Back on the Horse
So, last time out I explained the ins and outs of OH GOD I HAVE TO START OVER.
Well, this time I’m back to where I want to be. I’m about 2000 words behind schedule, but catching up quickly.
So, let’s talk about inspiration, shall we?
I knew my opening line, I knew the characters that were involved and at some point I thought of a neat little play on the genre I could stick into the work. But that was all fluff. I still didn’t have the bones to hang the idea on.
Basically, once I got past that first line—well, first three paragraphs—I had no idea what was going to happen next. I was frozen. I was a popsicle.
Part of it was the brain. My mind was elsewhere. Kids starting schools. Summer ending. Work.
Everything but writing was hitting a climax point. I knew this was coming, it happens every year and it jams me up. But this time, I felt extra pressure because I wasn’t in the middle, I was STARTING OVER.
Anyway, one night I was scrolling mindlessly through TikTok. It was the usual fare: food reviews, basketball drills and silliness. But I came across a true crime video and it really caught my eye. It was an unsolved case that had happened recently.
The embers started burning. Now I had it, it was just a matter of writing it.
The thing is, a lot of people say that can write by the seat of their pants, and maybe they can. I used to and it always involved a lot of revision. But just having this direction has helped. It strengthened and clarified that first chapter and gave me an easy in to the rest of the book.
I’m excited to see where it goes.
Right now I’m reading Smoke Kings by Jahmal Mayfield. I’m enjoying it and he mentions Rutgers as much as I do!