The word of the day is “wet.”
Here in the desert, where every tenth of an inch counts.
Dripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdripdrip.
Spent much of last week wrangling with the current draft. Had hit a wall where I kept thinking: this problem I created, it’s too big for my protagonist to solve. It’s a problem we haven’t solved in my world yet. How on earth is said protagonist going to fix everything in 60,000 or 70,000 words?
Then late last week I realized I was thinking about it all wrong. Much as I’d like to write a book that solved all the world’s problems, that’s not my book’s primary focus. The primary focus is my protagonist, dealing with these problems, and his arc. What does he do, how does it go right or wrong–what does he save/change, even if he doesn’t save everything?
With that in mind, I’ve been able to move forward again.
Dear Characters,
You’re not all really characters. You know that, right? Some of you … you’re just sort of cardboard cutouts waving your hands in the air like characters.
No, no, I don’t mean it like that. I mean … that cardboard characters are important. You prop up the story until I can replace you with something more substantial.
Yes, I think you are going to need replacing. Try not to take it personally.
I really do appreciate all you’ve done.
Me
72300 / 75000 words. 96% done!