No new story content this week. I’ve been ridiculously busy pulling the new website together (still not 100%) and the book (at the 99% mark). Book likely to go on sale next week, and Kickstarter items shipping out as they become available to me. Whee!
So, since I want to give you guys some content on a weekly basis of SOME sort, let’s talk about what I’m planning for //013… and the roadblocks I’m hitting.
(This is the sort of thing you can expect in the vol//001 book, by the way; it has extensive author’s notes on each story, explaining the evolution and thought process behind each. Whee!)
In the aftermath of //012, I wanted to do a more melancholy and introspective story. I have plans for a Penelope/Lucas/Milly story, but that one pushes the uberplot fast and hard, and would be better off as //014. So what to do for //013… how about the thing I haven’t gone into detail about yet, namely, Gregory Yates?
He hasn’t headlined a story yet, always playing second fiddle to someone. I want to explore the transition his life has gone through after vol//001. That means having someone to bounce him against, though, and it can’t be Penelope — some things you don’t want to talk about with your teenage daughter. And what character haven’t I used much lately, who has a direct connection to Grandma Scarlett, meaning fallout splashes for area of effect damage…? Yep, Cass.
Okay, that’s a basic concept; Gregory and Cass talk about what’s going on in their lives. But… that’s not quite enough. I mean, you need a CONFLICT, too. I have one in mind, but… I don’t know. It feels forced. Don’t want to spoil, so no details, but. Thematic, yes, and exposes a lot of Gregory’s character, and my sister assures me it sounds good, but… agh. Doesn’t FEEL right yet. I need to tinker with it. And until I solve this problem I don’t feel good about plowing straight into the writing.
I expect I’ll have this mess sorted out for the next week. If I don’t then good gravy aagh, but I’m going to be optimistic and think I can sort it out. At the very least, well… you’ll have the book to enjoy, yah? Yah. More to come.
Usually in my writing, I find that the characters will work their issues to the forefront in their own sweet time; that is, if you write it, they will come.
You might find that putting your concerns to the side and just letting the characters run loose for a bit will bring the story out better than trying to make them cooperate ahead of time.
My .02, worth exactly the electrons it’s written in. ;) Luck.
I’m thinking that’s what I need to do here, too. Just start and see where it goes. Some of my best plots are totally improvised; I figure out what needs doing as it’s happening. I’m really bad at jettisoning things and rewriting, though, so sometimes a lot of cruft comes along for the ride.
Worst example of that in CoA so far is all the stuff about the truckers and Melba’s diner in //004. The original version of the plot focused a LOT more on Cass’s culture clash problems with the truckers… then that completely fell by the wayside as I improvised the situation with the Cult of Bedlam. But, all those world-building details are still in there, unused.
(…which is the sort of slightly interesting details you can read all about in the author’s notes of the upcoming book! Heyo!)
I agree, just going for it might work. Hopefully you feel good enough about at least the start of the idea to give it a shot. Start with Gregory’s ruminations while he goes through what passes for a normal day in his modern life, and a conceptual or symbolic direction to go will probably fall right out of how he feels/acts/reacts.
And by then you’ll know whether your original plot plan jives or something new or what. If all else fails and whatever you write with Gregory ends up entirely offscreen, it will still help you get a good feel for him and what he needs and where he might be going.
Hmm. If you really wanna go crazy, have … lemme text you