Skip to content

Squirrel Talk

Nutty Chitter from a Caffeinated Critter

Menu
  • Books
    • Niniers Series
    • Cera Chronicles
    • Anthologies
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
Menu

Halfway

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Loni Townsend

I have heard of writer’s block. A couple of my critique partners have told me they have it. A nasty thing from the sounds of it. Writer’s block isn’t something I’ve struggled with. Probably because I’m a pantser and my story has been bumbling around in my head for 15 years, scratching and clawing its way through my fingertips, desperate to break free.

I reached the halfway mark for NaNoWriMo this morning. Twenty-five thousand words. Almost all of it is from Cameron’s point of view, save for that scraggly bit at the beginning. I won’t say I haven’t been stuck, but I haven’t been blocked. There were a few points where the pace slowed to molasses and the characters trudged forward to a sticky-sweet boredom of doom. But I told myself that I refused to have writer’s block. I would not stand for it.

My solution? Bam! Big hole in the middle of the desert to suck all my characters into a different section and accelerate the plot. It actually flowed a lot better than it sounds (because it sounds freaking awful). At least I think it did. I haven’t gone through to reread what I’ve written. I’m pretty sure there are a few dragging points, a few disorienting transitions, and I may have crossed that line that makes readers say, “Oh look. The monsters are attacking… again.” We’ll see when I finish.

I’ve been good about not inflating my word count. I have an issue with abusing “that” and I’ve deleted all that I’ve noticed as my fingers type. I could have left them in, but I was a good girl and chose not to.

Yesterday’s writing brought on an “Ah-ha!” moment. There is a situation in Thanmir War which remains unexplained. I had a vague idea of what happened (though the character had no clue) and I left it as a mystery to be filled in at a later date. Yesterday, I discovered my answers. It hit me in a flash and I suddenly understood exactly what had happened and how and why. Do not be fooled by the thought that writers dictate what happens in the story. Half the time, I don’t know how everything connects until way down the line. Then things I’ve already written fall into place. Click!

When something like that hits, it’s one of the most amazing feelings in the world.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to my blog. I post here on Wednesdays most of the time, but you can find me on social media any day of the week. My topics include my stories and writing, life at the Town's End, creating and tinkering with graphics, things I learn and think might be helpful to others, and the occasional amateur photo. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you around.

Get Social!

Follow Me on FacebookFollow Me on TwitterFollow Me on FlickrFollow Me on InstagramFollow Me on PinterestFollow Me on RSSFollow Me on GoodreadsEmail Me!Follow Me on DeviantArt

Recent Posts

  • Keep On Marching On #IWSG
  • Got You Covered #IWSG
  • Welcome 2023! #IWSG
  • Progress Made #IWSG
  • No NaNo for Me #IWSG

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with me and Mailchimp to receive my blog posts via emails. Don't worry, I only post about once a month. Use the unsubscribe link in the email to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Categories

Books and Anthologies

© 2023 Squirrel Talk | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme