOL, I haven't written anything yet today. I'm at the day job. :)
ReplyDelete