Mental Meanderings

Good Intentions and Sticking With It

Today it's an effort to start my journal entry. It's not that writing the entry is truly a chore or anything like that, it's simply that little voice inside my head muttering his little comments away. "You've got nothing interesting to talk about, no one really cares what you have to say, wouldn't you rather have a hot shower, or go to bed, or why not eat something."

This nasty little voice is evil. He has often been my greatest downfall. He fights hard against all my good intentions and I guiltily admit that I've frequently listened and let him beat me. "Yes, I'm sure I'm boring people (if so they can click elsewhere), at least I'm writing, I'd love a hot shower but after is soon enough for me, it's only 8PM I've plenty of time to get to bed, and I'm done on my points today so if you want something it'll have to be carrots or celery sticks."

lol Yep, didn't think he'd like me answering him like that. Sane logic reasoning. But of course, after deflating all his excuses with logic he's got a million more behind them. Most of the time it's a case of ignore. Still, it's not easy.

I did however promise myself way back on the 13th of this month (just over a week, gees it feels longer than that) that I'd start writing my daily journal entries again. Writing them at this time of night has been working out more or less and while I mightn't be as engaging as Mel or Tor or Dan at least I'm writing.

Yesterday, while walking to pick Kaylie up from school, my head was going crazy with feedback about my Storm book. "Storm Book?" I hear you all say. lol Well that's what I'm calling it for a moment. Those of you who read me way back a few months ago may (or probably won't) remember me talking about this incredible dream I woke up from? It was while I was write in the middle of my first draft of 'The Dating Game' and I decided to scrawl my notes but leave the story to one side while I finished the romance I was working on.

Well obviously the romance is on a burner, perculating. (I swear that's what it's doing, I've not forgotten it, I'm just letting it mature a little.) But I was surprised to be getting these sorts of mind twists about Storm. I'm calling it Storm at the moment. That will not be the title but because I've yet to settle on a suitable title I'll refer to it as Storm since that's what it is in my head at the moment.

It's good to know that this story is still floating around in my head. It's definately one worth writing, even if I haven't worked out too many details yet. It also leads me closer to my preferred genre. I wrote The Dating Game, a romance, simply because at that time I needed to focus on something lighter and heart specific. My preferred genre is high fantasy but I suppose we'll see how I do writing for that genre when I get a chance.

Storm isn't high fantasy. From the notes I've taken so far it seems to be a sci-fi drama or something of the sort. I say sci-fi because no matter how I try to change the storm scene in my head it refuses to be budged. The setting is rather futuristic, a huge chrome/metal city, overhanging far out across the ocean. Bridges and walkways connecting everything, like a huge, metal, stick insect, or perhaps an orgy of stick insects. lol

Of course the story focus is not the city at all. It's actually one woman, a young woman, Sarah, who is a live in nanny/teacher to a very large family. The parents of the family (and a couple of children) are killed in the storm and Sarah become responsible for the remaining children. Let's just say that becoming a mother at this stage in her life was not on the plans but she loves these kids. They'll all have to adjust with the changes as well as dealing with greif and tragedy, etc. etc. etc. See, drama. lol

Now it's a case of working out the details a little more finely. Flesh the story out, get an outline together and a couple of prime character sketches. Sarah has a love interest, friends, and those kids, even the parents need to be a little more fixed in my mind before I could start chapter one. Not to mention the fact that I'm not sure where exactly in the story to start. Writing books constantly mention starting where the action is and in this case the storm would be the action. But if I started there I'd have to flash back to pre-storm to flesh out the situation for readers and in a story like this that could actually work. There are other options and it's all doing cartwheels around my brain why I peel carrots and wash dishes and walk to and from school.

The trouble is all of these activities are rather hazardous to the notetaking I try to do simultaneously. They are great busy activities that let the mind wander but have you ever tried walking and writing? Ok now push a pram while you're doing that. Or dry your hands every few minutes till your tea towel is sopping wet and your trailing suds across the kitchen floor. You see my problem. For some reason when I try to sit at the computer and think about the story it just isn't there.

*sighs* Ok, I've yarned your ears off. Storm will continue brainstorming at my busy moments but it's still a long way off first draft. I also feel kind of like I'm cheating if I were to start the first draft of that before getting The Dating Game finished. Especially since I don't seem to be having any movement on that one at all at the moment (other than similar busy moment stray thoughts).

And now, time for a hot shower and I might watch a DVD tonight, there is a TV program I'd like to watch tonight but it's a late show and it would be better if I didn't stay up that late. But a movie starting soon would still get me into bed at a reasonable hour. G'night all and have a great day.