Idea Time!

I am so, so happy.

After a few months of non-writing, over the last few days I've started to get that itch. That little urge in the back of your mind that kind of taunts and toys with you, and says, "I'm an idea. And I'm forming." It might sound strange, but that's how it happens. It doesn't necessarily have to be an actual idea, it's just motivation to be an idea, if that makes any sense. And it kind of sits back there, building itself up, a tiny little notion prepping itself to be a full-fledged idea.

Well when I was driving home today it struck me. The Idea. I immediately came home and jotted it down in my idea journal (yes, you've read my blog, and you know what that is) and started doing what I am adamantly opposed to--I started outlining.

And I started drafting character outlines.

If you're asking yourself why I started doing this, I'll tell you it's pretty simple. I've struggled a lot with my writing. I write a draft, then go back through and in editing discover I've left out a key scene that changes the entire book and I have to rewrite the whole thing. Multiple times. I love my characters, I do, but I've gotten several reviews/comments talking about how they seem one-dimensional and cliche. Well--I still stand by my characters, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't grow and learn from the comments, right? A comment my editor gave me has stayed with me all this time... It was to the effect of her wanting to know my character's back story, because my main character wasn't the big mystery, and it helped make her more sympathetic.

And that, I think, is a very fair and valid point.

So I wrote a quick little bit on each main character, a quick overview of the story and underlying themes, and then started a chapter-by-chapter outline. I think it's the chapter-by-chapter outline that kills me, to be honest. I need to keep it more vague. If I write chapter-by-chapter outlines, the story has pretty much been told and I'm bored. As I've said a dozen times before, I discover the story just as the reader does. So I think I need a vague outline to make this all work.

I was going to share the premise here, but I think I need to work a little on the pitch before I do. Pitch, of course, being the summary. So until then, sit tight, because I kinda dig this idea!

Until next time, guys, thanks for sticking with me! <3