So I was plodding along the other day with my writing. And something smacked me right in the head. No, it wasn't Buckley's stuffed reindeer, I made him take that downstairs because he kept knocking over lamps when he slung it across the room. It was a brain storm.
I'm working on this ms and I've been thinking it's going to be a single title, so I've been aiming for right around 100,000 words. And you know what I realized, it's not. It's not a single title. There's not much of any secondary story line (no secondary characters have shouted for their story to be told) and the plot line itself has progressed faster than it should for me to reach the length of a single title. I think it's a Modern Extra. So I have adjusted my goals appropriately. And I feel not nearly as lost. I feel like I know exactly where I'm headed here. And I even think it fits there.
So I guess the lesson here is that you have to be flexible and your goals have to be movable!
What about you? Ever been writing something you thought was one thing and it turned out to be something different?
April
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6 comments:
I thought my MX was a Blaze, and the ST with the agent was a Blaze at first too. Too much story and subplot to hit the word count, though. I've also started what I thought were novels, but were really short stories. It's good ot be flexible with the muse. Mine's never read publisher guidelines ;)
I second that. It's good to be flexible. I started categories which turned out to be ST's in the end and vice versa. Writing is an ever changing process. One has to adjust on the way.
Way to go April!!! Stephanie just talked about how a story has a life of its own for her and that is how it is for me. So often I think this and that is going to happen and when I'm writing suddenly find myself in things like mud slides :-). Things that weren't going to be there but are and are there to stay as that is the real story. So... I have to change my mind. And more importantly...make my mind accept the changes in goals. Your right on in thinking one needs to be flexible! :-) I'm also excited for you as though you didn't plan it, it should give you more time to get ready for conference!
Have a great evening and get lots written!
Cole
Many times! The beautiful part of the creative process is that your book knows what it needs to be... you just have to learn to listen to it, and when you do, you get these wonderful revelations, like the one you got.
So thrilled for you! Now get to work. He he!
Stephanie
Glad you found a possible place for it! Good luck. :)
Boy, have I done that before. But part of the fun of writing is for the story to unfold for me, sometimes in directions I wasn't counting on.
Margaret
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