Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Day 9, April 6, 2010

As I said yesterday, sometimes the world intrudes, but when the intrusions come from people who love you and extend themselves at every opportunity to help you, you roll with it. You behave as a good son and brother and offer a hand to others. And do it gladly.

Meanwhile back at the keyboard: A primary character connects with a secondary character to further her aims. This, of course, is a set-up often found in fiction. The user develops unexpected affection for the person being used. But I like to write against convention, so I don't think that's going to happen, at least not in the expected way.

You mean, you may be saying to yourself, I don't know everything that's going to happen in my own story? No, I don't. I have a general idea of what's going to happen, but if I adhered rigidly to my outline, I'd leave no room for creativity or surprise. I like to surprise myself; I love to surprise the reader.

In another part of today's work, speaking of surprises, I wrote a scene that extended the understanding of two primary characters while setting up a scene that will be paid off later. If you're going to spice a story with incidents that are figuratively or literally explosive, you have to show one but not necessarily two booby-traps being built.

Despite the interruptions, my energy was good and my interest remains high. I added another five-and-a-half pages to the story.

Day 9 of writing my new novel is done.

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